Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Does anyone else think that the work my DD is doing at school is a bit close to the mark!

60 replies

pinkbubble · 21/09/2007 18:53

Not sure whether this should be in this section or Secondary section or Am I being Unreasonable section! So I apologise now if I'm wrong!

So here goes -

DD is in Year 9 and in English she is studying the book "STONE COLD". Now I do not know anything about this book apart from what is written in her English exercise book. Teacher apparantly asked them to write all the slang words from the text in this book, she wrote things like bastard and arse were among a few more other choice words.

Now what I'm thinking is - I know in a perfect world DD will not hear these words, but as a responsible mother, I and my DH have do not use words like these, so am I being unreasonable not to want my DD who is 13yr not to be writing such words down!

When I spoke to DH about it, he didnt seem that surprised, and said that he had studied books similar to that whilst he was at Secondary School.

All I can say that is - I must have led a very reserved life, to which my answer is I'm glad!

OP posts:
kitsandbits · 21/09/2007 18:56

Shes 13 ... litariture is full of profanities, sex, drugs ect ... but its valid and important literature all the same.

vacua · 21/09/2007 19:04

If it was in AIBU I'd say yep, and what on earth do you expect a 13yo to read? Do you read any young adult fiction yourself? Ever read any Shakespeare?

Original poster
pinkbubble · 21/09/2007 19:08

I certainly dont want her reading things like that, ok I now that certain older style literature has things in, and I now that they have to experience all types of work, but I was just a touch shocked at what she had written her her exercise book, guess as she is my eldest, I am still used to her old school sending home letters when they are going to study such literature.

OP posts:
tassisssss · 21/09/2007 19:08

i'm with you pinkbubble (but my eldest is 4 so what do i know!)

hunkermunker · 21/09/2007 19:13

Don't let her study classics then. But if you can't even bear to write them on here, except crossed out I can see why you might be shocked!

hunkermunker · 21/09/2007 19:13

It's not porn, fgs! "such literature" indeed!

fleacircus · 21/09/2007 19:13

It's a good book. It's about a kid who ends up living on the streets. It's quite complex with a dual narrative; the boy narrates part of the story and the other narrator is a much older man, pro-national service, very anti the homeless. It throws up some interesting political and social issues for discussion. Year 9 I would have no qualms about; I've taught The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time at year 9 which has much stronger language. At my previous school this was used with high ability year seven classes.

fleacircus · 21/09/2007 19:15

She'll have to study Shakespeare for her SATs later this year; his work is far more graphic, in terms of both sex and violence, and his language far more 'obscene'. Stone Cold is pretty tame by comparison.

vacua · 21/09/2007 19:15

Serious question to OP: what works of literature do you approve of for your daughter?

Blandmum · 21/09/2007 19:15

she is 13! She'll hear a lot worse in the playground!

We've had girls who got PG at the end of year 9

chopchopbusybusy · 21/09/2007 19:17

DD1 is also in year 9 and we were talking about this book after school today. They are not allowed to bring text books home so I couldn't see it but I looked it up on Amazon and said I'd buy her her own copy so that she could read it at home in her own time. I have no problem with it. I'll borrow her copy too and read it then we can discuss it together.

Blandmum · 21/09/2007 19:18

and in year 7 when I teach the sex ed classes, I get them to 'name the parts' using the slang names.

I then tell them the real names of the sex organs, and point out that in Biology classes we only use the real names.

It takes all the 'stress' out of the class for a starter, and make ssure that they actually know what the organs are called.

I dare say some parents wouldn't be so happy, but I#d rather the kids gain a real understanding of the subject than pussyfoot around

Hathor · 21/09/2007 19:19

pussy foot around?
knowing the term bastard might be helpful if you get pg at 15.

fleacircus · 21/09/2007 19:19

Good idea to read it too ChopChop, I wish more parents would read and discuss their kids' books - just be aware that if your DD is reading ahead in her own time she might find herself getting bored in English lessons where they are reading together chapters she has already read.

Hathor · 21/09/2007 19:20

In fact, I hope you also explain that it is unacceptable to call someone a bastard in this way. Maybe it has lost its meaning anyway, given that so many of us are bastards now if you see what I mean. (no offence meant)

chopchopbusybusy · 21/09/2007 19:21

Oh yes and she read the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night in (I think) YR7. I'm all for a bit of reality.

Blandmum · 21/09/2007 19:22

i wouldn't allow a child to call another a 'bastard' in or out of the class.

chopchopbusybusy · 21/09/2007 19:23

Good point fleacircus. It's just that they take turns to read aloud from it and I know I don't take anything in when someone reads to me and I suspect she is the same.

Hathor · 21/09/2007 19:26

Good. Glad to hear it mb. Wish you were teaching in our school. (Maybe you are!)

Blandmum · 21/09/2007 19:28

I just don't see that there is much point in pretending that children are ignorant of these words. I wouldn't be happy if the use was simply meaningless, but within a good text, it is rather different.

Original poster
pinkbubble · 21/09/2007 19:29

Yes I agree she is 13, and yes she will and does hear things worse in the playground, I guess I live in a closed world and the thought of my DD being exposed to things like that surprises me, whether it was the fact that she had written those words in her exercise book, I dont know.

She is quite a young 13 yr old in her reading, she still like Enid Blyton(Malory Towers and St Clares) Thats her choice not mine - bought these books for younger sister and she picked them up and read them!

I guess I just want to be interested in what my DD is learning at school, just a little shocked at this, as I had never come across the book or this kind of exercise before.

OP posts:
vacua · 21/09/2007 19:31

To be fair it is a bit weird to watch your children growing up in this way, my eldest is now 17 and I was soooooooo not cool or liberal when we had the 'which class As have you tried' conversation.

Heated · 21/09/2007 19:33

Stone Cold is a common text at secondary; have taught it myself in the past. If the teacher allied it with some language work on slang (required by the NC), then it is quite possible that your daughter has listed the swear words amongst them. It's good that the teacher distinguishing which words are colloquial as so many pupils use such expressions unconsciously in their formal writing. They'll study a range of texts, & certainly this one keeps them switched on to reading.

I agree, the Shakespeare's worse!

Original poster
pinkbubble · 21/09/2007 19:34

I put my hand up - I never studied Shakespear

OP posts:
vacua · 21/09/2007 19:35

Did you go to school in Peru or something?