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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that a head teacher in a state primary should have heard of Minecraft?

66 replies

strokerecovery · 12/05/2016 20:50

Not expecting them to be across all the stuff kids play on their computers but Minecraft has had such a lot of press about its educational value and potentinal application as a teaching tool, surely it should at least be on her radar. She had never heard of it (and by Head Teacher, I mean Head Master/Mistress)

OP posts:
ToomuchChocolatemeansBootcamp · 12/05/2016 21:43

Having a Minecraft mad 9 year old who will talk about it to anyone, I'm surprised anyone within a 500 mile radius of his foghorn voice with no volume control hasn't heard of fucking Minecraft. Wink
Seriously I am surprised. It's absolutely in the centre of their worlds and has been for a couple of years now.

KathyBeale · 12/05/2016 21:44

I'm going to go against the grain here and say of course a headteacher should have heard of Minecraft.

My kids have loads of esafety lessons and I'm not sure how a head can be involved in those without knowing about Minecraft!

Plus I just think teachers should be - and generally are - clued up about what their pupils are interested in.

I think YANBU.

Original poster
strokerecovery · 12/05/2016 21:46

Museums are free that's true but with our school it's the costs of transporting the children by coach that means school trips are kept to a bare minimum. I know the pupils from city centre schools trot along to the local museums and art galleries far more frequently.

OP posts:
Ricardian · 12/05/2016 21:47

and can afford to go on more trips to museums

Not to mention £3000 trips to Scotland.

HelsBels3000 · 12/05/2016 21:47

As an aside - I was riled up immediately by a grandparent hand-delivering a complaint message addressed to the 'Headmistress' - what is wrong with Head Teacher? Its the same as the Police Officer debate, does the role really need defining as policeman / policewoman? I don't see why it matters what gender the post-holder is, nor should the title identify that.

BrandNewAndImproved · 12/05/2016 21:49

I agree. It shows he/she doesn't really chat to their pupils.

I work in a primary school and the dc have conversations about minecraft quite a lot. Even if I didn't have dc who liked it myself I would know all about the creepers and zombies through their chat.

Napnah · 12/05/2016 21:51

I'd be amazed if ANY teacher hadn't heard of Mine craft, let alone an HT.

Stillunexpected · 12/05/2016 21:52

a Private head might have known about Minecraft because their pupils might all own Ipads and/or have use of them in the classroom and can afford to go on more trips to museums and heritage places - but OP, donchas know that its all the feckless state school pupils who are rotting their brains with 60 inch TVs, X-boxes and every electronic and Apple device ever invented, while their privately educated counterparts are crafting their toys from wood and play dough?

murmeli · 12/05/2016 21:55

Maybe Headteacher in question has more to their life than an interest in computer games... :-)

Original poster
strokerecovery · 12/05/2016 21:55

Yes, all the stuff they get on keeping safe on the internet and internet bullying - surely they need to touch on the subject of not giving away info about yourself when you're on multiplayer servers or 'griefing' and online bullying. It's the third most popular computer game EVER. I personally cannot believe that a Head Teacher moving amongst 450 kids aged 5-11 can't have heard of it but I'm learning that that's an unreasonable assumption.

OP posts:
ZippyNeedsFeeding · 12/05/2016 21:55

Well done to the HT. i spend a significant part of my day trying not to hear all about Minecraft!

Nannawifeofbaldr · 12/05/2016 21:58

My concern wouldn't be that she hadn't heard of it from an educational stand point my concern would be that it indicated that the HT wasn't very directly engaged with her pupils.

There were several Minecraft costumes at our Halloween disco last year. The playground is full of Minecraft back packs and lunch boxes and on dress down days half the kids are wearing Minecraft tshirts.

Has she recently transferred in from Mars?

JadziaSnax · 12/05/2016 22:01

I'd be really surprised if any teacher had no idea about Minecraft. DS and his friends are Minecraft mad.

Birdsgottafly · 12/05/2016 22:01

"" I was riled up immediately by a grandparent hand-delivering a complaint message addressed to the 'Headmistress' - what is wrong with Head Teacher? "

Nothing, but I'm probably a similar age and a Nan. I grew up with the title Headmistress, I use the team 'Head' I didn't know it had changed to 'Head Teacher'.

All this 'Key Stage...' Confuses the life out of me.

Not everyone is upto date on terminology.

A Head Teacher should have at least an overview of the most popular stuff that their Pupils will be interested in, especially when it involves Internet safety.

Iamcheeseman · 12/05/2016 22:03

Not all museums are free! The one in my town started charging years ago.

PotteringAlong · 12/05/2016 22:03

I'm a (secondary) teacher. I've heard of mine craft. Do I know what it is? Do I balls. My children are too young, my DH only plays champ man. I've got other things to talk to the pupils I teach about. It makes me neither a bad teacher nor a bad person. Nor does it mean I don't engage with the pupils in my classes.

Original poster
strokerecovery · 12/05/2016 22:04

murmeli I'm not talking about a Headteacher's personal interests, I'm talking about a Headteacher having a professional interest in what is a ubiquitous, potentially useful tool for education and one that many educationalists are looking to exploit. And yes, I agree that it does suggest a HT that isn't exactly engaging with her pupils.

OP posts:
FrameyMcFrame · 12/05/2016 22:05

this thread is lol

NannawifeofBaldr · 12/05/2016 22:15

Yes Pottering but I doubt stroke would have started a thread about a secondary Head not knowing is surprising to say the least.

Put it this way, it would be like a Primary Head not being aware of "Frozen" - it's just quite hard to see how it could be avoided.

A Orimary Head not know

NannawifeofBaldr · 12/05/2016 22:17

I don't know what happened there! That post was meant to say:

"APrimary Head not knowing is surprising to say the least"

Copy and Paste is running amuck!

CreepingDogFart · 12/05/2016 22:19

I love it when people who don't have a clue about education think they know everything.

grumpysquash3 · 12/05/2016 22:24

Given how much primary school kids talk about Minecraft, I am surprised that she's got this far without knowing what it is. And I would have thought that she might look it up, just to see if it's suitable and/or so she can engage with the pupils, even if she isn't actually interested.

BackforGood · 12/05/2016 22:27

In what context did she come out with "I;ve never heard of Minecraft" ?
Perfectly reasonable to not know much about it . Could there have been a slight misinterpretation of "heard of" / "be 'in to' " ?
All the years I've taught, there are all sorts of fads and phases that are popular for a while. Never really had the time to find out lots about them though - too busy trying to keep up with the ridiculous number of curriculum changes that happen each year.

ApocalypseSlough · 12/05/2016 22:27

So what was the context? If he was talking to children and asking them about it m, it doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't know about it. If he was talking to parents and thought it was a card game, then yes, slightly worryingly out of touch.

PiqueABoo · 12/05/2016 22:28

Education Edition in the works: education.minecraft.net/

I'd be content with an HT who was oblivious to it.

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