Low attendance at secondary school

[Marylou]

I agree Mary Lou - Art GCSE involves a huge amount of time and skill too! So much for thinking it would take the pressure off! But the big plus seems to be that it is using a different sort of concentration and part of the brain.

Our DD is doing Art as well! What a combination - coursework heaven...not! At least the bulk of the art coursework and exam preparation is now out of the way, along with the textiles practical work (boy did we have a stressful couple of weeks with lots of late nights last month!) and she just has two days of exams in art next week and the theory paper in textiles to look forward to.

Almost makes science and maths look like a picnic. But as you point out, perhaps a change is as good as a rest.

[Rob Clark]

Regardless of our personal feelings about the relevance/importance etc of the ‘softer’ subjects, I’m frankly flabbergasted that anyone can suggest children should only ever do things that they like or enjoy.

Gosh, no wonder we’ve become such a selfish, self-indulgent society.

[hermanmunster]

Regardless of our personal feelings about the relevance/importance etc of the ‘softer’ subjects, I’m frankly flabbergasted that anyone can suggest children should only ever do things that they like or enjoy.

Gosh, no wonder we’ve become such a selfish, self-indulgent society.

agreed!!! If I had to sit through Latin and Music lessons, then ..........

[magwich2]

I suppose it depends where you draw the line. It seems to be entirely acceptable to say that 11 year olds should be made to do all sorts of things they detest or which bore them with a distinctly puritan idea that this is somehow good for themI did not, however, have my children in order to enjoy making their life a misery! Imagine the scenario when the Health Visitor arrives looking for trouble and new children to take into care and sees your toddler or baby with no toys or very boring toys, slightly chilly and facing the wall for minimum stimulation. It won't do you any good explaining that the rest of their life will be equally boring and they'd better get used to it !!!
By the time you explain that no child can spend all day doing what it enjoys and it simply must spend at least 25% of its time doing things it hates and finds boring or will never be able to do properly the Social Worker will already have settled your kid in with its new foster- mummy!!!

[mike1880]

Well it isn't doing ours any harm.

Mike

[T.i.p.s.y]

We didn't bring our children into the world to make them miserable but we did bring them into the world to nurture them to become well-rounded responsible adults and not spoilt brats who can throw a fit if they don't like something. I do not know one profession where there are not moments of boredom or unenjoyment. The skills children learn in music, art or drama may eventually become useful to them when they have a children. It would be wrong to not introduce these subjects to children because until they have experienced them they will never know if they enjoy it and one day that experience may prove useful, even if boredom has developed the patience needed to grit your teeth and get on with something.

[hermanmunster]

agreed - was reading about captives of the Tuopomaros in the 1970's - they were held for months and kept themselves going by reciting poetry to themselves and one wrote a critique of the new testament. Occupying yourself constructively when bored is a great skill.
OK so I did once knit a sleeve in a pathology lecture but then I can multi task +++++

[moved]

I have had many moments when I have wondered about the value of school. Although I believe quite passionately in education, I am not keen on training, unless required. For the very able the school system can be painfully slow and it can also be difficult socially when you are very different from the norm. Rather than opting out I took ours to France for two years, much more challenge when everything is in a foreign language!

I felt it was important that they learn how to get along with other children as our ability to mix is one of the most important in life. I'm not sure that primary school benefited my son, looking back he was often unhappy and loathed the last three years.

I also think it is a little sad that children have to wait until yr 11 to take a very easy maths GCSE when they could be enjoying the challenges of AS and A2.

[Loopyloulou]

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[zee]

I certainly do not want my child being taught at school about horrible things like Drugs/Smoking/Bullying/"Life Changes"/Crime/Danger/Stress/Racism .

Life has quite enough of such nastinesses without time having to be devoted to them at school!

So are you saying you'd rather decide what/when/if to tell your children on such matters, or that you don't want them to be informed at all?

Although some PSHE is waffle, most of what's done at my children's school is excellent: informative (more than I could be), preventative (I hope!) and engaging for the children, with lots of discussion between them, and using external people when relevant. There are also sessions each year where parents are given information on the same themes.