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Education

Wasted school time

(162 Posts)
Nanof3 Wed 07-Jul-21 09:12:16

This morning the BBC showed a large number of school children aged about 11 singing a song they had learnt to show their support for the football.
So many of these children will have lost months of schooling and have a lot of catching up to do before they break up for the summer holidays.
It smacks of indoctrination to me that nothing is regarded as more important than football. Not all children are sport fans including one of my grandsons who would have been bored and resentful if he was forced to take part in such a waste of time and effort.

Chardy Wed 07-Jul-21 16:37:26

Learning to sing a song is good for their reading (they're learning about rhyming), it's good for their maths (counting the beats and sequencing) and for many, this is the precursor to learning about musical notation etc which is also linked to maths.

Luckygirl Wed 07-Jul-21 16:38:12

geekesse - you have listed some of the benefits of school singing. In the course of a school year pupils will sing songs that interest them and some that don't - but singing together is very much a good thing.

theworriedwell Wed 07-Jul-21 16:43:57

trisher

Why not make everything "optional" some children hate doing maths????

Big dilemma there, do children need to do maths or support football. It's a tough one.

Chardy Wed 07-Jul-21 16:46:47

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000xpkm/breakfast-07072021
8.45am

Nanof3 Wed 07-Jul-21 16:50:43

Sorry, I am not able to post the link.

MerylStreep Wed 07-Jul-21 17:02:42

Jeeez. Some people can just suck the joy out of everything ?

theworriedwell Wed 07-Jul-21 17:14:07

Some of us don't see any joy in football. I suppose I wasn't bothered until I worked in police admin and saw the people and property that got damaged by the people who felt the joy.

I hate it when I hear that "everyone" "the whole country" etc are interested/thrilled/longing for a win or whatever as I couldn't care less and I actually exist and have my own feelings. It wouldn't be an issue if they said some people/football fans or something similar.

I didn't see the clip, I've stopped watching morning TV as it was all about football and particularly on BBC I think the presenters were being childish about it.

sodapop Wed 07-Jul-21 17:23:46

There were some children on Breakfast TV singing the Danish National Anthem this morning, I think their head teacher was Danish.
So many benefits for children learning to sing together.

Lucca Wed 07-Jul-21 18:22:40

MerylStreep

Jeeez. Some people can just suck the joy out of everything ?

Agree! Imagine moaning about some kids singing after the year we’ve had.

MerylStreep Wed 07-Jul-21 18:34:26

Lucca
Another fun sponge
Has anyone asked Alexa is football coming home?

Toadinthehole Wed 07-Jul-21 18:35:56

I would imagine it’s more about the camaraderie than the football itself. There’s nothing to like about football in my opinion, but the togetherness you see around these big fixtures is compelling.
It’s just a shame we can’t get it with everything?

trisher Wed 07-Jul-21 18:44:54

Just scrolled through the Breakfast TV link and only found one group of children singing the Danish song and one group singing "Sweet Caroline" which may have become a football song but certainly didn't start as one. None of the children looked as if they had been "forced" to sing. Indeed most seemed to be dressed in football appropriate gear and there because they wanted to be. It wasn't exactly the organised singing I imagined the OP was referring to.

NotSpaghetti Wed 07-Jul-21 18:46:23

I scrolled through it too and couldn't find it. ?‍♀️

Lucca Wed 07-Jul-21 18:50:20

It certainly seems to be a football song ! Good fun too

Grandma70s Wed 07-Jul-21 18:59:24

sodapop

There were some children on Breakfast TV singing the Danish National Anthem this morning, I think their head teacher was Danish.
So many benefits for children learning to sing together.

It was a Danish school in London.

Kali2 Wed 07-Jul-21 20:23:33

It could have been a fabulous opportunity to teach a bit about Danemark, and to teach the children that in sport it should be 'may the best team win'. It is great to support your home team, yes, but when it come to sheer nationalism, bordering on 'hating the opposition' - then no, it is NOT the school's role at all.

Callistemon Wed 07-Jul-21 20:38:43

MerylStreep

Jeeez. Some people can just suck the joy out of everything ?

And say there is hatred where I see none in children learning and singing a song.

Heaven forbid that children should have any fun, singing and football should be banned.
Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the mind of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. -Mr Gradgrind.

I agree, trisher

Callistemon Wed 07-Jul-21 20:40:39

Grandma70s

sodapop

There were some children on Breakfast TV singing the Danish National Anthem this morning, I think their head teacher was Danish.
So many benefits for children learning to sing together.

It was a Danish school in London.

Lovely!

I'd give my Danish friend a hug but it's not allowed.

Kali2 Wed 07-Jul-21 20:42:22

well 'hatred' perhaps not the best word- but certainly see the others as the enemy.

They could have sung both songs, or at least a bit of it ... much better fun and to teach that in sport, the other side is NOT the enemy- and may the best side win. What would be wrong about learning about the other team's country?

Callistemon Wed 07-Jul-21 20:42:34

DH just pointed out the two flags which are the converse of each other, which reminded me that I used to have some Danish poppies in the front garden many years ago.

Callistemon Wed 07-Jul-21 20:43:32

well 'hatred' perhaps not the best word- but certainly see the others as the enemy.

They're not the enemy - they're the opposing team.

Only in your mind, methinks

Ellianne Wed 07-Jul-21 20:52:09

teach the children that in sport it should be may the best team win
That is already achieved very effectively with the "house" system in most British schools. The four teams (houses) compete in more than just sporting events, and the children accept that the team with the most house points wins. The other houses aren't seen as enemies.

Kali2 Wed 07-Jul-21 20:56:30

Are you sure about that?!?

It worries me too that so many children will almst feel like the world round them will disintegrate if England does not win...
it is not healthy.

MerylStreep Wed 07-Jul-21 20:58:03

Kali2

It could have been a fabulous opportunity to teach a bit about Danemark, and to teach the children that in sport it should be 'may the best team win'. It is great to support your home team, yes, but when it come to sheer nationalism, bordering on 'hating the opposition' - then no, it is NOT the school's role at all.

Were you there in the classroom, No!!!
So your just assuming that the children weren’t told anything about Denmark.
And it’s not bloody nationalism. It’s love of your countries football team and wanting them to win.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 07-Jul-21 20:58:41

We have a Danish DiL and GC, no hatred in this family just banter from AC and all GC