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Secondary education

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Original poster

Advice about talking in class in private schools

40 replies

Tabliope · 06/10/2010 16:15

My DS is trying out a private school to see if he likes it. He does but says there is much more talking in class going on than in state school. Not even whispering but talking in normal voices. I've heard similar from a friend's DD about another private school. Is this normal? He says the teachers don't seem to be able to control it.

OP posts:
PixieOnaLeaf · 06/10/2010 16:18

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PixieOnaLeaf · 06/10/2010 16:19

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bundle · 06/10/2010 16:19

surely the private thing is a red herring? it doesn't sound like the teachers are v good at their job, private or not. why are you even considering it?

myredcardigan · 06/10/2010 16:22

Do you also have another friend who has a friend who has a friend whose wife went to private school and she finds it difficult to mix but is also just a barmaid? Hmm

PixieOnaLeaf · 06/10/2010 16:24

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SandStorm · 06/10/2010 16:33

The actual question you should be asking him is what are they talking about? If they're on task then there isn't really a problem.

pagwatch · 06/10/2010 16:36

I don't understand what you are talking about?

do you think there is some secret rule book where every private school in the country operates in the exact same way?

This school could encourage lots of discussion. This school could be shit.
But the private thing has fuck all to do withthat

Original poster
Tabliope · 06/10/2010 16:45

The 'advice' I wanted pixie was is this common in private schools? I have no experience of them so really don't know. It's a very small school and they don't seem to have sanctions for low level stuff (from what my DS tells me) so I thought that might be why - there's no deterrant - so, yes, it might actually be a difference between state and private. Maybe it is just this school but it made me think it might not be after a friend's DD saying the same - which is why I'm asking.

SandStorm, no they're not on task with the talking, it's a lot of messing around, good natured but probably annoying for the teachers. Teachers in a number of lessons are saying shut up to them but they don't pay any attention. Not every class but about 50% of the ones he's been in.

OP posts:
SandStorm · 06/10/2010 17:23

What age group are we talking about?

RatherBeOnThePiste · 06/10/2010 17:29

I think a mistake to make is to think all children in the independent sector are well behaved and that all teachers are good- and vice versa. The private bit has nothing to do with it.

There are good states and bad states
Good independents, bad independents
Good teachers, rubbish ones.

pagwatch · 06/10/2010 17:55

if they are messing around and the teacher has no control, and this is in 50% of the lessons then it is a crap school.

I would pull DCs from ANY school where this was happening. It doesn't happen in any of the schools mine have been too...

MassiveKnob · 06/10/2010 17:57

ds in private school - allowed to listen to ipods during certain lessons, and says there is alot of general chitchat too Hmm

hocuspontas · 06/10/2010 18:00

I would pull my children out of any school that told them to 'shut up' Shock. A sign that the adult isn't in control I would say.

pagwatch · 06/10/2010 18:02

there are some seriously shit private schools out there.
i wouldn't put up with that if it was state. I don't know why people would put up with that when they are paying

My Dcs are encouraged to contribute in class but they also have to learn to listen and attend

MmeBlueberry · 06/10/2010 18:12

It depends what the talking is!

If the talking is discussing the points of the lesson, then that is a good thing. If it is about nonsense from TV, they should shut up when the teacher tells them.

Nowadays, lessons are expected to be active, where children develop their thinking skills by discussing the work with one another, improve each other's work, etc. It is very rarely the teacher talking and children listening.

There should be ground rules for whole class work, such as only one person talking at a time.

Litchick · 06/10/2010 18:46

Yeeessss...there is a lot of chatter in all private schools.
Tis the pupils discussing their trust funds and what to call their latest polo pony.

pagwatch · 06/10/2010 18:49

They actually are the chattering classes...

pointydog · 06/10/2010 18:55

I don't think any teacher should say shut up.

Original poster
Tabliope · 06/10/2010 19:18

MmeBlueberry, they weren't discussing points of the lesson, it was between themselves when the teacher was talking and not quietly and nothing to do with the lesson. Not every lesson but a few of them today, and they didn't seem to pay any heed to the teacher telling them off.

I just thought with smaller classes there would be less talking as it wouldn't be so easy to hide, but no attempt was made at talking quietly. It didn't seem to matter. Some lessons they were quiet though. My DS said it seemed to be the ones they enjoyed more so they weren't messing around. It just struck my mind that my friend's DD complained about the same when she started at her school (also private) last year but then she is similar to my DS in that they want to listen and learn without the distraction so maybe they are sensitive to it. Both happy to have a joke and a laugh but this seemed more than this. Both also like contributing in class.

I just wondered if it was normal - more of a relaxed atmosphere, fewer kids so the teachers don't need to exert as much control, no apparent sanctions (although I could be wrong, don't know enough yet) for this type of low-level stuff. I just don't know. Just wanted to hear if private schools are more relaxed about this type of stuff and it would be something we need to get used to if he wants to go there (unlikely at this point) or if this is definitely not the norm, in which case we'll be steering clear of it. Maybe they were showing off as someone else new was in the room (my DS).

Anyway, we'll be trying out more to compare. I'm well aware there is good and bad in both state and private. I have no experience of private to base anything on as yet, which is why I posted.

OP posts:
pointydog · 06/10/2010 19:21

Do you think 'active' is a meaningful term in teh context of 'active learning', blue?

Hulababy · 06/10/2010 19:24

No, it is not common in private schools to have a disruptive class that pays no attention to the teacher.

However, in the odd case it may well happen.

Just as it may well happen in state schools.

The issue is not whether the school is private or not, but what the individal school itself is like. You have good and bad in both sectors.

piscesmoon · 06/10/2010 19:30

It is as Ratherbeonthepiste says-there are good and bad in both sectors. Private education doesn't mean good behaviour.
Does the talking bother him? Are they discussing the work or are they distracting.
Haave you had a tour on a normal working day? Why not ask to see a lesson for yourself?

mamatomany · 06/10/2010 19:34

If you have 30 kids in a class you need them to be quiet so they can hear themselves think, if you have 10 then as long as the work gets done it's a lot easier to cope with a bit of fun too, does that help OP ?

ptiger · 06/10/2010 19:35

My son is now in year 10 and it's always been one of his complaints that there are kids who never shut up but the question is, does it prevent the other kids learning. In my son's case the answer is no, that's how you judge, ask questions of the head and if you don't like the answers, don't send him there.

By the way, to all those making comments, we are not all rich, I work two jobs, my son wanted to go and worked hard and managed to get a scholarship that pays a quarter of the fees, and I said if he got it I would find a way to pay the rest and I have.

pagwatch · 06/10/2010 19:44

ptiger

who has been making comments?