I've been following this thread with interest, and it's plain to see that some people have completely missed the point. That children are no longer allowed to remain innocent.
Teaching homosexuality to 5 or 6 year olds is just plain wrong. I didn't know what sex was until about 9 - and that was through an older girl friend. My parents/school didn't touch on this until early teens.
(Drugs were never discussed/used/seen, and I only found out about these once I had left school altogether)
Why should we teach little ones who are barely past toddler stage that some men sleep together, and some women get married.... why???
Surely they can find this out for themselves once they discover about sex in general? Formulate opinions then, once their brains have developed more? I would be furious if my child were taught this stuff in school and would be sorely tempted to teach them at home. At least then my child would remain a child until it was ready to know about adult stuff. It has enough years in which to be an adult. How can a child form an opinion about this kind of thing when he doesn't even know what his own willy is for? (At least, he shouldn't, until he needs to start using it).
Never did me any harm. The kids whose 'home lives may be reflected in those relationships' will learn about it anyway - at home.
Maybe it's a generation thing. Maybe the world just decided to abolish childhood while I wasn't looking.
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Teachers - what should they be doing?
Just dipping my toe in - what to address first?!
Teachers have about 5 contact hours with pupils per day - the other 19 hours a day are for you - us - parents and carers, to do our best to educate our children in the fullest and broadest sense - (the definition is simply 'bringing out') - eg giving them love and security, a clear sense of right and wrong, boundaries the crossing of which has consequences, broad experiences, manners, and transmitting by example and discussion whatever set of values you live by - if that includes respect for your all fellow human beings, so much the better.
Primary teachers may agree with me that you can tell a great deal about how a pupil's been brought up on the first day you see them coming into reception; much of the character forming is done before the child ever gets into school.
I wish every parent would send their child to school fit to be taught!
5 hours per day is barely enough time to teach even the brightest pupils what they need to get through the standard 9 GCSEs, and why I've lost most of my Easter holiday to revision courses for Y11s who have suddenly decided they wish they'd come to lessons.
It's extremely ill-informed to suppose that most teachers have no real-world experience by the way. Even those who come straight from University deal with the most diverse group of children, parents and colleagues imaginable, and juggle enormous stresses on time and resources. Those who did not come straight from University, like me, do it with passion for the potential we see in all our children, wanting the best for them, sometimes with great love of subject that can inspire pupils, and sometimes a big drop in salary!
As for teaching younger children about homosexuality - isn't the existence of homosexual relationships just part of every day life? My daughter knew about it from age three because a lovely lesbian couple live across the road and a couple of dear and gay family friends have been together for 30 years - it was as natural as the seasons.
So! Where's my invitation to that hot tub?
Teachers have about 5 contact hours with pupils per day - the other 19 hours a day are for you - us - parents and carers, to do our best to educate our children in the fullest and broadest sense - (the definition is simply 'bringing out') - eg giving them love and security, a clear sense of right and wrong, boundaries the crossing of which has consequences, broad experiences, manners, and transmitting by example and discussion whatever set of values you live by - if that includes respect for your all fellow human beings, so much the better.
Primary teachers may agree with me that you can tell a great deal about how a pupil's been brought up on the first day you see them coming into reception; much of the character forming is done before the child ever gets into school.
I wish every parent would send their child to school fit to be taught!
5 hours per day is barely enough time to teach even the brightest pupils what they need to get through the standard 9 GCSEs, and why I've lost most of my Easter holiday to revision courses for Y11s who have suddenly decided they wish they'd come to lessons.
It's extremely ill-informed to suppose that most teachers have no real-world experience by the way. Even those who come straight from University deal with the most diverse group of children, parents and colleagues imaginable, and juggle enormous stresses on time and resources. Those who did not come straight from University, like me, do it with passion for the potential we see in all our children, wanting the best for them, sometimes with great love of subject that can inspire pupils, and sometimes a big drop in salary!
As for teaching younger children about homosexuality - isn't the existence of homosexual relationships just part of every day life? My daughter knew about it from age three because a lovely lesbian couple live across the road and a couple of dear and gay family friends have been together for 30 years - it was as natural as the seasons.
So! Where's my invitation to that hot tub?
Quote by BerryBelinda
I've been following this thread with interest, and it's plain to see that some people have completely missed the point. That children are no longer allowed to remain innocent.
Teaching homosexuality to 5 or 6 year olds is just plain wrong. I didn't know what sex was until about 9 - and that was through an older girl friend. My parents/school didn't touch on this until early teens.
(Drugs were never discussed/used/seen, and I only found out about these once I had left school altogether)
Why should we teach little ones who are barely past toddler stage that some men sleep together, and some women get married.... why???
Surely they can find this out for themselves once they discover about sex in general? Formulate opinions then, once their brains have developed more? I would be furious if my child were taught this stuff in school and would be sorely tempted to teach them at home. At least then my child would remain a child until it was ready to know about adult stuff. It has enough years in which to be an adult. How can a child form an opinion about this kind of thing when he doesn't even know what his own willy is for? (At least, he shouldn't, until he needs to start using it).
Never did me any harm. The kids whose 'home lives may be reflected in those relationships' will learn about it anyway - at home.
Maybe it's a generation thing. Maybe the world just decided to abolish childhood while I wasn't looking.
That seems to be about the strength of it. But some things just dont suprise me at all anymore. Whatever happened to hop scotch?
:lol: Quote by TheLovelyOne
My daughter knew about it from age three because a lovely lesbian couple live across the road and a couple of dear and gay family friends have been together for 30 years - it was as natural as the seasons.
I think young children learning about homosexuality in its natural setting - like in this case - is fine. Obviously many kids are going to see this happening - above all those whose parents are in a same-sex relationship. I just have a problem with it being taught in primary school. Let the parents who wish their children to know be the ones to teach them.
Quote by kentswingers777
Whatever happened to hop scotch?
I think that was phased out when calculators and computers were allowed in....
Quote by BerryBelinda
My daughter knew about it from age three because a lovely lesbian couple live across the road and a couple of dear and gay family friends have been together for 30 years - it was as natural as the seasons.
I think young children learning about homosexuality in its natural setting - like in this case - is fine. Obviously many kids are going to see this happening - above all those whose parents are in a same-sex relationship. I just have a problem with it being taught in primary school. Let the parents who wish their children to know be the ones to teach them.
Quote by kentswingers777
Whatever happened to hop scotch?
I think that was phased out when calculators and computers were allowed in....
Such an innocent past time as well was hop scotch. I was more into conkers meself but you cant even play that now without goggles! :shock: :shock: :lol:
Quote by BerryBelinda
I think young children learning about homosexuality in its natural setting - like in this case - is fine. Obviously many kids are going to see this happening - above all those whose parents are in a same-sex relationship. I just have a problem with it being taught in primary school. Let the parents who wish their children to know be the ones to teach them.
So would you prefer young children to learn about it from other children, or television, or some other source where it is likely to be biased, incorrect or only about the sexual aspect of a same sex relationship? Parents who are in a position to be sure that their children only learn what they want them to know are very few and far between, and whether that is a good or bad thing is an entirely different discussion. The vast majority of parents have little or no control over what information their children gather.
Given that the information given to children is factual, complete, unbiased and balanced,I would much prefer that it was taught at whatever age the child is likely to find out about it from other sources, but that is only my opinion. Ideally parents will do this themselves but that would not necessarily be factual, complete, unbiased and balanced either, unfortunately.
Sex God
Of course, the ideal scenario would be like this, wouldn't it:
Six-year old boy in school (child 1), to another child (child 2); 'your brother plays with boys' willies, doesn't he?' Child 2 cries, or even argues/hits the child asking the question. Child 1 goes home, tells parent, who says 'don't worry son, I'll come in and give the teacher a piece of my mind - f*cking poofs causing trouble'. Teacher then has to deal with this parent (most likely in front of other parents, because this type of parent is NEVER subtle) and rest of class begin to wonder what's happened and ask/chat about it in the playground.
Or even:
Dinnerlady comes into year six classroom and announces to a whole class of year six that she's just been on a 'lezzy weekend to Skeggy with all the other dinnerladies and they're all bi'. Of course, this is far too good an opportunity for the kids to pass up and pandemonium ensues.
What should the teacher do in either situation?
Oh, and they are real situations.
Six-year old boy in school (child 1), to another child (child 2); 'your brother plays with boys' willies, doesn't he?' Child 2 cries, or even argues/hits the child asking the question. Child 1 goes home, tells parent, who says 'don't worry son, I'll come in and give the teacher a piece of my mind - f*cking poofs causing trouble'. Teacher then has to deal with this parent (most likely in front of other parents, because this type of parent is NEVER subtle) and rest of class begin to wonder what's happened and ask/chat about it in the playground.
Or even:
Dinnerlady comes into year six classroom and announces to a whole class of year six that she's just been on a 'lezzy weekend to Skeggy with all the other dinnerladies and they're all bi'. Of course, this is far too good an opportunity for the kids to pass up and pandemonium ensues.
What should the teacher do in either situation?
Oh, and they are real situations.
Quote by Freckledbird
Dinnerlady comes into year six classroom and announces to a whole class of year six that she's just been on a 'lezzy weekend to Skeggy with all the other dinnerladies and they're all bi'. Of course, this is far too good an opportunity for the kids to pass up and pandemonium ensues.
Was she suspended? I dread the 'I'm not sitting next to him, Miss, he's gay' - do I do my famous right-on lefty lecture about the many levels on which this comment is unhelpful, doesn't work for our school or the wider community, tolerance, etc or do I finish the syllabus before they become grandparents?!
Sex God
Quote by TheLovelyOne
Dinnerlady comes into year six classroom and announces to a whole class of year six that she's just been on a 'lezzy weekend to Skeggy with all the other dinnerladies and they're all bi'. Of course, this is far too good an opportunity for the kids to pass up and pandemonium ensues.
Was she suspended? I dread the 'I'm not sitting next to him, Miss, he's gay' - do I do my famous right-on lefty lecture about the many levels on which this comment is unhelpful, doesn't work for our school or the wider community, tolerance, etc or do I finish the syllabus before they become grandparents?!
Shockingly, no - she was reprimanded :shock:
We've had the 'not sitting next to him/her, his/her brother/sister/mum/dad is a poof/lezzer'. When that's happened to me, I've sat by the side of the child.
Quote by kentswingers777
I was NEVER comparing anyones sexuality with anything.
You said;
Quote by kentswingers777and
Because they are still kids. :shock: Where does one draw the line on what to teach a child so young? Do you start to teach them about cocaine or heroin? Or sexualy transmitted diseases?
Quote by kentswingers777
Yes of course it is a fact of life, the same way that death is or drug taking is but, a parent still has the right to stop its child from hearing this in school.
Your first comment more than suggests that you see same sex relationships in the same way, and on a par, with the way that you see drug use and STIs. Your second does the same except for substituting death for STIs.
While I'm happy to accept that those are not your views if you say they aren't, it wasn't Splendid or Cherrytree 'misunderstanding', it was your thoughtless and and ill-considered post that caused understandable offense. Perhaps a less grudging apology is called for, but that may only be my opinion.
Quote by Unc
I was NEVER comparing anyones sexuality with anything.
You said;
Quote by kentswingers777and
Because they are still kids. :shock: Where does one draw the line on what to teach a child so young? Do you start to teach them about cocaine or heroin? Or sexualy transmitted diseases?
Quote by kentswingers777
Yes of course it is a fact of life, the same way that death is or drug taking is but, a parent still has the right to stop its child from hearing this in school.
Your first comment more than suggests that you see same sex relationships in the same way, and on a par, with the way that you see drug use and STIs. Your second does the same except for substituting death for STIs.
While I'm happy to accept that those are not your views if you say they aren't, it wasn't Splendid or Cherrytree 'misunderstanding', it was your thoughtless and and ill-considered post that caused understandable offense. Perhaps a less grudging apology is called for, but that may only be my opinion.quote]
Which you are entitled to have, the same as I do. I am not going to go through what I said again it is there for all to see. I do not have to justify myself to anyone as I dont expect others to justify themselves to me. I have nothing to appologise for. If that is your opinion, then you are entitled to that.
I am very happy with the way my three children were taught and would like to say thank you to all those out there who, along with myself and my husband, helped my children blossom.
I was always one of those parents who 'helped out' at school and then, when my children were older, became a Parent/Governer. If you are not happy then get involved and help make changes to things you are unhappy about constructively.
I was always one of those parents who 'helped out' at school and then, when my children were older, became a Parent/Governer. If you are not happy then get involved and help make changes to things you are unhappy about constructively.
