AIBU same child gets chosen for everything at school

[bonfireheart]

I wanted to check whether anyone else would raise this with school. DD is in year 6 and everytime there are chances for roles of responsibility think 'school council' roles, or 'play leader' or external visitors coming in for a special project - the same girl gets chosen for the role. It's been going on since they were in year 1.
It's got so DD says well no point putting my name forward because we all know who is going to get it.
And I'm not just expecting DD to get them. All the kids in her year group are lovely, many who would benefit from the extra responsibility and boost to their confidence.
Would you raise it with the school?

A couple of years ago DD's school did a performance of Matilda at a local theatre. One child was so good that she played the part of Matilda AND Miss Trunchbull! In the same play! There had to be some clever stage management and ensuring there was another child to play Matilda during the scenes when the other Matilda was being Miss Trunchbull so that the most bestest actress in the class wasn't on stage conversing with herself whilst playing both the lead role and the main villain.

Precocious brats?
Lol.

Back that is hilariously awful!

Hmm, interesting o read what you say about your school, Maisy. At my dd's secondary school the same children are to be seen in every school production, purely because acting is their thing. They audition and get the part based on their talent. Same as when it comes to sport, it is the children with a natural gift or talent that get picked for teams and so they are regularly to be seen representing the school. Same thing goes with the dance show every year, sam pupils often to be seen as it is their thing. Of curse there isn't just the one pupil but then again there is 300 in each year group as opposed to far fewer in a primary year group. So in essence it is the same at secondary as in primary in that children are chosen for things based on their strengths. Does your school not do that? do they have a system whereby children get just one crack at things? Do the children who are arty/drama loving/great at particular sports not mind that?

The jealousy is oozing from the pages I'm reading here.

Why don't you try to instill confidence in your children if you want them to be confident on stage?

Prizes go to the pupil who does best in that area. Reading prize goes to most advanced reader. Maths prize goes to the top scorer in Maths. Prize for swimming goes to the fastest swimmer. Sometimes one child is the best at everything.

The idea that prizes should be shared out is absurd and doesn't prepare children for adult life.

Also agree with previous posters that teachers likely give big parts to the students who are confident and articulate... and singing parts to children who can sing.

I’m a teacher
I’ve just cast my assembly roles (mini play)
Going by the experience of a previous drama lesson, I have allocated the bigger parts to those I know will memeorise the lines, who will have the confidence to throw themselves into the role and who will play their characters well
I don’t care who their parents are or if they’re in the PTA
I have no idea who played Mary or who played Joseph in their EYFS/KS1 performances not so I care really!

Similar for selection chn to help with an upcoming Xmas project
I usually have 100ish applications, I can select 8.
I’m not going to select the kids with crap attendance as they won’t be there to run the project, or those who will forget to come to the lunchtime meetings or who have a million clubs that will clash or who I think are flakey and likely to change their minds half way through.
But at the same time, I don’t select the same chn that have helped before.

*nor do I really care

Also please stop the vitriol about the PTA! I'm a doctor so don't have the time, but please don't bash others who do volunteer to make a difference to the school

I didn't say that at all though, did I @mmeDressNoir?
Yours is a classic example of a negative mindset only seeing the negative.
My comment was purely about parents on the PTA; if you have time and inclination to help other people's children (whether you work or not), then you will have the time and inclination to help your own dc first.
I made no comment whatsoever on the children of non- pta members.

Well I started this thread a year ago and told off teachers know who got talent and blah blah specially by irvoinhorne.hope she will gI've some advice

I think if you start the thread in primary education, you will get responses against you. You get replies your child is not capable.

What on earth are you on about?

Nobody has told the op her child isn't capable.

It certainly happened at my son's primary school. The two chosen children (one boy and one girl) were the same every bloody time. It was so annoying but I don't think there is much you can do to be honest.

I love the yearly 'School Production" thread, where every parent thinks their child should have the main role in the play (usually because they are shy, unconfident and need a confidence boost). Believe me if your child is shy and unconfident the very last place they would want to be is centre stage, on their own, speaking to a sea full of blank or sneery faces!

Why do posters expect their child to have the main roles in school Christmas productions when they have no interest in dance, singing, drama throughout the rest of the year?

My Dd could have been that child. She has attended our local amateur group since the age of 3. Twice a week. Cost £3 a week. She is regularly involved in local productions, usually taking one of the main singing leads.

Despite always acing the school auditions she has always rejected the main roles. It's much easier to be a sheep than to have friends parents suddenly stop inviting you for play dates, and sneering at you at pick up time, because you bagged the best part in the school production.

Schools want to put on a production that everyone can follow and can be enjoyed by all. They pick the pupils best suited to each role. Can you imagine if a school play consisted of leads being played by children who either don't have the concentration, or inclination, to deliver his part productively, or the quiet, shy, timid children who freeze, and so are unable to deliver their lines.

It wouldn't be the best experience for the children, school staff or audience would it?

The music teacher wanted the class teacher to play Fagin in Ds2's end of Year 6 play. The teacher was apparently undecided. Against MN advice, I did go and speak to the Head, as at least 6 children had auditioned (yes that did include DS2). The head had no idea it was being suggested. In the end 2 pupils shared the part though they only ended up with a couple of days rehearsal due to all the faffing.

Our Primary has a check list for teachers certificates, by the end of the year everybody has won once. A few will get two in a year.

School council: they can only represent their class once.

Play time helpers from yr 6, whoever volunteers.
Choir ditto.

Parts in a play...definitely not teachers or ta s children.

Our kids had many many disappointments hoping to be picked for things at school and watching the favourites get picked every time. One was burning to act/sing - never picked. We sent them to out of school drama/sports/music where they could actually participate rather than sitting on the sidelines longing to be chosen. Same at secondary school. They loved it and it helped them with confidence etc. Never rely on the school alone for this.

The junior school my children went to always cast two children for each of the main plays and the children did two performances each. When they weren't paying the main part they were in the chorus.

They did all they could to encourage every child to be a part of the production whether it was narration or singing in a small group or dancing.

The main parts were generally given to the best singers because the school wanted to showcase their talents and put on the best show possible. They did their best to acknowledge everyone's talents but wanted the best for their shows.

Slight derail but tapping into the communal wisdom of this thread, do some primary schools allow children (say from year 4) to help with other aspects of the show, e.g. stage design, painting backdrops, helping with the costumes, assistant director etc, designing 'tickets'?

My dd hates acting and would love to help with the production rather than have one silly line. Shall I approach school about this or will I be seen as meddling?

rka2017
Teachers should know who has talent. But part of that is being able to appreciate the talent and potential of the whole class, not just giving Sandra the lead because their mother thinks she shines on stage and therefore must be better than every other child.

Also agree with previous posters that teachers likely give big parts to the students who are confident and articulate... and singing parts to children who can sing.
I agree but are we seriously saying that in a primary class there's only ever 1 or 2 talented, confident pupils?
The jealousy is oozing from the pages I'm reading here.
Yup. Every child and parent in your child's school is obviously totally jealous of your child's awesomeness and how much better they are than every other child. In fact, that just proves no child should ever take the main part from your child because your child shines so much brighter than any other child in the school.
Typical attitude from a parent who believes their child is eleventy times more awesome than any other child.

Newerversion
In my experience students tend to form hobby groups at secondary (music, drama etc) but they are reasonably mixed and there's rarely a culture of 'look at Sandra being the most wonderful person on earth so she will always have the lead'.

Productions come out. Kids register interest. Staff run auditions. Parts get assigned. There's not been the same leads in the last 4 shows I've been to at school because our drama department aren't total idiots and can tell that there's actually a lot of kids with talent.
Some productions are upper school only. Some are lower school. Some are mixed. Sometimes they do musical theatre. Sometimes it's an evening of short student devised work. There is a great variety and as a result there's a thriving culture of getting involved. Of course you wouldn't give the main part to a child who is timid on stage or always misses rehearsals, but there's never (very rarely) a need to have the same old kids in the big roles, especially if you're running enrichment properly to develop student skills.

What I find bizarre is the minority of parents who seem to be of the view that their child is obviously the brightest star on earth and so so so much better than anything any other child couls possibly do.

Candont
Make the offer!
We have a brilliant team of student backstage crew. They enjoy drama but aren't fussed about being on stage.
From a staff perspective, a careful and responsible child helping backstage is so valuable.

Also agree with previous posters that teachers likely give big parts to the students who are confident and articulate

What of a maths teacher only taught maths to the top 6 children? Because the others were rubbish and had no confidence in their ability?

What if only a handful were allowed to play sports because they couldn't run fast? So they had to sit in the sidelines?

MaisyPops do you really think so? dd would be so thrilled. I might ask. Would I ask the class teacher or 'go higher'? What can year 4,5,6, children realistically do in terms of production? Might need to start a separate thread.

What if the child who was no good at maths was picked to represent their school in the area schools maths challenge? What if a non swimmer was chosen to represent their school in the annual gala? What if the child who had no.interest in football was chosen for their school team, whilst those who have a talent for football were dropped?

It wouldn't happen would it? Schools choose the pupils best able to represent their school through all areas.