To think this is stupid in an English lesson in year 7?

[justmeandmeandonlyme]

My daughter who is 11 years old in year 7 has told me she has been watching hunger games in her English lesson. She said she was nearly crying because of the people dying in it ( I have watched the full series Of hunger games Myself) and she thought it was real.. she is only 11 bad doesn’t watch things like that at home. But am I being unreasonable to think this is not even remotely educational in an english lesson??? I just don’t see how watching a film like that is going to teach kids anything apart from how to sit and cry at a film?

Thanks for all your replies. I don’t ‘ban’ my daughter from the media. She has an iPhone and an iPad so can access the media herself but we are not a family who watches a lot of TV. She’s watched lion king, frozen and all the other Disney films and understands they are not real of course she knows films are made up. I need to have a discussion with her as to why she thought this film was ‘real’ and in what context she meant it being ‘real’ I think it’s because she’s not really watched any films like this very frequently. She’s watched some of the harry potters and knows they are not real also so I want to ask her what part of this film she felt was ‘real’
Maybe it was because it affected her that a child had died ( I think it was the part where Roo died which got to me too!)

I don’t appreciate people saying my daughter had issues because she didn’t know this film was made up at first. It’s because she not really watched this type of films much because like I said we are not big telly watchers. I only watched hunger games on the off chance and actually got into it and watched the whole series. She doesn’t have SEN although she was on the ‘register’ in year 1 and 2. Her year 6 teacher said she suspected she is dyslexic but this all isn’t the point. Doesn’t mean she has ‘issues’ because she felt this particular film was realm

It looks like you really need to talk to her to better understand what happened.

But OP ... it is weird that she couldn’t tell ... it’s obvious. Maybe she meant thought it was based on a true story which I could understand but still ...

You say she's watched some of the Harry Potters, which ones?

I would say the 2nd film, which most people would consider pretty tame is similar to, if not worse than the hunger games. You have a young girl (Ginny) who is left to die in the chamber of secrets, giant spiders, a huge snake and more. So it really surprises me that she accepts that's not real, but didn't make the same conclusions about the young girl Rue being an actor as well.

I would say that perhaps this presents a good opportunity for you to discuss with her the kind of books she will be studying in secondary school. If she's a sensitive soul some of them are definitely going to upset her and I do think it's the case that good teachers will also use film to enhance the learning of the text. I can still remember watching To Kill a Mockingbird with its racism and rape themes and being very moved by it. My own DDs are both avid readers and love getting their teeth in to all sorts. However, neither like to watch the news etc. Although watching the news and discussing current affairs (some of which are very upsetting and violent) is encouraged in schools so I would say you perhaps do need to have a chat with your DD now. And I don't mean that at all in a negative way to you. I was a sensitive one myself!

I agree with you. There are plenty of gentler more suitsble films for this age
. No need to force them to "grow up."

I'd be more concerned that you're 11y/o can't differentiate between reality and a fiction film.

This. And I’m afraid I agree with a PP that they are obviously using films that pupils will engage well with

OP, you may not appreciate people saying my daughter had issues because she didn’t know this film was made up at first but your lack of appreciation of that doesn't mean it might be true.

Your daughter would have had it explained before it was put on, by the teachers, that what they were about to watch was fiction, the term dystopian may have been used, mention of it being incredibly popular, being based on the novel second only in popularity to Harry Potter may have been discussed too. There is no way on earth she would have been taken into a classroom and the video put on with no context of what it was, or why she was watching it in English.

So you have to ask, what part of all of what the teachers said went through one ear and out the other? Why did she persist in believing it was a news item instead of a dystopian fantasy? What 11 year old does that?

It's bizarre. If she is lying and exaggerating about the traumatic effect it had on her, why is she choosing to behave in such a way?

Either way, the 'issues' line is certainly one to investigate.

And I'm even more bemused why, when your 11 year old tells you they are unable of distinguishing between the Hunger Games and real life, you never thought to ask more about why this was the case.

While I think OP's daughter is over-sheltered, I think it's fair to raise a concern. The film is rated 12 so most of the class will be underage albeit by less than a year. As another poster mentioned, in a school environment a child disturbed by the film probably won't feel free to leave. The same scenes in book form aren't as 'in-your-face' as when they're on-screen.

I wouldn't call it 'stupid' though. Films are studied in their own right in English classes and also help support study of a book. Just perhaps not age-appropriate.

I mentioned it upthread but, can I just put it out there that this thread is veering towards the plotline of "Fahrenheit 451'by Ray Bradbury - where literature has been dumbed down, completely sanitized and ultimately outlawed for fear of upsetting anyone.
Forget THG - THAT is a scary road to go down and we're very nearly there.

I'm surprised the school showed a 12 to 11 year olds without seeking parental permission.

Some children are very sensitive, it's not a bad or necessarily anything that can be helped, some people just are. I found some bits quite hard myself at 30 odd.

None of mine have seen Jurrasic Park and I've never asked every 5 yo I know if they have.

I had a complaint from a parent I’d shown the Disney Christmas carol as her son was terrified of it.

He was 14...

I think Hunger Games is OK for year 7.

BUT it is a 12. Many kids in the class are still 11.
ds and dds schools were very good about this, if there was ever anything shown which was even vaguely questionable about age, they woudl send a simple email home:

year 7 will be watching Hunger Games as part of their English this week. It is a 12, if you have any objection to you child watching, please contact your child's english teacher.

That flags up the film, and allows parents to withdraw kids if they think they are not ready.

(the film classification system is that 12 and 12A are the same rating, but they use the 12A in cinema, to allow adults to take kids younger than 12 in if accompanied by an adult.)

But before you get to the point where Rue dies, there are giant robot wasps. Sort of a clue it's not real, isn't it?

I had a complaint from a parent I’d shown the Disney Christmas carol as her son was terrified of it.

He was 14...

The baby just gave me a look like this because I laughed so hard at that 😂😂

OP do you think she was perhaps saying “I thought it was real” for extra sympathy points?? I can’t imagine why a child in secondary school would genuinely think the hunger games was a documentary.

It’s like when people insist their 11yo’still believes in Santa, when actually they probably just say they do because they think it means something to the parents for them to believe or they think they won’t get presents

cherry I struggled to keep a straight face when the comment was relayed to me!

I must be an awful parent then! My sons had read hunger games by 10 years old and had seen the films. Personally I think they are amazing and I really enjoyed reading them myself! I would not have a problem if they were shown that film in school! My 11 year old is currently doing the boy in the striped pyjamas. That is much more upsetting especially as it is based on true events.

Sorry, who accused parents who were happy to let their children read HG 'awful'?

No one. Stop being such a drama queen.

Why don't you ask the teacher what their thinking behind it was?
Then see if you agree or not.

I'm Head of English and we also deliver a 'Dystopian Fiction' unit over a whole term (from returning to school after Christmas to Easter). This includes reading the novel 'Noughts and Crosses', as well as extracts from Unwind, 1984 and The Hunger Games. We also look at real-life scenarios and discuss how far dystopia is present in our society/the world (last year, for example, we looked at Trump's defeat of Clinton and the government's reaction to the Grenfell fire). This unit is incredibly popular with our students (all fill out an evaluation form and participate in student voice sessions) and offers a great way into discussions about oppression, prejudice, racism etc - you might be suprised to hear how maturely students participate in lessons of this nature. Lots of parents might be hesitant to have a chat about terrorism or inequality etc over tea at home - having a safe space to discuss this with peers and teachers is essential to students' understanding of the world around them. Using a film as a 'way in' to a theme is not unusual . Rather than complaining, I would be congratulating the teacher on delivering an innovative set of lessons. If you are concerned, send in a note and I'm sure your child could sit out of lesson and work on something else (grammar worksheets etc).

I’m rather jealous of year 7s getting to read Dystopian novels and analyse them in that way! We had to read some right boring wank at that age

Unwind is a great novel! Dystopia is a really popular genre in YA novels and it’s explored in loads of ways. I’ve read many series like Unwind, Delerium, Matched, Noughts and Crosses... they’re incredibly popular with pupils as well. Lots of kids come to me to ask me about books and I do discuss with them that they need to be mature.

Thinking it’s real would concern me however.

The film is rated 12 so most of the class will be underage albeit by less than a year.

Read the rest of the thread before jumping in. 12A means it can be viewed by 12 years alone, but is suitable for all ages with adult supervision. As others have already pointed out.

"Films classified 12A and video works classified 12 contain material that is not generally suitable for children aged under 12. No one younger than 12 may see a 12A film in a cinema unless accompanied by an adult. Adults planning to take a child under 12 to view a 12A film should consider whether the film is suitable for that child. To help them decide, we recommend that they check the BBFCinsight for that film in advance. No one younger than 12 may rent or buy a 12 rated video work."

hth