Teacher treating children too young

[Someonehelpmeagain]

My child is in a year 3 class, the teacher now sings a song to get them to sit on the carpet and has organised a book advent for this week. The children are 7 and 8, I feel they are far too old to be sung to sit on the carpet. Aibu to talk to the headteacher?

It's not just your child in the class though is it. Maybe your child has lost the fun singing joyful part of childhood already but other won't have yet. Some will have SEN or behavioural challenges that a song to sit down may work really well for.

You didn't say if your child is unhappy about it? Sounds like it's you that's unhappy with it but if it is your child this is an opportunity to teach them not everything in life can be done the way they prefer.

And if you are worried school isn't teaching the level of maturity you would like you should remind yourself school isn't the only source of education for children. You as a parent can and should be teaching that stuff rather than moan school isn't

I meant 101 obvs but maybe ring 111 too. Just in case the children are traumatised and need medical attention.

Definitely report it to OfStEd. They probably need a good laugh.

Sounds a little bit old to be sitting on the carpet, but books and singing sound great for any age. Definitely not one for the Head.

Okay, so you think it's a bit young as a method of behaviour management. In order to formulate a complaint that makes sense, can you articulate why using behaviour management that you think is a bit young, is actually a problem?

At present, what I see is a parent who has a different preference to your child's teacher.

The thing is - you don't know every child in the room, you don't know who or how many of them have anything like neurodiversity or learning difficulties, how they respond to instructions as individuals and as a class - because none of that is your business. You don't know what strategies this teacher has tried and found to not work, and you don't know if they have a plan (and likely experience) for changing how they manage behaviour as the terms progress.

If it's effective behaviour management, I'd stay well out of it. In fact I'd stay well out of it in every single scenario, apart from if you think it's significantly stunting your child's development. I think you'll probably agree with me that whilst you might think it's a bit odd and babyish, it's not even remotely harmful. In which case, stay out of it and chalk it down to not everybody will do things the way that you would.

I am really puzzled if you are a lecturer - have you not been in this type of role for long? Have you not had students and parents complain to you/your HOD/Principal with petty or nonsense complaints that you internally roll your eyes at, and wish they'd get a grip? This is the same. Don't be that parent.

I totally agree.

I'd have thought that a book advent calendar would be more intellectual than a chocolate one.

As for a song to sit down - as plenty of others have said - it's a fun way of getting them sat sensibly. I work in a senior school and sometimes sing instructions at the kids. It's a bit of fun and gets their attention - they laugh, I laugh and then they do what I asked.

You will be horrified to hear that our university lecturer (clinical science masters) sang this song to us:

Our mums should have complained to the dean of course as it is so babyish to be singing to 30+ year-olds but I think they were just happy we passed our exams with flying colours.

"... would of ..."???

And you are a university lecturer who criticises primary school teachers?

(Apologies to anybody who has already pointed this out - I haven't read the whole thread but using "of" for "have" is one of my pet hates - especially from teachers and lecturers... )

classroom management is not a parenting issue unless it us harmful to your child .

it may well an effective way that works for the class..

if that’s your biggest concern with your child’s education - you are bloody lucky

Several of our local Academy Trusts or head teachers have banned clapping patterns and the like, on the basis that children should learn to listen to verbal instructions. Which is great and all, but teachers end up shouting at the kids a lot and getting frustrated and burnt out because guess what? Spoken instructions are nowhere near as effective or quick as a call and response, an action to copy, or a song. I work across several schools and most teachers will all revert to them when they are pretty sure they won't get caught because they just work!

I read something recently that has really sat with me. That one of the key indicators of unmanageable stress in children’s lives is that they stop playing…

We live in a world where we are constantly expecting our children to behave like little adults - and speeding them through their childhoods too fast.

childhood is magic + it’s finite - if a class of eight year olds are responding effectively to a teacher singing them songs and bringing a bit of magic + breadth to their literacy time with a different approach to stories - I think that’s to be applauded.

children learn through play. a classroom in which there is space for silly, playful, creative learning is going to be one in which children feel safe giving things a go - and getting things wrong sometimes.

7-8 is still very little really. They don’t need to be grown up. They need to love school, feel safe in their classroom and be excited about learning.

(My DC are at a private prep school with a pretty stellar academic record - I am only pleased their teachers care enough to sing them songs, teach them silly poems + do funny voices when reading to them. More joy = better learning)

Singing is an incredibly useful learning tool - it is easier to remember things if attached to a tune - my year 11 (grammar like a previous poster) has learnt Pi to 100 digits and the periodic table through song. DS yr 7 loves the longitude and latitude song

it is also a useful tool to make children listen - conditioning them so to speak that the song comes on so you need to sit on the carpet

that said I also imagine it is a school wide initiative so complaining is pointless

I don't even know what a book advent is but it's got "book" in the title so sounds like a good thing.

Do you just object to the teacher doing something frivolous, like singing, with small children? An average class of 7/8 year olds will cover a range of abilities and aptitudes, some may still struggle to sit and concentrate for long. I can remember learning times table songs - great fun.

@WearyAuldWumman - that’s a great book!

YANBU OP. There is a checkout operator in my Lidl who sings incessantly and although he’s actually very nice and helpful it is behaviour that should have been nipped in the bud at six, and he’s 30 if he’s a day. Singing is for toddlers and babies. Not adults and certainly not big boys and girls of 7. Especially during the working day when they should either be working quietly at their desks or engaged in the Teams meetings. Idk what book advent is but there is no need for books for children of 7 years old. They have done their phonics so why are they doing an activity with books??

I still don't know what a book advent is. It sounds like something I might like though. Can anyone shed any light? I could start tomorrow just one day late.

You bugger. You nearly had me!

Oh blimey, the next thing you know the teacher will get out their guitar! You really should raise this with the HT before things get out of hand.

And I very much hope no child is ever given a sticker in KS2! You need to watch out for that OP.

OP. A university lecturer you say? Busy doing your job to a high standard? I doubt it, because otherwise you wouldn’t have time for trivial nonsense like this. Perhaps you work at the high-ranking university my DD has just graduated from, where the standard of staff was worse than terrible and absolutely not worth four years of tuition fees. But yeah, you just carry on whinging about songs and bloody book Advents and teachers who are making an effort to support their pupils.

"I would of thought"........

Naturally you expect your child to develop a good knowledge of English grammar.......

At the last school in my long career, the staff held an informal award ceremony after the pupils were safely dismissed at lunchtime on the last day of term.
One coveted trophy was "The COTY Cup", a fine pink bone china cup and saucer with gold lettering, COTY being an anagram for "Complaint of the Year", where the merits of instances of monumental nitpicking were forwarded, seconded and put to the vote. A running record was kept though the school year, and documentary evidence gave valuable supporting evidence, thus I would urge you most earnestly to put this in writing; extra points were awarded for solecisms of grammar and spellings.
When class rolls were assigned, it was generally considered that having certain parents in your contact list gave you an unfair advantage.........
Seriously, someone working in education should be aware that music, especially singing, is one of the few cerebral activities which engage both sides of the brain.
Heaven help us all if OP gets wind of action songs....

Oh no, not the guitar.

Hoist by my own petard!
Acronym, not anagram!

Love this!