the boy in the striped pyjamas

[workshy]

my yr5 DD watched this in school the other day

school sent home a permission slip explaining that it was a 12 but was related to a topic they had been covering in school

I know about the film and chatted to DD about it and was confident she would be ok so I gave my permission -obviously lots of parents had absolutely no idea what the film was like and many DCs were upset by it

is it really a film they should be showing to 9&10 year olds?

We had The Silver Sword read to us in Primary 7 but it wasn't part of a topic.

Ds watched the film on his own when he was 10.....came home to find him weeping copiously. But that's not a bad thing....he asked lots of questions about it and it doesn't seem to have damaged him
I talk to year six children about my father who was in Bomber Command and they are enthralled by his exploits and the fact that half of all bomber crews never came back.

There's plenty to cover about WWII without covering the holocaust. Why not have the children learn about make do and mend, and growing your own food? Topical, useful and doesn't scar you for life, unless you're frightened of carrots.

Basically learn, because we're aiming to educate children, not just give them fun and pretty things to do. Again it seems like teachers can't win. There's constant talk of falling standards and yet if teachers try to challenge children and teach them about things that are actually interesting and important there is an objection that it's "too much" for them.

BTW I have always taught about make do and mend, victory gardens, rationing etc. I have even made some truly horrible rationing recipes with my classes, which they loved. There's a place for both sides - the fun interesting social stuff and the serious historical stuff. I would rather my children were properly taught information that was actually relevant and important, especially in year 5 and 6, than just given pointless art exercises and "shielded" from any real learning.

although a picture book I have used this book with Y5 Rose Blanche

It's also about a German child who accidentally discovers a concentration camp, but I think the child's response in this book is more realistic. The ending is similar in that the child dies as a result of visiting the concentration camp, however Rose Blanche visits solely to distribute food to the inmates as she is horrified by the camp, whereas Bruno in TBITSP visits the camp because he wants to play. I found Bruno's reactions to some of the events in TBITSP unconvincing.

We are never going to reconcile the two sides of this.
DD1 was upset by Ann Frank and wouldn't read a lot of Michel Marpargo (sp) because they are far from cheerful. She and I know bad things happen in the world. We don't have to wallow in them to understand that.

For me knowing something ends or is likely to end badly detracts from the story, I don't want to get involved with the characters because the ending will upset me more.

DD2 doesn't mind she will let the characters grab her and simply accept that the world isn't nice.

Unfortunately avoiding the unpleasant side of life isn't protection against them

At least our children don't have to experience the horrors of bombing etc.
Makes you wonder how children in the 40s got on with it.

lizcat you let your 8 year old watch Schindler's list?

but some children around the world are still experiencing those horrors Mrsrobertduvall

Yes with a parent present to explain. My grandmother was in the liberation team at Belsen and I always always knew about the concentration camps and what happened there and have brought my DD up the same. I have made sure she has experienced both ends of life she has seen lambs and calves born and various animals die, she has also experienced that sometimes everyone does everything right and sometimes a death still occurs.

My personal opinion is that hiding the nasty facts of life makes it harder for children when they do encounter them. I know this is not for everyone.

Yes, mrz, I was thinking more of children in this country.
But yes sadly not in other countries.

I must admit to being shocked when I saw your post, but your explanation makes sense.

although we don't have war in the UK some children have parents who are involved in conflict in other countries which are graphically reported on the news.
Can I ask do parents allow their children to watch the news?

ds2 doesn't watch it because it's difficult to predict how things will be presented, although do I talk to both my ds's about current issues that I think they should know about.
ds1 finds things out for himself all the time through using the internet - he told me about Kony2012 for instance.

Mrz is right I have close friends and their children who suddenly found the city they were living in turned into a war zone and running for their lives. They were working for a British company and the country was considered safe by the foreign office.

Round here they do this book in Year 8, and I am worried that my DS will find it really upsetting.

Don't know what I would have done if they'd studied it in Year 5 . . . but I hope the school would have found a way to put it across sensitively.

they have actually done quite alot on WW2

they have done rations, cooked various meals and had to budget for a week, they have learned about women's roles in the war -the land girls etc
they have been to the Eden Camp etc etc, I'm just not sure they realised how much impact the film would have on some of the children and I'm not sure the parents did either -I think there was a lot of 'well if school thinks it's ok it must be'
I didn't touch either world war until A Level history, and as for the comment about 'do we want our children stuck on level 4 history', well in primary then I am absolutely fine with that

mrz My cildren choose to watch newsround, and I let them watch the news during the day but not the 24hour news channels as they can be a bit too graphic
I also talk to them about various political issues but tend to shy away from mass murder, but they obviously know about 911 etc

I'm in the business; this has really surprised me. Yes, lots will go over their heads, but as far as I'm concerned, it's a year 7 book MINIMUM, and only a mature group at that.
It's a well written book but if they're upset, you'd end up putting them off reading.

Agree that the book less upsetting than the film, but neither suitable for primary children. My 12 year old watched it recently, (at her request, in preparation for watching it at school, with me there) she was really disturbed, and had to sleep in my room on a nest on the floor for a couple of nights. She said every time she closed her eyes she saw that image at the end when the lights go out in the gas chamber.
She has always been sensitive and we've dealt with stories and things in the past by explaining that it is from someones imagination. But that doesn't wash now that she is older and watching things that actuallly happened. Titanic was the same.

surely the 12 rating means its illegal for ayone under this age to see it even with parental consent

12a means you can see it with appropriate adult.. 12 means they should not watch it under this age

I realise some parents (me included) make informed choices re ratings and what their child can cope with .. but didnt think schools could make this distinction

It isn't illegal to watch it only to buy or rent it under that age.
The film is actually a 12A which means -Films under this category are considered to be unsuitable for very young people. Those aged under 12 years are only admitted if accompanied by an adult, aged at least 18 years, at all times during the motion picture.

I think there is a difference between watching the news at home and studying a book or film in school.

News items are brief, you can tune out if it upsets you, you have little or no back story to the characters.

Books and films are totally different. Their extended format and characterisation is designed to involve you.

From a teachers point of view this may be just what you want.

It may capture some children's imaginations, but it runs the danger of alienating and upsetting children who already think deeply about things.

At home you can walk out the room or put the book down. In the classroom you have no choice. Your trapped.

Teachers need to realise that unique position comes with great responsibility.

You're trapped

Startail I totally agree. That's why I might let my child watch or read something at home, but wouldn't like them to have to do it at school.