Any teachers willing to give an honest answer?

[nikos]

Do the kids of mums who help in school (PTA, reading) get the best parts in school plays?

So you are saying I have to get more Involves for dc to be picked? Used to be a school governor at their old school but tis a thankless, time-consuming task. Got a job instead.

nikos - that is rubbish, I work and help with school fundraising, events ect in fact most of the mums that help at dd's school also have jobs.
I think it is really off to moan about people who spend their own time improving your dc's school, when you are not prepared to do it yourself

We actually have no parent helpers. So by your reasoning we would have no plays at all.

Oh fgs, not this old lazy cliche again.
Do people really believe this? I mean, REALLY?
I cannot for the life of me imagine a group of teachers getting together to discuss casting and saying, "yes, let's have Rosie as Mary. OK, she's fairly crap, but her mum did run the tombola at the summer fete."

Just how stupid do you think teachers are?

Physically impossible for me to do it, unless I pay for childcare. Still shouldn't be penalised for it. It's clearly not rubbish as others have said it happens at their school.

No, we are saying YOU seem to think you need to get more involved if you want your child to have a part, we're saying there are many and varied reasons why children are given the parts they are, but having a Mum on the PTA isn't exactly top of our selection criteria!

Well, I also work nicos and am not currently a member of the PTA.

DS1 was Joseph last year (not sure what either of them are this year yet!) so in our school you don't need to be heabily involved in order fo your dc to get a leading role.

You seem to have already decided that you do need to be involved in your dc's school for them to get a part that you consider to be worthwhile, which is why I suggested that you should get more involved.

Perhaps you need to consider that other children might just be that bit more suitable for certain roles than yours are, and just enjoy the Christmas performance for what it is - a celebration for all.

Someone's started a thread in AIBU saying the same thing!

My DD (Y5) is playing Mary in the school nativity and she got the role because she auditioned well for it. Nothing to do with parental involvement.

As far as I can tell, the casting is dependent on the particular attributes the children have.

Oh well it must be true then nicos

No-one on our PTA has a child with a leading role. I am the Secretary of the PTA and my kids are yet to have a leading role in anything. And of course, that's the only reason I joined the PTA, so that my 6 year old could be Mary in the Christmas nativity

for the record my dd didn't even get a part, she is a background singer.

I always thought the best speaking parts went to the best readers and most able learners who were confident and keen enough to do it. It certainly seemed like that when I was at school, and seems to be the case at DS's school.

Jesus christ no! It's the opposite in DS's school. I have been on the PTA for 8 years (pre-school nursery to Year 6) and he never gets picked for anything. The best parts tend to go to the most confident speakers IME.

In a word, no! I am careful that one child does not dominate, and certainly do not bias in favour of parents who help especially as have had some nightmare 'helpful' parents before
Talent, or wanting to do something. FWIW in my last school I taught 3 of the TAs children. We had an end of year prize and I awarded it to a child who honestly deserved it. Her parents were completely disinterested!
The only time I have to consider parents is if it is an event in the evening etc and then it has to be a child who can get there!

I'm not a teacher, but in DS's school the speaking / appearing on stage roles are given to a) Members of the drama club and then if there's any parts left, b) the perfectly behaved children. DS, (a fairly typical but sometimes quirky nearly 10 year old) has never been to drama club and has his share of silly moments (as most boys do at some point) and so has never been given a part in any of the Christmas plays.

Ridiculous suggestion. I am a teacher and would only cast parts in plays by the children's strengths.

PTA involvement would means nothing, except perhaps children of confident school helpers are also confident themselves and therefore get better parts in plays??

DD always seems to get good speaking parts as she's very confident, remembers lines well etc, whereas I'm not sure DS would be considered for the main roles in plays.

(To clarify, I have only helped out once at PTA events)

Makes no difference in my DCs school! I am a governor, treasurer of the PTA and help every week.
My dc have never had speaking parts! It's not an issue they are happy being choristers, dancers, narrators etc plus the costumes are easier!

I was always very involved with DC primary school. PTA listening to DC read etc. It didn't happen in our school. I've had 6 DC go through the school.....DD was A sheep, THE star, she was never Mary and only ever had one line to speak. The boys were shepards, palm trees, camels, etc. One DS was narrator in year 4, 5 &6 (He is a loud mouth). He also played the only solo......but he was the only child in school who could play an instument other than recorder. So maybe it did happen but not until DC number 6.

I think it is confident children, ie children who won't say one line out of their six allocated lines then burst into tears on the night because they got a syllable wrong and refuse to do any more [yes I mean YOU DD!] who get picked.

Perhaps some children are more confident in school because they know their parents are nearby, I dunno...

Over all the years at primary, DS1 never got picked for anything, I was sad as I thought he'd be good, but put those feelings down to "overbearing mother syndrome." He then had a part in the year 6 performance, and was fab! Everyone said so (and not even at gunpoint). I bloody KNEW I was right!!

Quite often, they do.

However, I think that is due to the type of parent on the PTA (confident, supports child at home, etc) tends to have confident child who is a good reader, etc.

It's not like 'we'll give the part of Gabriel to Oliver because his mum is on the PTA'

Not at all. They are auditioned for the main parts. The rest are doled out to those who want lines with the children who will remember lines/are loud getting the most.
At my kids school it does tend to be the same kids who get the main parts but that is because they have loud, clear voices and want to do it.
Your ds may have been nervous in the audition and not performed as well.

Sorry, that sounded mean - it wasn't supposed to, sorry. I just know that there were several children who were expected to do well in our auditions who were not as good as they could have been.

Oh FFS! Why are you asking this question, OP? Seriously, get a life.

Was on the PTA all the time DC were in primary. First two DC were not really in anything, but DC3 was in almost everything. He never let anyone down and always knew his lines and didn't have stage fright. Some DC are good when practising, but when it comes to the proper performance, they freeze or forget their lines (happened to DD during a solo once).

Nothing at all to do with PTA, all to do with the child.