PSHE - is this normal?

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DD1 has just told me (and DD2 - year 8 - is really upset she's told me cos she doesn't want me to complain) that DD2 had a lesson at school the other day where each child was asked to write down two words they find really offensive (DD2's were harlot and Paki). They were then made to read them out, so she spent a very embarrassed lesson listening to kids say f and c.

I appreciate the intention was to make kids think about the effect words have on people, but surely this just means that the more sensitive ones get upset and the ones that use language like that get a laugh at their expense. What do you think?

Ooh now personally i wouldn't do that in a year 8 class for the reason of the more sensitive kiddies (perhaps a year 10/11 - but then i teach in a nice selective school)...with full explanations and reasoning as to what is about to be discussed prior to lesson.

Not sure of the context of this lesson for your daughter -all this may have been explained to her prior to the exercise

I personally would not feel comfortable being asked to deliver a PSHE lesson like this though.

Maybe they were looking at bullying and the power of words. I'd ask before complaining.

I can't belive a year 8 kid has not heard all those words before though tbh.

She has heard them, but we've always had a zero tolerance approach to swearing/offensive language. We live in a village where you tend to know most people and would sort out kids if you didn't like their behaviour or language.

I know the real world isn't like that (and TV certainly isn't) but she's come from an extremely sheltered school where it just didn't happen and is still pretty shocked by how much it goes on at her very large comp, even during lessons.

She said her teacher seemed very uncomfortable with the whole thing particularly as they boys thought it was a great laugh. Seeing her for ARD soon so will bring it up. Fantastic teacher generally and she has a great relationship with DD2, but it did seem like a sledgehammer to crack a nut. She's been asking DD1 to explain a lot of the words .

Teachers must really feel they're having to do the parent's job for them with things like this.

yup - for a large part of the time

Last week - counselling a sixth former who has depression, coming to aid of girl in year 8 who has winded herself - helping her to stop hyperventilating, helping her to stand, have also had chats with kiddies about inappropriate parental relationships (mums going off with paternal grandfathers) in my time and much more besides...oh the joys

I just wanna teach my subject!

And I want you to teach it to my kids!!! It's great that children feel they can talk to you but my dd sometimes sounds like she's trying to
have lessons with the plot of Eastenders happening around her!

Asd - just reread your first post, dd1 is at a nice, selective school and says that if she'd ever been asked to do this she would have refused because it's inappropriate! Shame dd2 couldn't go there too.

I am sorry but this "nice selective thing" is getting RIGHT up my inclusive nose.

lol Coagulate. agree

phse - what a crock of shit waste of time, effor t and money - but especially TIME.

i really have no words ...well i do but they were on that list.

what is a nice selective school?

well one would assume its 'selective' and doesn't let all roughians in to wanky classes such as this.

when i say nice and selective i mean it in a bit of a tongue in cheek way (ie now come on gels - girls- lets all be nice to each other!headmisstressy voice)

It is purely a selective school and tbh some of the kiddies in it struggling to cope with the demands of 15 GCSE's or whatever they do aren't finding it particularly nice

Kiddies?

students, pupils, children whaddya want?

Whoops, assume asdmum was saying it tongue in cheek as she has since confirmed. Would be equally annoyed whatever the school was and was looking for constructive advice - obviously in the wrong place