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Secondary education

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Original poster

Year 7,8, do they need to use sewing machines?

63 replies

babasheep · 02/08/2014 21:54

Just that really. My dd s going to yr 7 I don't really know what are required and what are handy to have?! Got a 22yr old sewing machine hope it still works and just wonder I should have serviced for dd.

OP posts:
titchy · 02/08/2014 22:28

No! They'll only do sewing at school on their machines.

cece · 02/08/2014 22:30

Only at school. No sewing required at home in Y7 or 8.

noblegiraffe · 02/08/2014 22:38

My secondary school doesn't offer textiles at all.

Original poster
babasheep · 02/08/2014 22:58

No textiles? All the schools we visited have to do some sewing even boys.

OP posts:
BigBoobiedBertha · 02/08/2014 23:00

Yes, everybody does textiles in yrs 7 -9 here but they don't need to sew at home.

The only homework in the last 3 yrs, has been a bit of design work.

ReallyTired · 02/08/2014 23:01

ds had a term of needle work in year 7 as part of DT. He made a cushion and a pillow case. He didn't do any sewing or any other homework at home.

ouryve · 02/08/2014 23:03

No more than they'd need to use a lathe or jigsaw at home when they do woodwork.

Hakluyt · 03/08/2014 08:26

Both of mine have used sewing machines at school, but only done hand finishing off at home.

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 03/08/2014 09:30

No textiles at either one of the secondary schools my kids go/will go to. Thank fuck.

Original poster
babasheep · 03/08/2014 09:58

My dd s going a comp. But I thought even grammars do textile. Don't know fee paying ones. Can't afford them.

OP posts:
Orangeanddemons · 03/08/2014 10:00

Why Thank FucK?

I teach Textiles. Most of the kids love it.....

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 03/08/2014 10:20

Baba - DDs at a grammar. No textiles. DS at a comp - textiles is an option but you can do something else (and he did).

I'm sure there are kids who love it. They won't be dyspraxic kids though, with dyspraxic parents. Sewing is if the devil and there are far better things for kids to be doing in school (eg music, drama, programming, sport).

OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/08/2014 10:23

I'd say textiles is pretty important, it allows kids to discover if they have a flare and an interest for it. We kind of need textiles so we don't have to go around naked.

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 03/08/2014 10:33

Those that fancy doing it should have the chance to do it. Those that don't shouldn't have it forced upon them. It's not education it's vocational/workplace training. It doesn't belong in schools.

Orangeanddemons · 03/08/2014 10:39

Stuff I cover in Textiles:

Smart and electronic textiles, including medical textiles
Environmental issues including pesticides and 3rd world labour
Geo textiles, carbon fibre and Kevlar
Marketing and promotion
Thermoplastic textiles

What a narrow minded view you have Rabbit. textiles is actually a STEM subject. I think my degree was education, it took 3 years, but of course, I may have been mistaken and it was vocational....... But somehow I don't think it was Hmm

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 03/08/2014 10:49

Obviously it was vocational. The fact that you did the degree and now teach the subject is a bit of a give away.

If you believe that education is all about preparing people for identified jobs in the workplace then I expect you will think that textiles is a vital subject to force even the most unsuitable kids to waste time on at school. If you don't, then you won't. I have no problem with textiles being an option for those that like that sort of thing, I have huge problems with regarding it as the educational equivalent of physics, maths, music, history etc.

Ohwhatfuckeryisthis · 03/08/2014 10:58

Why not get it serviced anyway? You never know it might start an interest in textiles.

titchy · 03/08/2014 11:10

Rabbit I think subjects like textiles are vital if you believe secondary schools are NOT there to provide a specific vocational education. Textiles, food tech, resistant materials etc should be taught to all so all kids so they can make informed decisions about gcse choices. Some kids shock horror might actually go on to work in such areas as a result if being introduced to them at school. I don't think two hours a week for half a term is too high a price for a broad education.

You seem to be advocating a narrow prescriptive purely academic education for all!

5madthings · 03/08/2014 11:15

They use sewing machines at my boys school, they don't need access to one at home but we have one at home and it's good they can have s go and use it if they wish, it's something they enjoy and are pleased when they make stuff.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 03/08/2014 11:17

No, they only get paper HW.

However, DD1 says being able to thread a machine is very handy. Her class are a shower, they do not listen.

Consequently, they are forever asking her to thread the machine, and having got fed uo if this, she now inky agrees if they ket her jump the queue and do her bit first Grin

Orangeanddemons · 03/08/2014 11:21

So Rabbitt, creativity isn't important then? Despite the fact that one of the UK's best exports are its creative industries? Despite the fact that the fashion industry is a massive employer?What twaddle you talk.

What about history teachers? Are they doing a vocational thing too? I have students who drop out of my A level course, because they can't cope with the Scientific side of it.

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 03/08/2014 11:39

Titchy - not at all. You will have noticed that I suggested that better use of the time wasted on textiles, for some kids, would be music and drama. Arts ed is criminally neglected in this country. Often in favour of things like textiles which are there purely to channel people into work pathways. It's a narrow minded Gradgrind utilitarian view of education that drives me up the wall. I find it laughable that someone would claim textiles is a creative subject only a few posts after bigging up the STEM (which is often code for 'preparing for jobs') aspect of the actual course.

Orangeanddemons · 03/08/2014 11:55

It is about the synthesis between science and creativity. That is the whole point of it. It is both STEM and creativity combined. Top class education should be holistic. This is a subject where this is embedded into the content.

I think you need to understand what you are actually talking about before you try and dismiss it. You have obviously no clue about it. Is about materials science and creativity, utilising maths to create an outcome. It is nothing about channelling people into vocational pathways. You have no experience of teaching the subject, so are speaking out of your arse basically

titchy · 03/08/2014 12:05

Oh right posh creative subjects then are ok (I actually wholeheartedly agree re music and drama btw) but not 12 hours out of the entire of year 7 and 8 for textiles.

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 03/08/2014 12:14

I'm not speaking out of my arse at all, I just disagree with you. And your assertion that something must be worthwhile because you teach it (which seems to be at the root of your 'argument') is clearly bobbins.

Titchy there is nothing remotely posh about music or drama. Or, there shouldn't be. Of course, current educational policy - prioritising the Gradgrind view that Subjects such as textiles are a higher priority than music and drama for state school kids - is changing that. In the future the arts may well be the preserve of the monied. But they don't need to be and they shouldn't be and one useful step to reversing that trend would be to recognise that subjects like textiles have no place in the core curriculum while music and drama do. If people want to study textiles (so that they can then teach textiles or go into industry) then fine, it should be there as an option. But not as a core subject.