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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be horrified at the behaviour in bohunt school

999 replies

SEsofty · 04/08/2015 22:13

Just watched the programme about Chinese teachers in uk. Whilst I appreciate that it is reality tv and thus exaggeration for effect I was still horrified with the apparent number of children who were talking in class.

I'm not that accident and went to a very normal school but talking whilst teacher did simply didn't happen. I don't agree with the Chinese methods but talking whilst someone is trying to teach you is simply rude.

OP posts:
BertrandRussell · 13/08/2015 12:55

Show me a private school with a mixed ability class of 50 and I'll show you a place that doesn't exist!

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 12:59

I didn't say private schools had mixed ability classes of fiftyConfused.

We were talking about different styles if teaching and their respective result-return.

However, it's not the results per se which is interesting here, but the appallingly disrespectful behaviour and the speed of people to defend it.

The expectation of poor behaviour is evident. And consequently pupils behave accordingly. Incapable of showing good manners.

Blossom8 · 13/08/2015 13:10

Well put NarrativeArc. For what it's worth, my DD is at a private school which is non-selective. However, her recent academic tests put her reading and maths ability 4 to 5 years ahead of the national average and yes I am Chinese. Her intelligence certainly does not come from myself or my hubby but the fact that we are supportive of her education and the fact that she listens in class and want to do well.

Mehitabel6 · 13/08/2015 13:10

The programme makers expected poor behaviour, set it up for poor behaviour and ....surprise, surprise....... got poor behaviour.

It would be fun if they had sabotaged it and all been little angels-however that wouldn't have been in their interests because it might have been concluded that Chinese methods work!

I can see why some parents might want it to work. You deliver your child to school, sit them in classrooms for long hours and they come out at the end filled with the information that they regurgitate for exams.
Why would children want it to work? Confused

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:13

If we can't raise a generation of DC to behave reasonably is slightly trying circumstances for a very limited period of time, then frankly we ought to throw in the towel.

Mehitabel6 · 13/08/2015 13:13

I got the same with my DS in a comprehensive Blossom8 - without fees.
He is well behaved, we are supportive and he wanted to do well.

BertrandRussell · 13/08/2015 13:14

"However, her recent academic tests put her reading and maths ability 4 to 5 years ahead of the national average"

Can I ask how you know? And is it just her or her whole form?

noblegiraffe · 13/08/2015 13:15

Private schools are selective by income even if not by entrance exam.

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:16

mehit no one was looking for an end result for their DC.

It was never a long term issue. Simply an experience for some children to have for a short period of time.

It's quite obvious that the very bad mannered HT wanted it to 'prove' something; that Chinese teaching methods suck.

Mehitabel6 · 13/08/2015 13:16

Even if a TV company sets them up for a programme to make sure they don't NarrativeArc?

Blossom8 · 13/08/2015 13:16

To some extent I agree Mehitabel6. However, some children in schools cannot behave with English teaching methods/curriculum on a 8.45-3.15 day. When I look back at my school days which was a local comp, I feel so sorry for the teachers and what they had to put up with. Those pupils that wanted to learn, couldn't as the teacher spent most of their time trying to manage behaviour within class.

Mehitabel6 · 13/08/2015 13:26

People seem very naive. It was easy to get good behaviour. They were on camera . All they had to do was lay down the law before they began. Sign good behaviour agreements and make it perfectly clear that anyone who put a foot wrong was immediately outside the classroom and their part was on the cutting room floor.
Whoever was responsible set it up according to the agenda. To then blame the pupils is unfair.

I have been responsible for choosing children you can rely upon to behave. e.g having some in church with royalty, without me in with them as teacher. You know who will behave well and you know who can't be trusted. It is the same on school trips - the teacher takes those who will be a problem, or the TA who knows them, and they give the parent helpers the well behaved, reliable, easy ones.
They knew what they were doing at Bohunt- therefore why scapegoat the children?

Blossom8 · 13/08/2015 13:26

"However, her recent academic tests put her reading and maths ability 4 to 5 years ahead of the national average"

They have end of year reading and maths tests, the results of which were given to parents and it's also in her end of year report. We were also told by the teacher during parents evenings. I don't know how every child did but as it's a non-selective private school, I presume the results are varied and I'm not interested in wanting to know.

BertrandRussell · 13/08/2015 13:27

Were you told what the national average was?

Mehitabel6 · 13/08/2015 13:28

I went to a secondary modern and a grammar and didn't suffer disruption at either- apart from with one very weak teacher.
I agree that disruption happens but it shouldn't.

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:29

noble of course private schools are selective by income.

In the sabe way that state schools can be selective by house price/faith etc.

However, that's not the issue. The issue is teaching style, no?

Schools which incorporate some chalk and talk and expect discipline to remain intact, benefit from good results whatever the sector and whatever the selection process IME.

I've visited the a KIP school in NYC many times and the discipline there is very high despite the level of deprivation the students have to suffer being enough to make your average Bohunt pupil keel over!

This is in large part due to expectation. Pupils are expected to engage with their education in all circumstances.

BertrandRussell · 13/08/2015 13:30

As I said- I have two of those "picked to go to church with royalty" type children.
I would not guarantee their good behaviour at 13 for 12 hours of note taking.

BarbarianMum · 13/08/2015 13:31

I disagree. Unless they were ordered to skive, mess around and be rude (on pain of being excluded from the classroom), then they choose to behave this way. They are teenagers, not 6 year olds. I presume they choose to be part of this experiment, so they could have bourne it with good grace. It wouldn't kill them to be polite, work hard and be bored for a month - they might actually have learnt something.

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:33

bertrand private school teachers are well aware of national averages and levels etcShock.

And it's not unusual for DC to achieve well ahead, whatever their initial ability assessment.

Again, it's about expectations...

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:36

And I don't know what you expect to prove by having no faith that your DC wouldn't have behaved.

Are we meant to all agree? That if your terribly ace DC couldn't do it, then no one could?

Because lots of DC could have managed it. There are bloody loads of them in Asia for a start Wink.

Blossom8 · 13/08/2015 13:38

BertrandRussell: at just turned 6 and being able to read fluently and understand Roald Dahl books, know all her times table and divisions at 5 and being told by the teacher makes me feel somewhat proud of her achievements.

And may I add, I don't agree with the teaching methods used by the Chinese in Bohunt but the way some children behave at this and other schools is unacceptable even if they find the teaching methods boring.

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:40

I would also say that if my DC had misbehaved I would not have been defending them!

I would not blame the teachers that's for sure.

BertrandRussell · 13/08/2015 13:40

"bertrand private school teachers are well aware of national averages and levels etc"

Usually they are. Sometimes they aren't. . They are also sometimes economical with the actualite when talking to parents. Which I why I was asking whether Blossom's child is particularly bright or whether the school expects 4-5 years ahead from the whole class. Because if it's the first, there are children like that in most schools. If the second, there's something worth looking at there!

BarbarianMum · 13/08/2015 13:44

I have always made clear to my children that attending school is a privilege. If they don't take full advantage of the opportunity (and this includes achieving to the best of their ability and behaving at all times) then the privilege will be withdrawn and they can start work or be home educated by me (and I will make the Chinese school look interesting).

My whole education until 16 was marred by wankers pissing about in class. Hate it.

NarrativeArc · 13/08/2015 13:45

bertrand how many private school teachers do you know?

How many if them have admitted to being liars about levels?