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?

No wonder kids are so stressed nowadays. I cannot fathom why teachers are determined to have them read a diet of depressing fiction. There are age appropriate books that won't give kids the impression their future is all doom and gloom. YANBU - there is no way I'd like an 11 year old watch that - there's plenty of time for that sort of thing. Why rush them?

I read a book called Welcome to the Lizard Motel, which discusses this.www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4124137

I don't think it's just nowadays though. Children have always been given texts that push their boundaries a little bit. As well as the other books that have been mentioned here I remember reading Call of the Wild when I was in school in the '80's. Thats not a particularly light read either. I do think that at 11 it is time to start making children aware of the issues in the world. I don't think it does them any harm. They're not being made to watch IT. It's the Hunger Games. And probably extracts of it. I just think its a good opportunity for the OP to discuss things now with her DD. Lots of children are sensitive. Of course they are. But it's not rushing an 11 year old to watch a 12 certificate film. As long as it's discussed properly. Obviously that's just my view though.

I think schools should require consent from parents before showing under 12s a 12 film, but it seems a good choice for a lesson to me (these books are great for getting kids interested in reading).

I'm assuming a year seven child who can't tell fiction from reality is not neurotypical, so the teacher should have taken extra care there and talked to the parents first.

lizzieoak
There are age appropriate books that won't give kids the impression their future is all doom and gloom

Is the phrase you're looking for instead of meaningless "age appropriate", by any chance, "dumbed down"?

How on earth do the Hunger Games give kids he impression their future is all doom and gloom? If an 11 year old did not understand the notion of dystopia, if not the actual term, I'd wonder what kind of education they've been having at school and at home. You do get that novels and films that show sadness, shock, wars etc are opportunities for reflection and learning, and are not roadmaps of "this is your future, it is real life, this will happen to you starting tomorrow" don't you?

I am a teacher, my DS is Year 7 and has read The Hunger Games, and watched the film, but I would definitely not show it to a Year 7 class. I wouldn't actually show them a 12A, as, for me, that is a parental decision before they're 12. Yanbu.

Showing students a film they're not old enough for is a safeguarding issue.

My daughter loved the Dystopian module. She's always been a prolific reader, but this introduced a whole new genre to her and she laps it up!

She's 15 now, and still reading them lol.

Chestnut24 read the full thread. They are legally able to watch it.

Its not a safeguarding issue.

Whether or not material is "educational" depends on how it is treated: how the teacher steers discussion, the aspects the kids are asked to explore and so on.

In my first term in year 8, when I was just 12, we watched footage of the liberation of the Nazi death camps. It was harrowing, lots of girls were crying, but we learned a hell of a lot afterwards.

Some of those images have stayed with me for ever, and it undoubtedly played a part in forming some of my political and ethical views.

My son read The Hunger Games and watched parts of the film in English last year (year 7). I assume they have been reading the book not just watching the film? They went on to read The Diary of Anne Frank and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, both of which are far more harrowing but fabulous books. This year it's Lord of the Flies for this half term. If you have an issue with it then you need to take it up with the teacher, these books are part of the curriculum

No wonder kids are so stressed nowadays. I cannot fathom why teachers are determined to have them read a diet of depressing fiction. There are age appropriate books that won't give kids the impression their future is all doom and gloom

Yeah, DAMN us teachers with our agenda of stressing out children

I watched a clip of HG with my class today, alongside an extract from the book. It’s a great way to support students who have trouble visualising from words alone. It’s also v useful for teaching structure, as film makes the structural points very obviously, in a way that text doesn’t always.

We’ve had ofsted in school this week - I wouldn’t have chosen to teach a lesson that was ‘stupid’, now would I?*

It also lead to a really interesting discussion about books v film - and why lots of children don’t read books any more.

*not that my lessons are generally “stupid”

Our lot are studying 1984, I mean, come on! I don't think it's a terrible film to watch, but only if they're reading the associated literature.

Another agent of the child stress raising forces- I teach HG as a media text. Great text to introduce symbolism in film.

Also show the bonus DVD which contains an interview with the author where she describes half dozing/ half channel surfer late one night. Next day she had mismatched recollections of a documentary on child soldiers, a reality TV show and a some news headlines. Made her think.

Generates really insightful comments on what entertainment consists of, historical context, real life parallels.

There are far bleaker films the teacher could have chosen. And there’s a strong female lead.

In Year 7 in the 70s (or Upper Thirds as it was then known!) we read Jane Eyre, watched the film and performed it as our thirds play. I was Jane Eyre so I vividly remember just how traumatic, sad and upsetting was the experience of child abuse, neglect, cruelty, the death of children...... How are your children going to develop empathy and resilience if they don't get to brush with the extremes of human experience, good and bad. Life is not Disney.....

Nope, I stand by my comment. My dd adored reading, read constantly, but was put off fiction by the constant diet of not only grim classics like Lord of the Flies and 1984, but also modern fiction with kids in foster homes, living in garbage dumps, being abused etc.

Depressing fantasy is one thing, a diet of depressed modern day stuff is quite another. My kids did not need to read Extremely Sad Fiction on order to develop empathy, they had it to start with (most humans do) & it was developed further by guidance from adults and (partially) by positive creative works.

I'm not saying Disney (I can't stand Disney and my kids didn't watch any modern Disney) & I'm certainly not advocating dumbing anything down (not sure where you'd get that from!). There are plenty of wonderful works of fiction that they can read that have age appropriate trials and tribulations. Age 11-14 my kids were only assigned works that were violent or otherwise dark. My ds was assigned 13 Reasons Why at age 12 ffs. Would it be so terrible to have some fiction that was lighter in tone? A lighter tone does not have to equal lacking challenging vocabulary or lacking themes that will provoke discussion.

If it’s a 12A isn’t it for parent/carer to decide and not the teacher. Just wondering...

But what books would you suggest though Lizzie? Genuine question. Not trying to be argumentative with you. In my view, a good strong story always as elements of threat, or fear of some sort. Happy happy happy would just be a boring read! When we watch a film or read a book together my kids always talk about the 2nd Act when everything appears bleak for the main character! Are there any interesting books out there that don't have some element of 'threat' to them?

Well, it's lazy teaching, for a start. Shouldn't they be reading the books?

Not if it’s being taught as a media text and media techniques are being taught!

No wonder kids are so stressed nowadays. I cannot fathom why teachers are determined to have them read a diet of depressing fiction.

I don’t really understand this comment. When I was in year 7 we studied MacBeth and Lord of the Flies. Subsequent years it was Halmet, Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra + Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre (probably the ‘happiest’ ending book of them all, and that’s saying something).

In actual fact, I only studied Shakespearean comedies in Uni.

I’d say the reason children are so stressed is more likely to be parents making a big ado about literature, because the ‘depressing’ content hasn’t changed.

Well, it's lazy teaching, for a start

How? In what way are you in a position to decide what is, or is not, lazy teaching?

Ooh I definitely wouldn't call that laxy teaching. I would have thought it adds to the teaching if anything. Enhances the text and brings it to life

Neither lazy nor laxy. Sorry!

I also find it baffling that she can't tell the difference between fiction and reality. Most children learn that very early on. And not just from being plonked in front of the TV. They usually have some sense of the fictional world thanks to book, toys, educational devices etc.

The Hunger Games is a fantastic example of the monomyth. Its so good we're using it in one of my uni classes.

In the nicest way, you might want to broaden your daughter's horizons a bit.