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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that it's inappropriate that DS is watching TV every day at school?

34 replies

Stuffedcrusty · 20/10/2014 17:16

DS is in reception. I appreciate that many things have changed since I was at primary school several decades ago, but I'm surprised that they watch so much TV. They watch the Numtums every day. Even DS is bored of it - "we watched the Numtums AGAIN today mummy". They watched other things during the early weeks, which I thought was just part of an odd settling-in process, but now I'm getting a bit Hmm about daily cbeebies. It just seems like lazy teaching to me. AIBU? Is this "the norm" nowadays? I have nothing against TV/Cbeebies by the way especially as he watches enough of it at home anyway but surely there are better ways to teach numbers?

OP posts:
shushpenfold · 20/10/2014 17:17

Mine didn't watch television for the entire year of reception, although every afternoon was play time and some just lay on beanbags reading or chilling with a toy (or sleeping like my ds!)

hollie84 · 20/10/2014 17:17

Maybe ask the teacher how she's using it?

hollie84 · 20/10/2014 17:18

I think it's pretty common to have something on the smart board for most lessons - whether it's a song, game, film clip etc. I can imagine using a numtums clip to introduce a number or concept.

popperdoodles · 20/10/2014 17:22

I would check with teacher. It could be an interactive smart board thing which feels just like tv to the children but is infact a very planned interactive activity. Maybe using cbeebies characters is a way of keeping them interested?
Ask teacher about it.

morethanpotatoprints · 20/10/2014 17:23

I think its good that children can start school and be able to learn through play and familiarity like tv.
Some dc are just 4 when they start, far too soon to be learning in a structured classroom environment.
reception is just really an extension of nursery and free childcare Grin

LizLimone · 20/10/2014 17:31

Sounds like pretty lax standards to me. School is all about introducing new ways of learning. As you say, most kids watch plenty of TV at home!

Check with the teacher and see if it really is 'just' passive TV use or more appropriate use of some screen time to introduce learning concepts.

KoalaDownUnder · 20/10/2014 17:36

If it really is just watching tv with no learning activity attached, I think it's rubbish.

LizLimone · 20/10/2014 17:37

4 might be young for structured learning, more, but I've never come across a nursery / daycare that lets the charges watch TV. If my son's preschool had them watching TV I'd take him out and send him somewhere where the staff could demonstrate they have a clue about early child development.

Anyone can stick a kid in front of cartoons. The whole point of putting your child into a structured setting is so they can be exposed to new ways of learning and have their mind developed in age-appropriate ways e.g. creative play, hands-on sensory activities, stories and songs etc.

Original poster
Stuffedcrusty · 20/10/2014 17:53

According to DS they watch the whole episode just before lunch - given that he's only 4, you could be right though, hollie84, it may just be a short clip. I will ask the teacher at the parents' meeting next month. Just wanted to check before I started asking questions...

OP posts:
zipzap · 20/10/2014 17:53

When we were at school we used to watch a programme a week on tv that was a special schools program - think it was Read and Write in the early years. However, there was one tv for the school so only enough slots for each class to have a programme once a week. however we loved it and it was very exciting (I can still remember watching the 'and' caterpillar coming along to eat up the 'and' and spit out a full stop instead) BlushGrin

These days although BBC Schools no longer exists, there are some great educational programmes out there, especially for infants. And as so many of the classes now have their own smartboards as standard, it makes sense to watch relevant episodes when they fit into the lessons being learnt, rather than just what is dictated by a tv schedule that is completely independent of what is being taught at any moment.

FunkyBoldRibena · 20/10/2014 17:54

No, not on! Definitely speak to the teacher about it.

QueenTilly · 20/10/2014 19:27

If it's the Numtums, it's okay. [helpful]

NoMarymary · 20/10/2014 19:31

They have a treat on Friday afternoon (golden time) and watch a short DVD. It's a treat especially as by Friday afternoon the poor little buggers are knackered

Otherwise no, but DD learned how to write letters by following squiglet!

nippiesweetie · 20/10/2014 19:34

The teacher could be doing one to one assessments while the others are watching the programme. If CAs have been cut, teachers have to find the time somehow.

fruitpastille · 20/10/2014 19:35

Could be dinner ladies putting it on if the weather has been bad at lunchtime play? Not normal for there to be regular tv in class time.

RoganJosh · 20/10/2014 19:37

The episodes are five minutes long.

hollie84 · 20/10/2014 19:46

Just 5 minutes before lunch I wouldn't worry! At DS's school they often have 5-10 minutes of something on (like the Cbeebies bedtime story) while they're sitting on the carpet waiting for parents to collect.

WooWooOwl · 20/10/2014 19:52

Five minutes of an age appropriate programme a day just before going out for lunch and a run around is harmless. I really can't see the issue.

Your ds is telling you about it because it's something he remembers, there will be plenty if other things going on in his day that you don't get to hear about.

spanieleyes · 20/10/2014 20:10

If it's the five minutes before lunch it will be toilet and wash hands time, so children will be off in relays to the toilets whilst the remainder watch less than five minutes of an interactive programme specifically designed to help young children learn their numbers. The staff will be off monitoring the handwashing whilst keeping one eye on the "TV" group.

IcingandSlicing · 20/10/2014 21:25

Actually at that age they would learn better through play and the educational movies are not a problem at all!
I would be more worried if the teachers were trying to "teach them properly" they are just 4 year olds.
Plenty of time for proper teaching and learning ahead.

hollie84 · 20/10/2014 21:37

True spanieleyes - at my school they spend the 5-10 minutes before lunch mostly queuing to use the sinks. It would probably be better for them to watch something!

Yoruba · 20/10/2014 21:43

Is your ds at our school?!

Same here, the rubbish they watch is Shock

Despicable me, Charlie and Lola, peppa pig!

I haven't spoken to the teacher yet because I'm a coward I havent thought how to phrase it without sounding whingey!! But I'm going to. Not on IMO.

Hatespiders · 20/10/2014 22:15

No, children of that age should be doing things or communicating and interacting with eachother, not passively watching something such as a TV programme. There should be a large selection of activities for them to try, involving making things, artistic expression, singing, movement games, counting real objects, drawing, pretending etc.
When I was teaching (slightly older children) one or two of the teachers were told off by the Head for taking their classes too much to the TV room. It's tempting, because the children sit hypnotised and quiet while the teacher has a little rest. Most unprofessional and lazy!

Tinpin · 20/10/2014 22:31

I remember those 80'schools programmes because I was the teacher in charge of videoing them all. Staff used to choose their programmes in July for the next school year and I would order their booklets. No live programme ever fitted in with their timetables so I would have to video them. I used to have a large timetable in my classroom and have to rush out of the room to press the record button. The pressure! Sometimes i forgot and would have to go and ask for forgiveness - not always forth coming! Sorry I know this is irrelevant to the thread but zipzaps comment reminded me of those long ago days. I don't think we could have ever imagined that we could just use television at will in the classroom!

fruitpastille · 21/10/2014 02:32

Tinpin, just a few years ago we had a school tv room with an ancient tv and video for which you could book slots. There was a large handwritten catalogue with all the programmes listing the cassette number for each. But wait for it - all of this was in BETAMAX!! It was a sad day when it got chucked...
Now almost everything you need is online and on your smartboard in seconds.