Wasted school time

Team building and patriotism is important for children to learn and feel part of our national pride.
These children have had months of not feeling part of a team.
Some of these children have had teachers who didn’t want to work from home or do screen work. Some of these children have not been well served by our country - by some precious teachers who don’t want to go the extra mile. Ok some schools and teachers have been wonderful. Some teachers have been awful.
Let the children have fun.

When I was primary school in the 50s we used to have celebrations every year for Trafalgar Day and Commonwealth Day. Lots of singing and dressing up and flag waving. Nothing much to do with our school work but that was why we enjoyed it.

I'd rather have them singing songs about football than being wheeled out for yet another of Boris's photo ops.

It would have been different if they had been singing the Red Flag or some such!

Ssshhhh! That would have been much better for some!

Oh for heavens sake!
Getting a group of children together to sing a song that is connected to football is not indoctrination! It would have been different if they had been singing the Red Flag or some such!
With all the things going on as regards the football, you don't have to be a football fan to become involved !
I would normally rather watch paint dry that watch a football match , but did watch the last 2 England matches - help, I must have been brainwashed!
Did you not have music lessons at primary school where you were taught to sing various songs ? That was very much part of the curriculum- there are many more ways of learning besides sitting at a desk. They may well have been able to learn all about Denmark as well - so that's Geography thrown in for good measure!

Oh dear it was going so well and the misery descended again

Come on then what should they have sung?

Honestly I despair.

Has OP ever returned by the way ?

Grandma70s

I didn’t like it. What if the children don’t support England, or (like me) don’t give a damn either way? I’m all for singing together, but there are better things to sing.

I agree, this was a pointless exercise.

Probably most of the boys in the class are keen on football, but whether they are or not is completely beside the point.

They were clearly enjoying themselves and as a retired teacher I can assure you that children learn better if they are enjoying themselves than if they are bored stiff, or couldn't care less.

I haven't heard the song in question, but if the melody and text are just as banal as that kind of song usually is, it would not take long either to teach or to learn.

So not a lot of time was necessarily spent on it.

Towards the end of term time is usually spent doing something that is good fun and were the educational content may not be over-high, but so what?

Why should this year be different? It has been a bleak year for us all. Please let the last days of term be as normal as possible.

I’m no football fan and nor was my youngest grandson until he realised that the kids he liked most in his class liked to play football at playtime. I have never known him happier than the last few weeks. Every child in the class got ‘ given’ a country and the Somali child who got England is now super excited. My grandson went to school with pockets loaded with red and yellow cards which he produces for any kind of infringement of rules, not just football, much to the amusement of everyone. Children have had such a difficult time and it’s lovely to see them so enthused. There is no hatred of other teams - there are probably at least 9 nationalities in the class and it has been an opportunity for children to appreciate where there classmates’ families originate. There was sympathy for the Danish ‘giants’ this morning and appreciation of how well they played and their trials and tribulations in the contest.

As for the singing, how therapeutic that is. It takes children no time at all to learn a song. Are they supposed to be at their desks ‘catching up’ with maths and the rest every minute of the school day? The competition has taken their minds off the virus which in our area is rampant and the miseries and losses of last year.

Singing is good for you it does all sorts of things. For the kids it focuses them on learning words, listening to music and learning the tune, listening to each other and the music teacher and teaches them to be part of a team and take part. These are all skills they will need later in life, more so than knowing the capital of some far flung obscure country.

I'm not a great football fan nor am I English but loved seeing the kids so animated and obviously enjoying themselves to much. They will remember that day in their school life for the rest of their lives, when maths, English, geography, etc. have long been forgotten! Glad they could have some fun!

Y'know, I always remember learning calculus at school (happily loving it) but never used it once nor do I remember a single bit of it. However, I can still sing most of the songs I learned at school even though I didn't particularly like some of them. 'Come buy my caller herring' springs to mind. Ugh! Learning is an all encompassing thing and fun helps it gel. My Mum used to say we should learn at least one new thing every day. I usually manage that. Current problem is retention! I console myself by the thought that the memory has a finite capacity. Only wish I was in control of what it retained. Not half some rubbish in there........

I loved to sing at school, it made you so happy, better than maths anyday. We all need a bit of joy don't we

I feel sorry that some people feel so bitter about children having fun or about football making people feel elated and proud. It’s been a sad and anxious time for everyone and a little joy, from whatever source, is surely a thing to be welcomed. If some think that they might be bored by others’ enjoyment, then keep them off and do something else. There are plenty of educational sites for core subjects that might be preferable to having fun. Good luck with that AND COME ON ENGLAND !!!

trisher

Yammy you're right it's a quote from Dickens. Unfortunately it seems to be the way that education is currently heading. Forget the arts or fun there's no time for them!

I don't understand the Sweet Caroline sporting connection either but apparently it started in the USA.

I guessed it was from Dickens.I agree with you . When I first taught many years ago the children had 5 P.E lessons a week, Over the years that was cut to three because they were taking too long to get their clothes on and off!
When I left it was 2 lessons a week plus one art and a music session. ' Arts and music had been integral to the Topic themed way we taught. I dread to think what it is now.
People called Caroline must cringe every time they hear it. It seems one of the Rugby league teams sings it as well

geekesse

They learnt words. They learnt a tune. They learnt to all sing the same thing together at the same time. They learnt to follow the teacher conducting. They learnt to stand together in a group and work together as a team to learn and perform the song. Some of them learnt to act enthusiasm for something they don’t much care about (though I think you’ll find there are fewer of those than you think). They learnt about how a TV outside broadcast works, and how to deliver a performance for broadcast. Oh, and they had fun. How is any of that a waste of time?

Very well said geekesse.

This is how schoolchildren should be. Sit up straight! Hands behind your back! No slouching! No talking! That'll learn them.

Perhaps we should ban all group events at school? God forbid the children should actually enjoy themselves Personally l think it was a bit of light relief for them to join together after a stressful time for all

Yammy you're right it's a quote from Dickens. Unfortunately it seems to be the way that education is currently heading. Forget the arts or fun there's no time for them!

I don't understand the Sweet Caroline sporting connection either but apparently it started in the USA.

Kali2

Ellianne

So now all the excitement is over, here's the answer to Kali's question What would be wrong about learning about the other team's country? ie Denmark's.
In Key Stage 2 History this is one of the components: Viking raids and invasion, Danegeld. Plenty of material already here to learn about Denmark in the curriculum.

Oh yes, teach them about the Danes 13C ago- would be fine as long as it links to todays realities in Danemark. The way they respect and fund a great education system for all, with no private schools to cream the top, for instance.

Not strictly true. There are private schools in Denmark.

We call it Denmark. They call it Danemark Chewbacca

Ah thanks 25Avalon I hadn't realised that kali2 was Danish.

Which makes me even more perplexed as to why English children, singing a song at school, should make her so angry. And what is wrong, per se with children being proud of the achievements in a field of sport? Would the same disgust and outrage have been generated from cricket or tennis or is it just football that the OP has a problem with? And would it have been acceptable if the children had been filmed singing a song for a visiting dignatory or member of the royal family? Or maybe children shouldn't be singing at all. I'm interested in knowing where the OPs problem actually lies.

trisher

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 know this quote from somewhere is it"Hard Times" by Dickens? I did it for a level and it was b.....y hard times. Facts Mr Bounderby facts.
The children did seem to be enjoying themselves and I think your quote is tongue in cheek, and if soI agree with you.
As an ex-teacher, no child learned anything if they were unhappy.

Nanof3, you have to ‘go with the flow’ and let children have fun as well as learn. This is once in 4 years - and it made a lot of people, including myself, smile.

How do you know the video was made during school hours? It could of been made after school or at the weekend.

We call it Denmark. They call it Danemark Chewbacca.

As said, not a waste of a day- just depends how it is done. It could be done very well, and be a really useful tool. What I saw on TV on the news, did seem to teach nationalism per se.