The child with all the parts!

[WestWithTheSun]

I really want to write an email to the school head saying "Dear Xxx, how do you think it comes across when in order to divide the roles in the class play up evenly you some how manage to give the parts of Matilda AND Miss Trunchbull to the same child and not even notice that you did it?"

I am sure it is nothing to do with the child in question being the child of a the only parent governor in the class!

I say I would like to write that email, but I know it would only get me in trouble. Again.

That will be hilarious! Jumping back and fourth, putting on different voices and wigs.

I'd buy a ticket to that.

Does the Head really have involvement to that level? In our school the teachers do all the choosing and the Head just turns up on the night to do the speeches. Surely it's the teachers your angst should be directed at?
I do feel your pain though.

Was the same child also Mary at Christmas?

Surely a typo?

Don't Matilda and Miss Trunchbull appear together in some parts of the play?

I'm trying to imagine how that works

I don't get it - how can one child play both those parts? They are definitely on stage together!!

Yes, they split the role of Matilda between 4 girls (apparently in order to make sure everyone got a go at a good part.) The Miss Trunchbull girl played Matilda in the scenes Miss Trunchbull wasn't in. She changed her tshirt and that was as much costume change as was needed.

yuk.....why couldn't that child just be mrs trunchbull - and the other 3 be matilda?

urgh

i sat in DC class play recently, and teacher had a problem with the technology, so she called over to teachers pet - OH X can you sort out the wifi?....FFS there are 30 parents in the room who could help you if you are stuck, you don't need to make teachers pet that obvious! while parent beamed in the front row - saddo!

Really Boston. Of 30 parents who would have known how to sort out school WiFi?? 😏 My ds wasn't teacher's pet. Furthest away from it loss 😖 However. If a teacher at primary had a techie prob he was the chap to call!

I still get it now, at secondary, if eg they have a supply teacher and they're all oh yes xxxxx he was so helpful. I know he's got in there sorting the projector or something!

Funnily enough I was considering putting up a thread about this. At primary my dd was never picked. There were a core of "golden children" (several belonging to school governors) who were always given the lead. It really boiled my piss.

However, DD is now the "go to girl" in high school. Her year head actually called her that to me! She is given every opportunity going. While I feel bad about it, I am wondering do I feel bad enough to tell the school to let the others have a go!

flyingfauxpas
perhaps one of the 2 or 3 parents the teachers KNOWS works in computer technology....
or my child who could equally have fixed the problem......or probably the other 28 kids in the class who could have pressed the button that says WIFI ON
but no.....teacher would call her 'go to' child, for any problem, and every child in the class knows it....much to the childrens dismay. Thats what pisses people off....
calling one child for tech, one child to show a new child around, one child to look after a sad friend, one child to take home the pet hamster etc etc......but when it is the SAME child for everything it is noticed by parents, other teachers and the kids - that is unfair and actually does the teachers pet no favours either

My reception aged child changed schools during reception. She opened the nativity at the old school and a recent presentation in the new school. If this pattern continues she will be able to get gainful employment asking people to 'please turn off your mobile phones'.
Matilda AND miss T seems unnecessary tho. Bad enough when the teachers come to the same conclusion independently.

In the spirit of the plural of anecdote is not data, i am a school governor and both my girls have been sheep in the xmas play every year.

Clearly i am doing something wrong.

toooldforthisshirt - the real question is whether it makes her unpopular with her friends...and what it is doing to her self-worth/self esteem? Is her identity now being found in being the 'go-to girl'
.....in secondary i think parents don't notice....we are not really there/too busy with younger ones etc.....It becomes more an issue between the child and the teachers, and of course the vulnerability of young girls and male teachers is one to watch out for especially.

primary age its very noticeable, and can make kids become a target for other parents snippy remarks, and other kids jealously etc - especially if the favored child doesn't take the role with good grace!

no1 I must be doing it wrong too.

and I only wanted to be a governor so that dd2 could be Mary, turns out I just have to go to meetings and stuff

I think when parents complain that it's always the governors dc that get the roles, they misunderstand the reason why. It isn't because they're governors, it's because of the type of parent a governor is likely to be. Iyswim! Eg If you've the time, the means and the personality to volunteer, then I'd say it's a 100% chance youve the time to make sure your own dc can read, can learn their lines etc. These children are likely to be doing well in primary school, because of the support they get.

And in all the nativities I've seen, Mary is the worst role, one of the only non speaking parts.

My own experience is that roles are given on merit.
So all this type of chat just smacks of sour grapes.

What I hate about these threads is that because some people have not experienced it in their lives or schools, it therefore equates with not existing.

It definitely does happen, it happened in one of my three dc's schools, the child of the school admin was the lead in every play from reception to year six.

He was also captain of the football and cricket team (his Dad was sports coach).

Poor leadership allows this to happen.

When I complained, I was told the he is a 'safe pair of hands'

That's fair enough wister, it probably does happen sometimes. But I expect more often the child who doesn't get the part simply isn't good enough, and it's the go-to excuse from the the parents.

My ds is in Reception... same child had the lead part in the nativity and last weeks class assembly!

How can that happen / they're in scenes together?

I am chair of governors my DS never gets the class reward as he isn't academic doesn't always work like that. He always gets picked for sports teams but you aren't rewarded for that a whole other thread