Sharing/conflict resolution at nursery school?

Nicki

Person_one wrote: »

If sex education had a practical aspect that the children were expected to take part in at school then it might be an accurate comparison!

Hmmm. I would say that children singing a hymn in an assembly are learning about religion as much as participating in it though. I would also say that being present when a prayer is said is also learning rather than participating as is hearing the vicar preach the resurrection and the rabbi explain Passover.

If the children were being made to lead prayers or pray independently then I would say they were participating.

notanewuser

Nicki wrote: »

No because no school demands that children participate. All schools by law, even the one you are considering, allow parents to withdraw their children from the participatory element. You don't want to do that however because you don't want your child to feel excluded. Instead you want to forbid all children to participate.

Do you really not see this?

Not forbid. I want parents to be TOLD and to have a SAY in it.

We were only told because we asked. The prospectus for nursery starters is silent on it, except the following:

"Joint Worship
Every day begins with a period of worship, as either a class, department or whole school. This period of joint worship is in addition to the requirements of the National Curriculum.

Parents have the right to withdraw their child from these assemblies."

No mention of prayers through the day, or the reasons why they deem it necessary to go above and beyond the statutory requirements.

We would have had no idea until DD came home spouting something about it!

lostinrates

*max* wrote: »

Any subject that teaches a belief system as fact.

.

True. Including how science is taught. A science graduate its annoying to me when people are confused when science is overturned or cast doubt on by new research. I often even grit my teeth with my doctors' presentation of stuff. And history, where new clues result in new conclusions.

I still say boadicea though, it just pops out instead of Boudicca. And dinosaur names are all different now.

Nicki

*max* wrote: »

Any subject that teaches a belief system as fact.

School can and should teach about all religions - their philosophies, their history. The study of religions plays an important part in understanding human history, philosophy, politics and even psychology.

That is completely different to teaching about the beliefs of a single religion as if they were facts. It's the difference between teaching children WHY some people pray and teaching them that they SHOULD pray, for example.

Funnily enough my husband is a scientist and has a higher degree in science. He tells me that almost all the science taught at school is made up. At each stage of his scientific education ie GCE to A level, A level to degree, degree to Masters he has been told to forget everything he has been taught before as it is a simplified fairy story to make concepts easy for children to understand but fundamentally incorrect.

I only did science to GCE so obviously I only know the made up stuff but using your guidelines max we shouldn't teach any science in school either!

notanewuser

Nicki wrote: »

Hmmm. I would say that children singing a hymn in an assembly are learning about religion as much as participating in it though. I would also say that being present when a prayer is said is also learning rather than participating as is hearing the vicar preach the resurrection and the rabbi explain Passover.

If the children were being made to lead prayers or pray independently then I would say they were participating.

So learning and reciting the lord's prayer is.............?

Learning and reciting grace is............?

Hymns aren't discerning. "He's got the whole world in his hands"? "All things bright and beautiful, the lord god made them all?"

Nicki

Ha ha. Cross posted LIR!

Person_one

Nicki wrote: »

Hmmm. I would say that children singing a hymn in an assembly are learning about religion as much as participating in it though. I would also say that being present when a prayer is said is also learning rather than participating as is hearing the vicar preach the resurrection and the rabbi explain Passover.

If the children were being made to lead prayers or pray independently then I would say they were participating.

I'd say singing hymns and saying prayers are definitely participating. Those are acts of worship, they are the things that followers of the religion do to express their belief.

Hearing somebody preach is also very different than hearing somebody explain.

lostinrates

notanewuser wrote: »

So learning and reciting the lord's prayer is.............?

Learning and reciting grace is............?

Hymns aren't discerning. "He's got the whole world in his hands"? "All things bright and beautiful, the lord god made them all?"

Hymns are musical art. They are beautiful in their own right IMO, like the incredible wealth of Christian visual art.

At my school a popular hymn was ' how lovely on the mountains are the feet of him'. This made me digress in thought to where the rest of him was if his feet were on the mountain. There were never enough hymnals to go round and when I discovered our god reigned, not rained, I was somewhat disappointed. I though it was some sort of psychedelic thing, some guy left his feet on a mountain then rained a lot.

Nicki

notanewuser wrote: »

So learning and reciting the lord's prayer is.............?

Learning and reciting grace is............?

Hymns aren't discerning. "He's got the whole world in his hands"? "All things bright and beautiful, the lord god made them all?"

Not necessarily learning the truth of it, but learning that it exists and is the main prayer said in Christianity. My DS was also taught the prayers of other religions in primary school by the way.

Same for the hymns. They are the hymns used in that religion. Why does you daughter believe he's got the whole world in his hands if she doesn't believe Nelly the elephant packed her trunk and said good be to the circus?

Could she study Handel's Messiah in music? How about Milton for English GCSE? If so why is that different?

notanewuser

moomoomama27 wrote: »

No my dear, that is your job as a parent to find out which school fits your odd ideals!

No wonder you find it hard to fit in with that attitude, all I can do is sit back and chuckle at the unrealistic views, and feel. Dry sorry for any child being raised in such a stifling and rigid way doesn't make for a happy childhood when there is always conflict.

DD spent the whole day outside yesterday in her pants and no shoes (her choice) playing with water, mud, sand etc. We chatted about what made her bike go and stop, the muscles in her legs that powered the bike, the affect of hills, why the water she painted on her playhouse disappeared in the sun, how clouds are formed, why we wash clothes and bedding. We smelt flowers, picked fruit, ate outside, sang silly songs, laughed (a lot). She enjoyed exploring and I enjoyed watching her, very hands off unless she wanted me to interact.

There is no rigidity in our lives, no stifling, no conflict and only a desire for her to experience life in her own time and her own way. She is a bright, happy child that enjoys life to the full. We must be truly awful parents. Quick, get her into school and brainwash her into society.