Nativity disappointment why do teachers do it

[Bucketheadbucketbum]

Want to key stage 2 nativity today. It was 1 hour long! Approx 40 kids in it. Some children had multiple lines throughout the hour, on the stage for the bulk of the time, solo songs the works. Others had just one line and spent the rest of the time sitting to the side apart from group songs where they all stood up. I understand all parts cant be equal and it must be a nightmare to try and be fair but this was shockingly poorly distrubuted. Why would you do this as a teacher? So disappointing for the children and parents unless you happen to be one of the "stars" of the show.

🤣🤣🤣 Well I should hope the parents know their child best! Christ

Each parent only knows their own child. The teachers have to manage casting all of their class.

Our primary school never asked kids to go for a part, The teacher just chose the kids.

@antelopevalley The teacher is trying to juggle the needs and wants of 30 children. You are naturally only concerned for yours.

Be fair, for many on MN teachers can do nothing right at any time of the year, in Summer a mini-Seb Coe didn't get to run, boo-hoo.

40 years ago my daughter came home from Kindergarten very upset because she had been cast as a donkey, apparently she was told that Your Daddy is very good at Art and he can make you a lovely head!

Did your dd enjoy it? I think it was meant to be about the kids, rather than the viewing quality for parents.

God I missed all this whinging about schools, school parking etc during lockdown!

Very similar experience here. I don't understand why they don't do a play/show with just their own class or two classes maximum rather than the whole of key stage two. It must take more co-ordination to have so many different classes involved and it just isn't as good for the kids who just have to sit there apart from their brief appearance.

It's even worse for parents who have bought a costume and taken time off work to see their child mumble a single line then go and sit in the corner. Really irritating.

Even doing the same smaller play but with different classes would be fine although some parents would have to watch it twice.

I appreciate that it's not possible for every child to have a speaking part. What I would have appreciated at DDs primary school was that there was a bigger stage so that all the children who were 'the chorus' could actually be seen throughout the performance.

Seven years I went to DDs primary school to watch the same few kids on stage while all the others were down the side somewhere, out of sight... complete waste of time.

Parents don't want an Oscar award winning performance, just a chance to see their children having a bit of fun.

DD didn't particularly want to be in the limelight, but it was really sad when she left primary school and said "7 years I was at that school and not once do they ever pick me for anything..." There wasn't a lot I could say as it was true!

And what did you - her parent - do over those seven years of her being unfairly looked over? What did the school say about her never being picked for even one thing in her entire primary school years?

You wanted a bigger stage?? Did you appreciate that wasn't possible either?

So disappointing for the children and parents unless you happen to be one of the "stars" of the show

Im a teacher. Two of my children have SEN. They have always done their best at every school event. I always feel so very proud of their efforts and achievements. Some may make nasty remarks about their efforts. I’m not bothered about remarks from random “others”.

I couldn’t be more re proud of my. DC’s efforts.I will always be there to support their successes and failures.That’s what parenting is all about right?

But it's clear from this thread that if she had tried to raise it then teachers would have sneered at her as a pushy parent

The only starring role in the Nativity is the Baby Jesus surely?

Bullshit. They would have spoken to her about her kid and explained how she was getting on at school, and why the lead in the play wasn’t the best thing for her. Which would have been 100% more constructive than waiting for seven years, then being ‘sad’ at some perception the kid had.

So what this thread tells me is noone here can agree who should get the main bloody parts either 😂. Maybe the teachers aren't so shit after all OP

They said she was too quiet and would not cope. They were wrong. She did drama afterschool and was confident on stage but they just ignored me when I said that.
It was always the same kids picked.

Just realised I answered a question not aimed at me, sorry.

Many children don't want a large part or a speaking part and some would much prefer to sit there quietly, it's about being part of the production, not how many lines you have or how many times you appear on stage.

Of course, if there are multiple children who wish to have a leading role, they need to be allocated fairly. Kids also need to learn we don't always get what we want. Like sports days, you are always going to get the sporty ones, who win most events and that's fine, again it's the taking part or being apart of the production or event that matters.

My eldest child has always loved being up there, performing in front of people, he has done both leading roles and non verbal roles and he was absolutely fine with that.

My youngest is extremely anxious in such settings and would never stand up on stage and talk or sing or whatever. He always gets the role of sitting at the side, back or wherever and that's what he would prefer.

I tell both my boys, how proud I am of them after their productions and I am always proud of them equally however big or small their roles are.

They told you your kid was too quiet for the stage, even though they knew she did external drama classes?

Not sure they believed me. She was quiet at school and always went under the radar.

You'd have a fit at the cost of hiring staging. I can't remember the exact amount of the last invoice I signed for (it was about six years ago), but I know it was the best part of a grand for a small thrust and steps to add to the proscenium that already took about 30 all crammed up together.

It's really not a priority for spending, particularly at the moment.

So how would you have directed the play differently? If the script is as it is, how would you have included the more supporting roles in more scenes if their role wasn’t included in the other scenes? The script will be the script, unless the teacher writes that play what can they do differently? I’m a drama teacher and am about to put on a show this week that is over 2 hours long, this is secondary but we are doing a full length musical and it just is what is it.

Why wouldn’t they believe you? It’s hardly something unbelievable. How many times did you tell them?