Do all teachers do this

[Godzgifts]

At the start of each year some kids get chosen to be class ambassadors. This year my son was upset as it seems to be the same kids in the same roles as last year. Aibu to think they should always choose different children rather than the same kids? Aibu to call the teacher about this!?

It’s not even that my son wasn’t chosen it’s that it was the same children as before!

It would generally be decided democratically through a class election, but I would probably suggest that the previous year's representative stood aside.

There is no point. This happens more often than it should.

You need to teach your child not to mind. It actually became a running joke with our three as they got older.

It's not fair, but if you say anything you will become 'that' parent.

There may be reasons you don’t know about .

my D’s has adhd so frequently handed out books / collected books / took register . It was for the benefit of the whole class really

I assume this is a joke thread.

They wouldn’t have chosen the same ones as last year.

Ours usually choose teachers or governers children

I’ve always let kids come to the front to explain to the others why they should pick them. Discounted last year’s representatives. Taken in anonymous voting from the kids, counted them up. If it’s close between a super popular kid (who gets everything) and someone kind and lovely who’d do a good job but is less popular, I’ve been known to hash my counting a little bit… but not enough to be obvious.

When my DD1 was in primary school they had a role where 2 children would be nominated to explain to any visiting adult what they were doing and learning. My DD1 would always be picked at the beginning of the year, with the promise that the role would be rotated through children each half term. It never was - she and her boy equivalent had the role for the whole year, year after year. I could see why they were selected - they were mature, articulate and could be relied upon to be paying attention and to be able to explain what they were doing.

I've no idea why other parents didn't complain. I can see that my DD2 would never get selected as she's often away with the fairies in lessons. I think the school phased it out when they realised that ofsted would pick their own selection of children to talk to.

There will be a couple of parent governors on the governing body, so that won’t cover each year group.

Bull. In my experience, the class vote for the children who have put themselves forward for the position and who they think will be best at the job.

In our experience if the family at the heart of our school, governers /teachers, children are in a child's year group it's well known, no one else has a look in.
There is a dominant family who well, dominate!

Our school has 2 reps per class. The kids nominate themselves for election. The class votes. The teacher who is on duty that hour has no role in any of it.

Every school I’ve ever worked in or had my children in has decided this kind of thing through a childrens vote.
The staff do not choose.
We also pay no attention to whose child they are.
Kids sometimes get picked more than once because they are popular and confident.

When I was teaching, many years ago, I gave the starring role in the school play to one particular boy. It wasn't generally known amongst the children, but his father was gravely ill and I wanted to give him some pleasure while I still could. (He stood at the be back of the school hall and videoed his son. He died a few months after the performance).

This is probably not true in this case but please realize that there may be factors you are unaware of.

Yeah it's usually pta super mums child she is crippling shy but mum is pushy she was briefly eclipsed by pta super dad's child who really REALLY didn't want to do it then there is super dude he is a genuine cool kid who is solid reliable and would be the best choice but his mum/dad doesn't help the PTA so while he is the ideal choice he doesnt really get a look in (none of these are my child btw mine is "the sen child" sweet but essentially not good for this kind of thing)

Teachers absolutely decide in my school if the children vote they vote for the best choice because he is just so likable everyone likes having him around

Yes I think YABU to insist they always choose different children for these roles. It's not clear what the role entails but I'd imagine leading by example is up there. If their example is good it's not unreasonable to chose them again.

Yes when mine were in primary they had class councillors. It was always the loudest most confident bullying kids. One year the class walked to the local park where Princess Anne was visiting. The school councillors got to have ice cream and meet Princess Anne whilst all the other children had to watch from a distance in the blazing sun getting heat stroke.
Not allowed to saying anything though or they'll gaslight your.

It's usually the same 2-3 that volunteer or are press- ganged into it whilst the rest of the class avoid eye contact. Did your son put himself forward for nomination?

This is a really important life lesson - for both you and your child.
Life is not always fair and we have to learn to cope with disappointment from the unfairness. As a parent you have to learn to guide and support your child through that experience and resist the urge to fix everything.

Fwiw I have never known a class where these selections don't happen through democratic vote. It's very unlikely the teachers chose.

YABU to call the teacher to complain about it but YWBU to have a quite chat about understanding the selection process to help you explain to your son.

Yep. My kid’s school it was always the same little coterie of children; usually competent enough but no attempt to rotate and give quieter children an opportunity to shine. Turns out they were nearly always the child of a teacher or PTA super organiser mommy. Selected by teachers.

Why would you think this? They've done it in my children's school. Typical easy choice of bright confident kids, same one chosen 3 years running. No effort put in by teachers to think about whether a slightly more shy child might benefit from being given the role.

Sorry, my comment was meant to be a reply to Gorybory

It's either because if you choose the capable child then it's a job you don't have to think about.

You know that every other Tuesday playtime Isabel will remember to go to the meeting and she will remember to ask about something that someone in the class wants to know and then you don't have to remember any of it.

Or it's because there was a vote and they won. Democracy is in the curriculum so you can't say 'don't vote for Isabel because she was rep last year and that's not fair' because that's not how democracy works.

As a teacher's child our children got all the rotten roles, at Kindergarten the youngest was a bit upset to be the donkey in the Nativity 'Because your Daddy's very arty and can make you a lovely head'!

It's also a negative life experience for the children who are always chosen. It makes them believe they are somehow more special or more deserving then other children. Often they grow up to become the exact same as adults and are difficult to work with.
Whilst I agree life is unfair, when a teacher continuously overlooks certain children because they're quieter, this also has a very detrimental effect that is life long for those children.

One negative impact I know that has happened with a specific girl I know who was also the 'chosen one' was when she went to secondary school. She suddenly became lost in the crowd and was no longer always chosen and she ended up leaving education very early and now does nothing with her life because she couldn't handle suddenly not being centre of attention.

I think all children should be given a chance unless they're particularly naughty. This gives all children an opportunity to shine and gain confidence when they're young,