I am so fuming - can't believe a teacher would be so insensitive !!

[scatterbrain]

'Scuse me while I rant - would be good to hear what you think !!

So - collecting dd from Y1 today - it's Friday they're all tired and ready to drop, they are all milling around and teacher comes out and says very loudly to one mum that her dd is being invited to join the Gymnastics club ! Cue at least three other little girls asking their mums if they can join, so teacher says "No -it's by invitation only" and three little girls start to cry !

Is it me or is that a bloody insensitive way to do that ??

Bad enough that they are "selecting" at 5/6 without the poor little things having it thrust upon them that they haven't been picked !!

Am so angry !!

Life is full of disappointment and we just have to accept it.I agree with spider it is preparation for real life and I really think it teaches kids to just get on with it.My ds is small and often isn't picked for sporty things but it has never affected him This reminds me of those my ds/dd hasn't been invited to a birthday party threads It doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things I think 6 yr olds deal better with disappointment than adults

Absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating the success of others, but there are ways of doing this especially in primary school. The way described in the OP was not the best way IMO and I wouldn't deal with it in that way with my adult learners, nor my ex-secondary school pupils. This way does not encourage people to celebrate success, it was dealt with wrongly.

This could have been dealt with far more effectively. That much is blatantly obvious in the OP.

5 and 6 year olds do not have the same maturity as adults in real life. They should, therefore, not be dealt with in the same way as adults in real life.

The assumption has been that the club is selective on ability, perhaps not. Anything like this has to limit the numbers, perhaps the children were selected by who actualy showed interest, who has shown good attendance and good behaviour etc. No point in running a club like this and half the kids not that into it or don't even bother to turn up.

An lot of these clubs especialy those that are free or very cheap are filled up with kids that aren't that fussed about the activity and just muck about. DS went to one gymnastics club that was bursting at the seems with kids who just wanted to slide up and down the hall and a lot of the coaches time was wasted on them. Parnets just send them because its another club to go to.

OK I'll come out and admit that I'm a trained teacher too. But this teacher has handled the situation very clumsily. With any after-school activity, parents have to be kept in the loop because of collecting children after it, so they should have had a letter at the beginning explaining what the activity was, when, the criteria for selection (even if first come first served) and giving each child an opportunity to express interest.

There should be equality of opportunity even if not equality of outcome.

Right - thought I'd better come back and update you all as this is still going on without me !!

Took dd to school this am and the teacher came straight over and apologised for the way that she handled this on Friday. She said there was really no excuse for it - she just didn't think and blurted it out, which she regretted and she was really upset and worried about the three girls being so upset by it.

So - obviously is wasn't just me !!!

And to answer some of the questions - yes it was selection on ability. They have had three gym lessons with the gym teacher and the girl who has been selected shows a natural ability apparently so has been "invited". DD says she can do double cartwheels - which sounds pretty impressive for a 5.5 yr old !

They will continue to have a gymnastics lesson every week as part of PE and there will be more opportunities to be selected. Apparently this comes up every year and parents complain so they run a separate "non-selected" after school gym club from Y2 - so subject to spaces any child with an interest can have a go.

The selected club meets twice a week for 2 hours a time - and three times if they have a competition coming up. The school is firecely competitive - it is private !

And the teachers are paid to run clubs.

Thanks for all your comments - interesting split !

I see, you see clubs like that at the competitions DD goes to, they all wear perfect matching leotards while ours wear a selection of gym shorts and tescos t-shirts. Reminds me of the russian gymnasts and coaches you used to see on TV when you imagine the poor gymnasts getting hell if they didn't do well.

2hrs is a long time for 5 yr olds to do gymnastics. Best off out of it, at least the teacher apologised though.

Oh yes - it's only the leotard that dd wanted - it's got a sparkley stripe you see ? I might get her one anyway and she can wear it doing belly flops onto cushions at home - well she thinks she looks elegant !

unless she is in a private school, or the kids are paying for the classes she will not be paid to run classes. None of us are. It is not part of teachers' contracts in the state sector

Tis a private school she said so,

Is the person leading the class a qualified gymnastic instructor? I would be very concerned if they were not and doing full on gymnastics, can lead to short and long term injuries other wise.

I missed that bit

Yes she is a qualified gym instructor - she teaches part-time in the day and runs 3, sometimes 4 after school clubs per week. She is definitely paid to do it - and gets bonuses for winning comps !!!