Wet Play........

[cityroad]

My DD came home yesterday very upset as they had to stay indoors at lunchtime and watch Monsters Inc on the TV. She was scared (she's 4, in Reception) but said there wasn't anything else to do.

I'm amazed that they just bung children in front of TV when teachers are out of the way! I am a teacher at a junior school, and they play in their classrooms while Midday supervisors look after them.

When I spoke to the class teachers they said that there are 60 children & the hall is being used for lunches so there's nowhere else to go. They said if she's unhappy she just needs to speak to the supervisor in charge & she'll find her something to do.

I left the school fuming but am I being unreasonable?!! The school had an outstanding ofsted report, but I can't believe they knew about this! The government tell us to restrict our children's tv viewing, and to watch it with them etc... How does this help? Plus, peer pressure will take my dd into the room & keep her there while all her friends are enjoying themselves she'll feel silly saying she's scared!

Rant over!

Ready to speak to the head but am I over-reacting?!!!!

I think that your daughter's school is normal and your's exceptional but it wouldn't hurt to suggest that they don't watch tv for every wet play.

I'm a middayday assistant at our local primary school.

The infants usally have a dvd on on wet play days, or can draw in their "wet Play" books, but in the same class where the DVD is on. I'm not sure how many Midday assistants the infants have.

The Juniors get games and things out to play with, but there is only one midday assistant for each year group, so that means in Juniors I have 60 kids between to classrooms to keep an eye on.

I think this is pretty normal. DD watched Monsters Inc last winter on a teacher's lap as she didn't like it either!

It doesn't happen all that often, it's not the end of the world.

This is normal in dd's school too. Not enough supervisers to have the children in individual classes.

However dd regularly had an issue with DVD's at that age (even things like Aladdin she was terrified of) so a TA took her off to read in another classroom by herself.

Perhaps of your dd's school can't do this they should have a re-think about which DVD's they use (I know that ss was especially sensitive though)

There are worse things to do on a rainy day than watch a DVD.

Second what others are saying about talking to the teacher about the DVDs they choose though, or about finding alternatives for the more sensitive DCs.

YABU to be "fuming".

Wow - I find this really depressing.... It can't be right that this is 'normal'! Des that mean it's ok?

I just spoke to my neighbour who has been teaching in infant schools since 1994 & has never witnessed reception children being put in front of TV for wet play!
So for me, my gut instinct that this is wrong has been confirmed & I'll be chatting to the Head Teacher as soon as I can.

Yes, my dd is very sensitive, and won't watch Aladdin, Monsters Inc, Ice Age, Toy Story etc etc because they all have bits that scare her. But hey SHE'S 4!!! & it's my job to protect her and to help her grow up... It's also the school's job to protect her and to educate her, not do the easy thing & turn the TV on.

For most children it would be considered a huge treat to be able to watch part of a DVD at school as it isn't something that happens often.
We don't show DVDs because we don't have indoor wet play they all go out whatever the weather ...

I do find it odd however that your "gut instinct" has been confirmed by talking to one neighbour who has taught infants for a few years

Ok, maybe I didn't put it very well, but my instinct was to be unhappy with this situation. I spoke to my neighbour who has taught in infant schools for 16 years, and she agreed with me, both as a teacher & a parent. I therefore felt I wasn't alone and wasn't being daft...

I think if the school is regularly showing DVDs at lunchtime break then you should be concerned but I get the impression this is the first time it has happened???

Apparently it's every wet play... And I have a feeling there are going to be a fair few of those in the not too distant future!

I really don't see the problem. It is every wet play in my dc's school too.

At my DS 1 & 2 school they go out for the majority of break what ever the weather. This was aided by the parents getting together and fundraising for a big outdoor covered wooden gazebo thing. It doubles as a shady summer classroom.

They tend to have about 20mins inside if its really cold/ wet/ snowy to dry off, warm up and get changed ready for lessons. Those who want to can watch a DVD inside for part of a wet break time.

Would there be room in the school for creating a big covered area and if so do you think any of the parents would be up for a bit of fundraising?

I work in an infant school. We do trya nd take the children out for at least part of a play time or two during the day if raining all day, but not to the extent that they'd come in drenched or really cold - that really isn't much fun for the children or the teachers supervising.

Wet playtimes - in classrooms. TA or teacher supervise children, taking it in turns to go and have their own break time - one will go before or after break. We have a box of wet play activities - lots of comics, colouring books, crayons, puzzle sheets, paper type activities.

Wet lunchtime - midday supervisors take over at start of lunch to end of lunch brea. Hot dinners go into hall as usual, depending on what sitting they are. Packed lunches eat lunch at start on a couple of the tables int he classroom. The rest use the wet play activity box at the other tables.

"It's also the school's job to protect her and to educate her, not do the easy thing & turn the TV on."

But is playtime the time when they are there to educate her? Surely it is the time or the child to relax and chill out for a bit? As for protecting - well, they are keeping her safe.

I actually don't think watching 10 minutes (playtime) or even 40-50 min (lunch) is a real problem. It is just a bit of chill out time between learning sessions. We don't do it very often anyway - normally a DVD at our school is an end of term treat only. But I know it has happened at DD's school and I have been more than happy for it to happen as I know they are doing an excellent job in the actual learning time.

However the film choice is obviously a problem for your DD. She needs to tell the teacher she is scared. Often they will then offer an alternative - a quiet corner to look at books or magazines, or quiet time on a class computer.

Agree with hula. Lunchtime supervisors are not teachers or even TA's (though some are TA's as well). They are there to supervise the children during their break from lessons not to facilitate activities (though some do).

Teachers are not allowed under their pay and conditions to do break/lunchtime duty (thought some again do)

at my school we also have DVDs for wet play

My ds (5) told me he watched tom and jerry cartoons on wet play days. I wasn't that worried about it, it's only a bit of tv.

If you are that upset by it, you can take your child home for lunch.

Teachers AFAIK can do playtime duty but they are still entitled to their break, so if they cover break time they have their break either before or afterwards. In our school same thing applies for TAs too.

I do 8 playground duties a week as does the other KS1 teacher in our school and we don't get a break (as no one is legally entitled to a break except for lunch) although it has become common practice for staff to have breaks while children have theirs. Teachers can't be asked to supervise lunchtimes

I'm a midday supervisor (and TA) and we never put a DVD on at wet play. The year sixes are wet play monitors and they go into the individual classrooms and help the little ones organise themselves with drawing, reading, board games, lego etc. There is always a supply of activities for the children that doesn't involve DVDs.

I'm a teacher and none of the schools I've taught at puts DVDs on for children to watch when it's wet play. Children draw, play games, chat, read books etc. in their classes. If the halls aren't being used for lunchtime clubs then a TA may organise games.

However, DD1 attended another school for a while (not by choice) and every single lunchtime the children could choose to go inside and watch DVDs. She was in Reception and terrified of witches but went inside to watch the Disney DVDs (that we wouldn't show her at home) because her friends wanted to. I did query this and the school staff claimed they only did it in cold weather. I was rather puzzled because it was on sunny September day that she'd been watching DVDs. More recently, on a local forum, the Headteacher of this particular school denies that DVDs are shown every lunchtime and claims that all local schools offer children the opportunity to watch DVDs if it's cold/rainy. Uh, no actually. My school is 3 streets away and we don't put DVDs on.

Um I am more concerned at the amount of videos that are watched in class time.

My DCs have come home and said "we watched such-and-such film today."

I've said: "Why? Was it wet at lunchtime."

"No"

"Was your teacher ill"

"No"

WTF?

And don't start me on secondary. The last week of any term seems to be spent watching DVDs - loosely linked to the topic they have been studying. I am x 1000 about it.

Thank you SE13! As a teacher I know how easy it would be to 'just bung a dvd on', but also know why it's such a bad idea... apart from the behaviour that might result in the afternoon, playtime is the chance to gain socialisation skills, not sit gazing at screens! (& my DD turns rather zombie-like when she's watching the TV if no-one is talking her through it!!!!!)

This is my first term as a parent in school, and coming to terms with how to address issues like this isn't anywhere near as easy as I thought it would be...

& there's another issue Balloonslayer - for the first week at school she came home everyday saying they'd watched "pippin" (from cbeebies) again... when I queried it, the teacher just said "don't worry, it's educational!" although since then it has happened far less - perhaps words form myself & at least 2 other mothers made a difference