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Original poster

School plays - same old same old...

122 replies

pooodle · 25/06/2008 21:59

Urgh. I have just come back from my sons school play and yet again it is the same "posh" children with the lead parts, and the more working class relegated to bit parts. Is it just me, or do schools just pander to these mums who have nothing better to do all day than secretly watch Jeremy Kyle while brown nosing being on the parent governing body or running hot dogs for school fetes? Sorry, just had to have a rant, and I am a teacher!

OP posts:
RosaLuxembunting · 25/06/2008 23:55

Are you me, Seeker? Our PTA has a similar number of activists. Clearly some people don't want their kids to get parts.

Ellbell · 26/06/2008 00:00

Well, my dd was 93rd angel (or something ) in the nativity, but has a speaking part in the Year 3 play in a couple of weeks. My baking activity has not seriously increased in the meantime, nor am I noticeably posher than I was in December. I like to think that someone just noticed my dd's innate brilliance. But it may just have been that no-one else wanted to be the baddie!

nappyaddict · 26/06/2008 00:03

when i was at school everyone had a part even if it was only being a singer or dancer. you didn't have to pay for tickets. they made money for the school by selling programmes and raffle tickets.

colditz · 26/06/2008 00:06

They don't give the good parts to the middle class children, they give them to the articulate children. Ds1 doesn't get lines - he's as clever as you like but would be incapable of articulating them.

colditz · 26/06/2008 00:09

pooodle, not everyone can stand on stage and deliver lines as well as everyone else.

And not all children like doing it, either!

I was a show off, I got all the good parts, every year, all the other parents hated me, I was very working class and my mother didn't even come to parents evening, never mind the PTA. But I was articulate, confident and full of gob. My sister never got a decent part. She never even got a speaking part. She had a) no interest and b) less of a carrying voice. It was nothing to do with what out parents did.

Marina · 26/06/2008 00:10

I've clearly messed up as well because my ds hasn't been cast in a speaking role either, Rosa - and me running an afterschool club for the ungrateful bunch school too. We must try harder

RosaLuxembunting · 26/06/2008 00:12

Yes, Marina, indeed we must. How is Latin Club going? We have only two more session and are planning a Roman feast (with togas) for the last one.

Ellbell · 26/06/2008 00:17

Marina! Rosa! Was thinking about you, as dd1 spent the day training to be a Roman soldier at Brigantium last week. She had a fab time and even repelled some marauding Celts. Am still dithering as to whether to sound out school re. interest in Latin club.

RosaLuxembunting · 26/06/2008 00:20

That looks fab, Ellbell. You MUST do a Latin Club. It is fun.
One girl said to me today that she wished I could be her teacher all the time. I was
(Her teacher is v nice, btw, much nicer than me.)

Ellbell · 26/06/2008 00:23

It's time, really Rosa. I work full-time, so fitting it in would be hard. I have some leave in 2009-10, though, so maybe then.

DD got a (strangely word-processed-looking) certificate from the Emperor Vespasian and everything !

What a lovely comment from that girl.
Bet you are a great teacher!

cat64 · 26/06/2008 00:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Marina · 26/06/2008 10:28
clam · 26/06/2008 11:55

And what was all that middle class vs working class stuff all about?

mimsum · 26/06/2008 12:39

this thread has made me very cross too - I wasn't going to add anything, but as I sit here waiting for the oven to heat up so I can put in the cake I'm making for the school fair I couldn't resist

I used to be chair of the PTA, I still help out with every event, go into school to hear children read etc not because I want my children to have preferential treatment and god forbid not because I have nothing better to do grr but because some parents have to be prepared to do that bit extra for the school to help make the school experience better for ALL the kids there

dd had a star part in the reception nativity but that's because she's confident, articulate and the teachers knew that she would love it - ds2 has never been on stage and would hate it but gets involved with backstage stuff - ds1 always represents the school at swimming galas - it's not always about sharing stuff around every single time, it's thinking about what individual children are good at and enjoy and tailoring their experience accordingly

MaryAnnSingleton · 26/06/2008 12:47

I object to this middle class knocking - fwiw I am middle class, very much involved with stuff at school - PTA,committees and helping in class - not in order to give my ds any kind of advantage or to garner points, just because I feel it's something I should offer to do - the PTA's efforts benefit every child in the school - and my son is never picked to be anything in the school plays/assemblies - this is because he is quiet and never pushes himself forward, though would probably have a go if encouraged as he does in fact like performing, sings well and has a nice clear voice. Just wanted to say that.

Original poster
pooodle · 26/06/2008 22:12

"this is because he is quiet and never pushes himself forward, though would probably have a go if encouraged as he does in fact like performing, sings well and has a nice clear voice. Just wanted to say that."

ahh you have hit the nail on the head.

"would probably have a go if encouraged". Many are not because they dont want to risk it. so they use the same ones alot. i still dont think its fair, but then i should know better than to suggest this on a middle class forum where most of you seem to be baking cakes and on the pta shouldnt i?

and for those of you sniffing at this thread, others have also had the same experience so its hardly just me that is noticing it. btw, i can smell burning

OP posts:
MaryAnnSingleton · 27/06/2008 10:03

I just wish the teachers would perhaps look beyond the ones who immediately put their hands up to do a part....I have mentioned this to them in the past, and I bet he'd agree to do it if they did ask him - he just would never dream of saying 'pick me !' and if he was chosen it'd do wonders for his self esteem - he'd surprise everyone who thinks he's a quiet little shy boy. I can't bring myself to be pushy mother though !

mamablue · 27/06/2008 10:38

The children who are picked for the lead roles are those who read well, are confident and whose voices are clear and will carry well. That is life, you get picked by abilities. To suggest otherwise is just sour grapes. Yes, I am a governor but DD1 has never had a lead part in a production as she does not have the confidence to carry it off, I suspect. DD2 is very bright and articulate and yes she has had a main part in Reception mostly because she is an exceptional reader. My children are different and have different strengths. My involvement at the school has nothing to do with it.

fembear · 27/06/2008 12:22

We've had this discussion before.
Which is the chicken and which is the egg?
My DC are in secondary school (so we have got beyond who gets chosen to be third lobster on the left) but it is noticeable that there is a corelation between the child's success (Head Boy, captain of sports, gifted musician, etc) and parental involvement (PTA, Governor, etc).
Is it because pushy parents are more likely to produce high-achieving children. Or is it that high-achieving pupils tend to cause their parents to become more involved? (Before you flame me, note the liberal use of generalisms!)

clam · 27/06/2008 14:01

There you go again, pooodle. Chippy, class-related comments: "middle-class forum." Don't working class people ever bake cakes? Or join the PTA? And I strongly resent the implication that the allocation of parts in a school play is anything to do with who or what the kids' parents do. What sort of cliche do you live in? This is the 21st century. We've moved on from all that nonsense.

MaryAnnSingleton · 27/06/2008 14:24

yep, our PTA is a mix of all classes if you care to look at it from that angle

idlingabout · 27/06/2008 14:38

Totally agree with Rosa, Clam and Seeker.
I am on PTA and go in and help every week but
my year 3 dd (who has just had a stunning report) has never had a lead part in anything.I don't expect any of what I do or how clever she is to influence the teachers one way or the other regarding parts in plays.
I could go on but am sneaking a look at Mumsnet whilst waiting for cakes to bake for tomorrow's Fair ( for which , as ever, it is the same people landed with all the work), before collecting food for bbq and ticketting up all the tombolas.

MaryAnnSingleton · 27/06/2008 14:41

I am really quite glad that this is ds's last few weeks in junior school because then I can leave the PTA behind me and that'll mean that there will be only 2 mums left on the committee... am sick of being one of the few parents who can be arsed to help out.

idlingabout · 27/06/2008 14:46

Oh and then will be setting up from 9.00 am tomorrow (Fair 12-3 ) and then clearing up until 6pm . Not even all the committee (only 10 of us) do the full stint - just the hard-core of 6. The helpers expect to turn up for their hour ( 2 if we are lucky) and find everything set up ready and then they clear off as soon as fair finishes. I sometimes wonder if they ever think about how few people are left with all the work. Sorry for slight hi-jacking rant !

donnie · 27/06/2008 14:54

bit of a massive chip there, pooodle, about those you deem "posh" children.

Wouldn't mind a definition of "posh" - as you understand it.