to be ever so slightly bemused that 4 yo DD was taught about ghosts in relation to the film Pirates of the Caribbean at school today?

[fettle]

She was happily telling me all about her 2nd day at big school and her music class where they had listened to music. Some of it had scared her when the pirates were chasing Elizabeth, but when they had caught her, she liked the music.

I was amazed she remembered all the details to be honest! And she did seem to have enjoyed it, but then later just before bedtime she said that she felt scared thinking about the music and the ghosts! - have to admit that I was a bit scared by the film when I watched it and she gets scared by the baddies in Brum, so it doesn't take much! But still I feel that perhaps Reception is a bit young....

The point of the lesson is to learn that music is used to portray moods in a story, it has to be a very obvious piece of music or they won't get it. It is part of the Curriculum although teachers can devise their own methods of teaching it. See 2nd para - this curriculum is the same in Year 1 at which point they will have moved on to making the noises themselves.

Scheme 1a QCA Unit 2 'Sounds Interesting'

Description:

During this unit, children make a variety of sounds with their voices, bodies, found objects and instruments, and explore how these sounds can be changed and used expressively in response to a stimulus.

They use this knowledge to select sounds that reflect the mood of chants and songs. This leads to the creation of a class performance that uses sounds to heighten the effect of a chosen story.

I would have complained if it had been Peter and the Wolf. Not because it's scary but because it's bloody turgid.

Ds starts school next week. He is obsessed with scooby doo at the mo. Loves ghosts. And he loves when "Not now Bernard" monster comes and eats the dinner.

Still think that if it just music, no problem. We have established that the film was not shown.
I suspect that lots of different things frighten different children in reception - some ghosts, some lions and tigers, some .......

I kind of expect to have to deal with a frightened ds, in the next year. And probably his friend won't be bothered by it at all. And next time vice-versa.
I just think this is the norm.

Disagree with rebelmum. Think the idea of music and movement, imagination, is a great one. in general
O.k. Op's child was frightened. But many children will not have been.

Friends DS was terrified in Year 1 when studying 'Victorian schools' and the teacher demonstrated how the children would have been spoken to. All the other children understood that it was pretend. DD1 told me how awful it must have been and was utterly outraged on behalf of the Victorian children!

There's nothing wrong with music, movement and imagination there is something wrong with the material. Why choose Potc? There is far better music out there to illustrate it..

Look at all the ballet? what's up with a bit of culture?

Agree with Rebelmum - of course music is a part of the curriculum but there is a lot of music out there which is not from the soundtrack of a film with a 12 certificate. It seems an odd and unnecessary choice to me.

What next? Sweeny Todd or Mama Mia..

Even the Titanic sound track would have taught them a bit of history..

When DS1 was in reception they did something similar but with Peter and the Wolf...much more suitable I would have thought.

PotC music is fantastic I think - very clear themes, and brilliantly written for movement - very clear 'sword fighting' bits, and very clear 'goody/baddy' bits.

Seashells - absolutely, it's the sort of thing you decide for your own child. In fact when ds1 has had friends over and he has suggested putting it on I've said 'no', then phoned the mum to ask her what she thought, saying that it's not a problem if it's no, as they think it's no atm iyswim, so there's no pressure to say yes.

rebelmum - I agree there is lots of good music. But POTC music is good as well. I think film music is vastly under-rated tbh - some of John Williams' stuff is amazing. I wrote out the POTC main theme for ds1 to play on the piano, and he loves playing it.

The film isn't suitable for children under twelve, there is much much more appropriate and educational material. Before potc they must have taught music ..

Well, I would consider the POTC music to be suitable. Yes they taught music before POTC, but you could say that about Mozart. Or anything in fact! Having seen how much ds1, dd and ds2 love the music, I think it's fine for children.

It's the plot that is unsuitable and you surely have to explain it ..hence the fear of ghosts that developed as a result and it obviously appealed to the imagination because the poor child was scared.

Better stuff out there if you ask me.

I'm sure there is - but I can see why the teacher might have chosen this music - pirates are always popular with KS1 kids, and it's something that doesn't need too much explaining.

I don't see that you need to explain the plot if you're listening to the music - you can just say 'this is sword-fighting', 'this is running', 'here come the ghosts'...no need for plot if you're showing them how the music makes different moods.

Interestingly, dd is far more scared of wolves than she is of ghosts. She does like Peter and the Wolf, but is very scared that a wolf may come into our house and try to eat her.

There will always be something that will upset one child or another. My dd would have no problems with ghosts, but got very upset and worried when they did WW2 and Crimean War in Yr 2. My niece had nightmares for weeks when she did Egyptians in Year 4/5.
Agree with Tortoiseshell about film music, and by it's nature it is very expressive and would have thought ideal for this type of lesson.

This is really difficult as you are talking about music. I am really impressed that your child understood the music, she/he sounds really bright. Myson heard John williams/ Harry Potter, and they come out before the film, he loved it as it carries a certain atmosphere...we did not understand until we saw the film. If she is scared,she should have not heard it and you should complain, that is wrong. 12, no way. ...however is she/he into music?

This is really difficult as you are talking about music. I am really impressed that your child understood the music, she/he sounds really bright. Myson heard John williams/ Harry Potter, and they come out before the film, he loved it as it carries a certain atmosphere...we did not understand until we saw the film. If she is scared,she should have not heard it and you should complain, that is wrong. 12, no way. ...however is she/he into music?

Incidentally, ds1 came home from school in floods of tears, in Y1, because they were doing 5 currant buns in a bakers shop, and the teacher used it as an opportunity to go down to 0 - 'No currant buns in the bakers shop'. Ds1 was chosen to go with a penny, and didn't get an IMAGINARY currant bun. He cried at school and cried again at home.

Ghosts would have been fine!

Seriously, whatever you do runs the risk of upsetting/scaring a child.

POTC soundtrack is really good, it's Hans Zimmer and he's a marvellous composer, beautiful music that unless you'd known it was from POTC you wouldn't know it. He's done Batman too, now there is some sinister music on that soundtrack, but I wouldn't stop my 3 year old listening to either soundtrack. Music is meant to convey all kinds of emotions.

I also think film composers are the classical composers of our time, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman, John Williams, James Newton Howard all write absolutely fantastic and uplifting pieces of music that we've all come to recognise.

I vaguely remember Howard Goodall saying something similar, walkthedinosaur. That western classical composers had gone off on a bizarre frolic of their own, assuming that no music was really worthwhile unless it was quite unpleasant and no-one could understand it. But composers of film scores were writing interesting, beautiful music that real people can appreciate.

(I'm summarising badly, he didn't use those words.)

Absolutely! And don't forget some of the most famous film music was written by bona fide composers such as William Walton!