Sharing/conflict resolution at nursery school?

peachyprice

balletshoes wrote: »

i do agree with the bit in bold - i remember my DD taking part in the nativity in reception year (so she would have been 4) and learning the words to "away in a manger" which she sang (with all the other kids, even the ones who came from practising religious families of non-Christian beliefs). It was just another song to them, no more important in their lives than singing "rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" was.

The nicest nativities we went to were at DD's junior school, every child was part of it whether they were christian, muslim, sikh, jewish. All the families came and it was so nice to see all those different faiths just enjoying the service for what it was.

balletshoes

notanewuser wrote: »

So I ask again, what's the point?

I think in your particular case, from what you've said, the point is the school you want to send your daughter to has these prayer times in place, its part of their school day, and it doesn't sound like they are likely to change that. So with that being said, you need to decide how involved your child will be in her class, working alongside the school's policy.

You'll probably find, as you go along, that school is like real life - loads of rules, regulations and guidelines in place from establishment to establishment, many of which you might question "whats the point" but you still have to work with them.

saidan

NANU- i too live in south wales....

one of my children attends a CIW school and says morning prayer, lunchtime grace, and a going home blessing.

the other attends an english language state school and has no religious input at all......

so it does depend on the school. There will be other schools near you which practises less 'daily worship' - but usually assembly with prayers most days seems to be the average. If you are in the Valleys it will be more given the religious history of the area. Have you looked at other schools and found out how much they practise?

In my experience it is highly unusual for a non-religious child to become Christian simply from their exposure at school - in fact I don't know of one Christian who would say prayers in primary school affected their decision to become a Christian. Most people would say parents took me to church and my faith grew over many years - or they have a more dramatic conversion story as an older teen/adult.

I do understand that you don't want your non-christian child to be worshipping God, praising Jesus etc - but why is saying thank you to God for food a problem? or please bless my friends and keep us safe as we go home for the day? i'm not judging i'm just curious as i cannot see the harm....

Incidentally I am a fundamental Christian and so will be withdrawing my son from all Sex ed lessons (starting in year 3). We will not however be asking the school to change the content to accomodate us - we accept they teach what they have to by law, we do not agree with much of that teaching and so will withdraw our child with as little fuss as possible. My expectation is that he will join another class during this session - usually the year below and be given some responsibility so it is not seen as missing out, or a punishment etc.

mountainofdebt

notanewuser wrote: »

I have absolutely no problem with whatever you want to observe on your own home, whether I understand it or not.

My issue is when someone else's views are used to influence children!

But my whole point is that I was brought up in an environment, probably more so, to what your daughter is - assembles in the morning etc (not to mention if I stayed with my nan I went to church)- and it hasn't made me a Christian Zealot

Nor has it made me a Jewish fanatic or a Muslim fundamentalist either.

Just because you are exposed to it doesn't mean that you're indoctinated into a particular religion

peachyprice

notanewuser wrote: »

So I ask again, what's the point?

The point is, whether you like it or not, Britian is still a christian society and schools are still obliged to uphold our culture.

Janepig

thorsoak wrote: »

From your posts it would appear that because you wish DD not to be taught prayers and religious songs that no other child should be taught them in schools. You do have a choice: you withdraw her from all such religious contacts that might "contaminate" her.

As much as I have "turned a blind eye" to the religious practises DD/DS's school carry on, I have to say I agree with NANU in that why should the above be the case? We've pretty much come to the conclusion that it hardly indoctrinates children, they could be reciting or singing anything. Why does it have to be religious? If you want your children to appreciate Christianity, Islam, etc.... do it at home, not in school.

Having said that, I'm clearly not moved enough to do something about it, tempered with the over-riding desire for my two to fit in (if they wish, they might not want to!) and not wishing to get into a debate with the headteacher about it.

Do you speak Welsh yourself NANU? That may be why alot of it has washed over me - I go to school concerts,etc, and can only just about retain a little bit of an understanding of what they're singing about (I have some grasp of the language - I get by). I'm sure if they were singing it in English I'd be doing my nut!

When DS was in nursery at the school they filmed the children throughout the year in the different activities they did and then sold the DVD for a couple of quid at the end of the year. There was one part when they were in the hall with DS's teacher (bear in mind there were about 67 kids in total) and I couldn't work out for the life of me what they were doing. She was telling some sort of story and the children were acting out different parts. Anyway, it was only after I'd watched it about three or four times I realised it was the story of Moses crossing the Red Sea (?), one child (DS's best friend) was Moses, another gang were Israelites, another group (including DS!!) were the soldiers chasing Moses, the bulk of the kids were the sea, parting to let Moses and the Israelites through, then moving back to trap the soldiers. My tourettes went into overdrive when it dawned on me what they were doing! But of course, not enough for me to go and make a fuss. I'm sure if you asked DS now he wouldn't be able to recount the story, it was probably fun for him to pretend to be a soldier.

Jx

Janepig

balletshoes wrote: »

You'll probably find, as you go along, that school is like real life - loads of rules, regulations and guidelines in place from establishment to establishment, many of which you might question "whats the point" but you still have to work with them.

That's a good point and probably another reason why I just go along with it!!

Jx

notanewuser

saidan wrote: »

so it does depend on the school. There will be other schools near you which practises less 'daily worship' - but usually assembly with prayers most days seems to be the average. If you are in the Valleys it will be more given the religious history of the area. Have you looked at other schools and found out how much they practise?

We're in the Valleys. All of the welsh schools within a 5 mile radius are over subscribed, so I've no hope of getting her into any of those. The only other one, which does have spaces, is 6 miles away, and I really want her to have local friends. Not to mention that the 24 miles a day getting her to and from school compared with a school 1.25 miles away (i.e. walkable) isn't tempting.

saidan wrote: »

I do understand that you don't want your non-christian child to be worshipping God, praising Jesus etc - but why is saying thank you to God for food a problem? or please bless my friends and keep us safe as we go home for the day? i'm not judging i'm just curious as i cannot see the harm....

I'm all for being grateful for the food, just at a God we don't believe in being given credit! If your child was asked to thank Allah for his lunch and ask Satan to protect his friends I suspect you'd have a bit of an issue........

notanewuser

peachyprice wrote: »

The point is, whether you like it or not, Britian is still a christian society and schools are still obliged to uphold our culture.

How though?

Apart from restricted shopping hours on Sundays and the timing of bank holidays, the Christian hangover has no impact on my life.

Nicki

I'm bemused Janepig as to why the fact your son was taught the story of the parting of the Red Sea would have you developing Tourette's. Isn't this the kind of general knowledge we send children to school to acquire. He'd look a bit daft (and uneducated) if someone referred to the parting of the Red Sea in his adult life and he'd never heard of it and asked what the expression meant.

I genuinely don't get why knowing the origin of say "crossing the rubicon" and acting that out, complete with roman soldiers would be ok but not "parting the Red Sea". I just find it a massive overreaction. Not least because the story is as important in Judaism as in Christianity so hardly indoctrinating into one faith anyway!