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.

think I touched a nerve 🤣 Also don’t worry I’d never teach in a million years, reading mumsnet and the ridiculous things posters complain about the poor teachers, why would you in this country, a thankless task with so many entitled parents

I could have predicted throughout all of DDs and DS primary school who would get key parts same kids year in year out. Same as it was at my own primary.
The only time it changed was when one of the predicted main characters left!

Yeah well being racist will touch a nerve with most people

Exactly. It's not that hard!

@Bucketheadbucketbum I suggest that you become a teacher. Because clearly you know MUCH better than they do.

And MNers wonders why teachers get so defensive on this site. Seriously, people like you, OP, don't have the first clue how stressful it is getting a Christmas performance to parents in place and looking decent. On top of, you know, actually teaching.

Jesus Christ on a cracker.

Give up now teachers! Well, I know you are, and mostly, it's nothing to do with the pay, it's this shit.

They cannot win!! Already on mumsnet this year, we've had someone complaining about every possible thing the teachers could have done for the nativity...too many lines. Not enough lines. Too early. Too late. Siblings making noise. No siblings. Not enough like the nativity. Too like the nativity. Can't get the costume. Pfb has to wear scuzzy costume from last year.

Stop. Complaining. About. Everything. Before. There's. No. Teachers. Left.

I find the last para of your message somewhat offensive.

What racism is this: "...this is why we laugh at white peoples kids"?

I can assure you my parents taught me the value of hard work and I in turn have instilled in my children an ethos of "you get what you work for".

It is wrong to make sweeping generalisations especially on ethnic grounds (imagine if those comments were made with the word white changed to black).

Please edit or ask MN to delete your post.

I'm really not sure why teachers bother. Every year, some parents will find something to complain about. Too much pressure on the children/not enough lines for MY child, poorly rehearsed performance/too much time out of lessons, it's on too late at night/I can't come in the afternoon, etc etc etc.

It tends to touch a nerve when someone is being viciously unpleasant and racist about young children yes.

I have to say I think this is something my kids’ school does quite well. I don’t see eye to eye with them about other things, but literally every child had something to do in ours. They always had plays or just nativity where they could say ‘stars came out’ or ‘camels rode to someplace’ or ‘toy robots and dolls for the baby’ and therdd Ed would be a couple or few children dressed as everything who would get their chance to do a a spin or special dance across the floor. Not all speaking, but that’s not s as good thing for everyone. Doesn’t everyone do something like that?

Sorry for typos!

Years ago my DD got picked to say a few lines as Angel Gabriel because she was a good reader. She was so stressed at 5/6 that she couldn’t sleep at night for worrying about it. In the end, her friend also got dressed up and stood next to her whilst she said the words. I’m in two minds about it, maybe they should get a different group or class to be on stage for each song? This tends to happen in my school where 80 kids might be involved, so each class has its own special song and actions on the stage.

My ds was always in the music cupboard starting and stopping the music.

He wanted that part.

He hated it even when his role was to sit at the side because there was an audience.

I went every year to cheer on the play. Cheer on every child. Celebrate every child's successes and part.

I always found the children who enjoyed it the most seemed to be those in the chorus who got to wear various hats they'd made for various group songs!

Had someone said they laughed at black kids this post would have been reported but white people are fair game apparently.
I cannot believe that the poster has never encountered over-ambitious parents from her own back-ground. In my first teaching job in a school with a very multi-racial population we were advised to be careful when writing reports of anything that could be construed that a child wasn't trying hard enough, there had been serious consequences for some children.

We ask the kids who wants a speaking part. Just because the parent wants them to be the star of the show doesn’t mean the child wants to. Also not all children have the support at home to learn lines, songs, etc. Some are too frightened to speak in front of an audience. Some have additional support needs that you can’t see from the audience.

I think it is interesting in terms of school plays. At one of my children's school the year 6 play just before covid involved every child - fine but the lead parts were not given to the children who were the best. The teacher even said this. My view is that the same then needs to be applied for sports teams - don't always select the best.

That sounds lovely and definitely would be preferable to the borefest we had to sit through today with just under a third getting to actually dress up/talk/sing/move around the stage.

Fantastic for the children/parents who got to participate, but a misery for the rest of us sat there for nearly an hour.

Not sure why saying this is being taken as an attack on teachers though?

When we did this across the two Y2 classes every single child had a line- yes, some had main parts, but all children had a line. I personally think that’s important to give everyone a little go at speaking in front of an audience, learn a line, however short, and perform. At my DC’s former school it was different, there the teacher’s kid got the main part. And some didn’t get any lines at all. I think in KS1 as a minimum everyone should ‘have a go’.

I agree. Same with learner or the week or star or the week awards. When it’s younger children or less able children, surely it’s not difficult to find something about them that allows each child to have a turn instead of repeatedly choosing some and never others.

you need kids who are good at reading and memorising lines, the same kids hd all the leading roles through primary at my kids school. There isn't enough time to prep those who couldn't keep up.

A-fucking-men.

It’s really not difficult to give everyone something that wants it, some may rise to the occasion and even if they don’t if they enjoy it great, sorry if it’s not broadway but it’s a young children’s performance. For their benefit not yours! I can’t really believe I’m reading some of these comments.

Must be difficult realising that no one else thinks your child is super special and amazing. And certainly not entitled to a starring role.

Yep
As a teacher, at this time of year you can do NOTHING right

My DD would far prefer to be in the background or just not in it at all! She's not shy nor lacking in confidence but she hates performing. The kids who enjoy performing and been centre stage get the main bits at her school and yes it's normally the same ones all the time. But as someone with an equal distaste to performing as my DD I have never really minded.

This.