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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

I would have expected a bit more common sense from school.

32 replies

IslaValargeone · 13/09/2013 11:57

DD had first Year 7 Science lesson this week at new school (all girls) where they had to weigh each other ffs? Naturally it has prompted various 'OMG' reactions amongst the girls as they compare themselves. I'm really quite pissed off.

OP posts:

jennycoast · 13/09/2013 11:58

and

I would complain.

Original poster

IslaValargeone · 13/09/2013 12:00

I did think about doing that but wondered if I was being a bit a bit precious and unreasonable.

OP posts:

tywysogesgymraeg · 13/09/2013 12:03

Sounds like a good way to get the fat kids to realise how fat they are tbh!!

To be sensible though - I expect the teacher explained to the girls that everyone is different, and that there are reasons why we all weigh differently etc etc.

I wouldn't "complain" as such until you get to hear what really happened in the lead up to the weighing - don't just listen to what your DD says. Phrase your concern more like an enquiry rather than a complaint until you are in full possession of the facts.

jeee · 13/09/2013 12:04

They did this in my daughter's school last year (again, an all-girls class). We wanted to complain but didn't want DD to have 'those' parents when she'd only just started a new school.

I guess the school continues to do it because no one wants to complain to a new school.

afromom · 13/09/2013 12:04

Oh god I can remember doing this in year 9 science-but I went to a mixed school (with boys!). It was horrendous, some girls just refused to do it.

Original poster

IslaValargeone · 13/09/2013 12:07

That's the thing jeee one week in you don't want to be labelled as 'one of those parents' already.

OP posts:

StainlessSteelCat · 13/09/2013 12:09

I used to teach secondary science, and I would not get any age group to weigh each other. I would not expect to disclose my weight tocolleagues, why should I expect pupils to. height can be a sensitive issue aswell. there are other options to introduce a class to using lab equipment, this is not necessary.

gazzalw · 13/09/2013 12:09

Actually I was talking with a friend about a similar issue yesterday. DS (12) is small for his age (although not overly so). At the end of last term in biology they did their weight and height to map onto graphs. DS was fifth smallest and third lightest. He says he hasn't got an issue about being small but had been going on about it ever since. I too commented that it was a grossly insensitive thing to do. It spells out in black and white to them exactly how far ahead/behind the pack they are in terms of adolescence etc....

I think it's even worse for the girls to have this type of information pointed out to them....

MrsPeeWee · 13/09/2013 12:10

What kind of teacher would actually sit down and write that type of lesson out? Definitely complain and urge others to do the same.

mummytime · 13/09/2013 12:11

I have taught a lesson where I needed someone (or a few pupils) weigh themselves. I asked for volunteers only, and if we'd needed a few weights would have put them in groups. I was teaching forces. I was also at a mixed school and on the whole the boys were prepared to be weighed.
It would have been even worse in an all girls school.

In your DDs case I would probably contact the head of year, just to point out the sensitivity of the subject.

friday16 · 13/09/2013 12:36

Sounds like a good way to get the fat kids to realise how fat they are tbh!!

Yeah, because fortunately no girl, especially no teenage girl, ever had an eating disorder triggered by concern (justified or otherwise) about her weight. FFS.

jennycoast · 13/09/2013 12:40

I don't think it precious or unreasonable, because I don't think it's just your own daughter you are concerned about.

LeoandBoosmum · 13/09/2013 12:44

I wouldn't care less about being labelled as 'one of those parents'. Honestly, it is just not a great idea to have young, impressionable kids (especially in a new environment/ situation) get weighed in front of each other! Sounds like a good way to mark kids out for bullying or instigate issues around food. The teacher must be an idiot!

titchy · 13/09/2013 12:52

Entire agree with others - complain in the strongest terms.

You don't have to say your dd was upset about it, but point out that many girls have issues of self esteem about their weight and being compared to their peers could well be a trigger for eating disorders. Do they want that on their conscience?

englishteacher78 · 13/09/2013 18:16

I would complain. I went to an all girls' school myself and this would have been awful. There's plenty of pre-existing data out there I don't see why it was necessary.

AChickenCalledKorma · 13/09/2013 20:21

I was the fat kid. I had no difficulty whatsoever in realising how fat I was thanks very much tywysogesgymraeg This would have been my worst nightmare, particularly at the beginning of a new school year, when I'm trying my best to make friends.

Please complain.

petal2008 · 13/09/2013 20:34

I remember having to do this when I started high school in 1973! I was mortified as I was a bit overweight. I can still remember it now although not what scientific reason we it for.

grumpyskater · 13/09/2013 21:15

Ooh petal! Same, 1973, bar charts, I was 4 and a half stone and 4 and a half feet tall, and at the bottom of both charts.... Sorry, hijack, we ALL got weighed but I don't remember how I felt about it.. Tho the numbers are emblazoned on my mind 40 years later.

I was the runt of the class, yes, lousy thing to do

Shasmii · 13/09/2013 22:34

Ha. Remember being weighed in front of the whole class. Teacher announced that she'd have to take all the weights off because I was so skinny. I was a bolshy kid, so announced that she only had a problem with it because she herself was fat .... and ugly. Had to write an essay about the importance of manners

OnlyOwl · 14/09/2013 18:53

Oh, I feel terrible now! I am a Biology teacher and I would never ask any of the kids to weigh themselves, of course - that's just ridiculous. But I have used height to illustrate continuous variation for Y7 - I get them all to line up in height order, then ask them to decide where "tall" begins.

I then introduce genetic and environmental variation - pick the tallest one and stand them back to back with me. I am usually only a little bit taller so discuss how I could stop them growing taller than me i.e, stop feeding them!

I've done it several times and always had a very good response from the class, with everyone (genuinely) seeming to enjoy it... but now I am worrying that this has caused untold hurt. Do people really think this should be avoided even if done sensitively?

Takver · 14/09/2013 19:47

I think it could be hard for those at extreme ends of the spectrum, OnlyOwl. I can think of a couple of children in particular dd knows (boys who are very, very much shorter than the average) who might find it difficult.

mrspaddy · 14/09/2013 19:51

Could you send a letter but not disclose yourself or via email if you want s response?

I am a teacher and old not agree to this either... Boys or girls for that matter.

Oceansurf · 14/09/2013 19:54

They're still doing that lesson?!

We had that in 1985. I remember feeling huge. Seriously. Best thing. I was 8 stone 4. Same height as I am now. Really wish I was 8 stone 4 now! (just all the other girls were 6 and 7 stone something)

AChickenCalledKorma · 15/09/2013 14:54

OnlyOwl - DD1 is the shortest child in Year 7 and is quite self-conscious about it. She would definitely feel a bit singled out and I don't think you'd necessarily notice, because she's good at playing along and having a laugh at her own expense, even if it's bothering her inside. It's part of her defence mechanism, to deflect the teasing which she endured earlier in primary school.

Their Year 6 teacher did a similar lesson with shoe size and DD1 friend was the only person in the whole year group who was still in child sizes (size 13). He was pretty annoyed as well.

Mind you, neither of the above is as bad as using weight with a bunch of girls. That's just asking for grief.

alpinemeadow · 15/09/2013 15:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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