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?

[mrz]

I think the IWM advise some parts may be distressing BTM

[ivykaty44]

I am shocked that the school would get a 12 film and then show it to the 9 and 10 year old [shocked] regardless whether they where given permission from the parents. Our the school not concerned about one of the parents telling the authorities what has happened in class?

[bigTillyMint]

Yes, they are, Mrz

Not half as distressing as Aushwitz though. DH was desperate for me to go with him when we went to Poland. It was totally harrowing. I couldn't go in all the buildings. I feel tearful even thinking about it now.

Yellowtip, DD is thinking about doing a History degree, or maybe History and English.... and becoming a teacher

[MadameChinLegs]

A friend and his 8 year old DS watched this film with me recently, and while I was a little concerned that he would find it hard to watch, I was facinated to see him asking loads of questions about the film and he was engrossed in it.

I have the book, and have lent it to a 10 year old DD of a friend who loves to read, again, she was engrossed in it.

It is sad, but it touches on things which happened, and can proved a good insight into the atrocities caused by the Nazis.

[gazzalw]

Well I'm surprised at that because it was only last year that we tried to take DS to it (aged 10) and were advised not to go in because he was clearly under the preferred age....

Personally I would say most 11 year olds are too young unless they have been 'exposed' to Holocaust related issues whilst growing up.

When we were youngsters, the famous 'Holocaust' series (starring Meryl Streep and John Voight - I think -amongst others) was on TV. Many Jewish children whose own direct relatives were Holocaust Survivors were not allowed to watch it (even in mid to late teens) by their families.

I still think, unless a child has a very mature understanding of such atrocities and even of death, that 11 or 12 is still too young to fully take on board what the Holocaust means.

DW went to see The Hunger Games t'other day and to her the 'selection' of the children from the 12 districts had very sinister and Holocaust-like echoes. She found that bit the most distressing part of the film. And she an adult and historian who has assimilated the facts, the narratives and literature relating to the Holocaust.

[ivykaty44]

I cant agree that the book is sad I don't feel sad is a word to give to that book, but I can't find the words to describe how I think the book is tormenting.

I still think about the ending now that this book has been mentioned and it makes my skin rise into goose bumps

[mrz]

I personally wouldn't show a primary class a complete film (any subject not just emotive ones such as this ) although I might show carefully selected extracts if I thought it appropriate to enhance the book study, because remember this was a literacy lesson not a history lesson.

[sairygamp]

I remember watching 'Holocaust' in 1978 and was gripped - it's what started my interest really - I was 14. I have the series on video and have recently watched it again - it's so very dated and 'American'now, but still excellent. As for TBITSP, I read it about two years ago, naively really, and sobbed at the end - saw the film last year and was gripped. DS has just told me they read it in year 6 and he found it 'a bit sad really' I'm surprised he didn't tell then. He said they watched clips of the film but not all of it and we certainly weren;t asked for permission...

[ariadne1]

I had to sign a permission slip for my 14 yr old to watch it at school.

[vesela]

On the subject of better resources than TBITSP:

There is also the Diary of Petr Ginz, and I'm glad to see that a documentary film for teenagers has been made about it, although it's not out yet (called The Last Flight of Petr Ginz).

[sugartongue]

My objection would be that it is made up drivel. I think it is very distasteful to make up stories which are calculated to be upsetting using the holocaust. The holocaust is quite traumatic enough without it. I talked factually about it to DS yr3 because he passed on a joke someone had told him about Hitler and he was shaken enough by that. Take the kids to Eden Camp, read Anne Frank's diary and watch some of the many survivor videos but don't resort to emotionally manipulative films/books like the boy in the striped pyjamas.

[KatAndKit]

That is a very good point that you make sugartongue I had not thought of it that way before. The truth is enough without needing any fiction.

[Yellowtip]

No I think it comes back to the point that the truth is too much at this age.

[KatAndKit]

yes, I agree with you. When the children are old enough to be learning about the holocaust, the truth will be plenty. If they are not old enough to be learning the true facts then save it for later. There are plenty of other things to learn about if they are studying children's experiences of ww2.

[mrz]

Sorry but what people are failing to see is that this book isn't being studied as a history text teaching about the holocaust it is being studied as a literacy unit of work. It's like saying Charlie and the Chocolate Factory shouldn't be read because it gives an inaccurate picture of chocolate manufacturing. Yes one is a very serious history topic and deserves to be studied in depth but this is literacy unit.

[KatAndKit]

Ok I had missed that point actually. However I would still say the content and subject matter of the book is not appropriate for nine year olds and would be better off in KS3.

[KatAndKit]

DSS is nine and is a very proficient reader. He had read a lot of Michael Morpurgo, as kids in KS2 often do, and had started trying to read Private Peaceful (about someone who was executed for cowardice in ww1). Obviously he didn't "get it" even though he can physically read the book. It's too mature for a nine year old. I suggested he read something else out of the box set and come back to it when he's about 11 or so.

[mrz]

I agree there are numerous other books and have had my wrist slapped for suggesting them because they aren't about the holocaust IT'S LITERACY!! not a study of the holocaust so there are a multitude of books that could be studied ... and as I've said numerous times on this thread I wouldn't use a film (any film) in the way described by the OP.

[mrz]

THEY ARE NOT BEING TAUGHT ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST THEY ARE STUDYING A WORK OF FICTION

[KatAndKit]

In literacy lessons, teachers often select books that tie in with what children are learning in their topic based lessons. I doubt that the children are actually studying the holocaust in their topic based lessons so they don't need to be reading about it in literacy either. If their current topic is ww2 then there are plenty of other books, don't need to be about the holocaust.
If they aren't even studying ww2 and this book has just been chosen for literacy for some reason, that is even more strange.

[mrz]

I think you need to blame publishers who produce ready made literacy planning for the book for KS2

[mrz]

one example shop.scholastic.co.uk/products/84337
notice literacy study not history

[KatAndKit]

Just because something is being sold does not mean schools have to buy it!

I think it is impossible to really appreciate that book without a good understanding of the issues behind it and that isn't possible when you are nine years old.