Does your school have an alternative system to Golden Time?

[OdinsLoveChild]

I hate Golden Time, it's just been introduced to our school along by the new head (I wish they would think up their own ways of running a school instead of just carrying over something from their previous schools) .

The head has removed afternoon breaks for years 5/6 and replaced it with this Golden Time where the year 5/6 students can earn an afternoon break of 30 minutes on a Friday instead (none of this doing painting/baking/sports activity stuff) . Not exactly something to inspire the children and not exactly a reward if its chucking it down with rain and their stuck inside, it's more of a reminder of whats been taken away from them .

I have spoken with the head (he asked me what I thought so far, I didnt go in 'guns blazing' complaining about it or anything) about 'golden time' and explained why I think its not really suitable but he is adamant he wont change it unless someone can suggest a better system (he wants recognised school/education websites and online documents to refer to) . He believes there is no better behaviour/discipline system and its been used in all the schools he has ever taught in.

What works in your school that isn't Golden Time?

At my children's school they have golden time on a Friday afternoon, they get a bit of golden time taken away if they have been truly terrible, but it's not done lightly. They finish lunch play fifteen minutes early and then have half an hour (so only 'miss' fifteen minutes of lessons) they get a list sent round on Thursday to choose what they want to do from construction (teacher gets out a box of magna tiles etc and they make stuff), Lego, short film, nature hunt, den building, singing, etc. The children really enjoy it and they mix with other years. (It's an infant school) they also have a celebration assembly on a Friday and special certificates (think it's two per class, I imagine the teacher rotates these?) and special lunch treats for excellent table manners and trying new things that week. I think the problem from what you describe is that the golden time isn't worth earning and that the new head is mixing up a reward system with the need for a short brain break. (In my opinion the two should be completely separate, everyone needs to switch off and get some fresh air throughout the day)

All the things mrz say and do, makes me really want to send my ds to her school.

All the things TeacherBob say and do, sounds fantastic, but in reality, I would question if all the parents and children love it or not.

Ds's school has golden time up to yr3, and my ds loved it.(Lego time for him. It makes it special some how doing at school, even he has loads at home.)
No more golden time from yr4.

Idefix then he could have chosen any of the other activities. I cant comment on your son because I don't know him, but I have (and have had) plenty of children with dyslexia, global delays and other learning issues. And with boys, it is often a lot harder to get them to write. Interestingly, it is these children that tend to get most excited about it. I am only guessing (I don't know why it works so well for them) but that it removes the rules, they can write what they want, when they want and where they want. Sometimes they just draw, which is fine by me as it is practising their hand control skills etc.

Pretty much spot on mrz, the writing bit is just 'clever marketing' I guess. I get overly excited about it and so they do.

Irvine I am not sure why you would doubt my parents feelings (that said, nm what you do, you can never keep everyone happy in reality).

What exactly aren't you sure about?

Golden time in our school is just time to do what they want. They have a house points system and then each term / half term the house with the most points get to choose a treat. It is something like an outing to the park or watching a film in the hall.

They have golden time on Fridays but it's just a break outside not activities.

They have master classes which they use pupil premium to pay for and go off curriculum Thursday afternoons so they don't need golden time for that. Photography, mud pie explorers, building their own toy electric cars ect.

I assumed schools didn't hold the same standard for behaviour/finished work for dc with additional needs.

I don't think golden time is that bad of a reward for the majority of dc.

Our local primary has golden time. My friends have kids there who absolutely love it. I think they particularly like the fact it's not "directed" so much.

It seems a shame you are complaining to the new head teacher about this scheme, when surely you could offer some support.

Most children love playing

Ooh teacher Bob I love your special writing time idea. Going to suggest it!!

We do class dojos in our school and I love it, they have inbuilt reward systems along the way eg when you get to 20 you can choose your own monster.
I also love the fact that parents can see it and keep in touch with the class.

Most children love playing

Most children love learning through play.

In my school the head believes the children should be self motivated to work hard and behave/ follow rules etc without the need for treats.My opinion is that most children like a bit of a reward for all that hard work! Like we as adults do. Let's face it, we don't go to work for our own satisfaction or for fun, we go for money! So I think any kind of positive reward system is a good motivator

My ds loves his golden time! They have an hour on a Friday afternoon that they get to pick what they do. 9 times out of 10 he picks lego.
I can understand the SEN difficulties but also, if the teachers know about the SEN then they will make acceptable allowances for it?

TeacherBob, everything you say about how you teach is fantastic.
All parents join in to help children with homework, all the children loves writing, etc.
Just sounds like you seem to live in the different world from me, that's all.
Maybe I feel sarcastic because I've let down so many times by school and teachers. Sorry I was a bit rude. Nothing against you, just I'm a sceptical person.

I think golden time is great. The good quiet kids who are usually ignored get to be recognised. If you or your child doesn't like it then they need to learn to behave like the others.simples!

"Most children love learning through play"

So they don't need Golden Time just carefully planned learning activities

" if the teachers know about the SEN then they will make acceptable allowances for it?"

Some will but there are many threads on MN from parents whose child never gets Golden Time because of SEN and also threads from parents complaining that allowance are made for some children and it's unfair

IsItTime IMHE at primary age "praise" is a great motivator for most children, others, especially the youngest, need an immediate reward (the promise of something on Friday if you keep doing the right thing is too abstract)

Ds school does golden time, but rather than as a whole class reward children lose time based on where they are on a chart in the classroom. Not an idea I am keen on personally but the children seem to like it.

Ds has SN and it is actually a motivator for him as he hates the idea of being moved down - but I also know his teachers are very much aware of how much this means to him so are unlikely to move him unless really "needed" as they know it would cause a meltdown - so really although in one way it motivates him in another it doesn't work (of that makes sense I am rather sleep deprived!)

DS struggled at school last year and by Easter has abandoned all hope of golden time. On one famous occasion he hid at golden time to avoid whatever the activity was for children who hadn't behaved well enough. Could not persuade him it was even worth trying for.

Golden time seems to be scaled down this year. DS doing much better at school. I don't think that's because of golden time, it's for other reasons, such as having an amazing teacher, but it does suggest to me golden time is, at best, a blunt tool for a delicate job.

We have golden time in our school and it's a complete joke. It is supposed to reward the children who consistently adhere to the school values, which I agree is a good thing to do. However, any child who loses golden time is expected to be able to earn it back, preferably within the same day. Therefore these children who frequently break the school values are rewarded for NOT consistently adhering to them.

We have 'Finish it off Friday' where after lunch the students can finish any work that they haven't completed during the week (work is differentiated, so they get workloads that they can finish in class time). After they have finished everything in their folder, then they can choose their activity, as long as they are 'creating' something. So it might be drawing/painting/craft, lego, even something in minecraft. Many students choose to write, or to keep working on their genius hour project.

Sorry Bob misread and thought writing was the only option

I have like other pp mixed experience with golden time ds hated it but used to miss virtually every afternoon break in infants to finish work off, due to being so slow and this often crept into golden time dd loved it and would be so pleased about how many + marks she got at this age.

I think it needs to be carefully planned to be successful but ds would have been just as happy to have an extended playtime outside.

MidniteScribbler what is a genius hour project?

a8mint If the children fidget, ask too many questions (because they don't understand), cant sit quietly through an hour of maths/any other subject they find difficult (does an average adult sit still in a chair for an hour a time?) then Golden Time gets taken away from the entire class.

This isn't just 1 child losing 5 minutes of afternoon break on a Friday. This is the whole class being punished in the hope that peer pressure will force the disruptive children (some SEN some not) to behave differently.

They used to have afternoon break (a drink, loo break, run around) that got removed and replaced with Golden Time instead where that afternoon break has to be earned through the week. They have never had afternoon break/Golden Time since they returned to school in September. How is that good? What does it actually teach them?

CauliflowerSqueeze If you actually read my post you will see I didn't go complaining to the head. He asked me my opinion.

Children should learn because they enjoy it not because theyre going to get to have a break on a Friday afternoon or play with paint/lego for 30 minutes.

OdinsLoveChild So the real problem is not golden time, it's collective punishment, and I agree something that would be illegal in war, probably shouldn't be part of a school discipline system.

I think you need to move away from the complaints about friday afternoon something - it's too abstract a thing, and focus on why collective punishment is not a good strategy. There is strong evidence out there of that, although I don't know about in a school setting.