R-E-S-P-E-C-T - find out what it means to me! Well, that's exactly what your child will be learning, courtesy of his or her teacher.

I have just read an article on the BBC website that says schools have been given almost 14 million pounds to implement a new respect and good behaviour lesson. The story can be found here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/6274736.stm). The government says it already has been and will continue to be effective - what do you think?

Is teaching respect something that must be done by parents?
Are schools too soft with kids these days?
Is there nothing wrong with children's behaviour?
Are you happy that the government is helping our kids learn manners, or is it infringing on the duties of others?
Is it possible to learn too much about manners etc?
Should the teachers first learn a little about it, before they teach others?

Don't schools already encourage good behaviour and manners? If I was rude or disruptive at school I could pretty much expect a reprimand, a note home and/or a detention.

Implementing an entire lesson/syllabus out of learning manners seems a bit extreme though. That's a bit arty farty for me, and sounds like something that already exists - those pointless PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education - I think??) sessions that I had to sit through at school.

Research suggests the programme works best when it is embedded across the curriculum - rather than being confined to one lesson.

Right... no specific lessons then. So fundamentally, this new initiative seems to me to be very similar to that which already exists. Just with a new bit of spin to make the government look more active in the education system.

Is teaching respect something that must be done by parents?
Are schools too soft with kids these days?
Is there nothing wrong with children's behaviour?
Are you happy that the government is helping our kids learn manners, or is it infringing on the duties of others?
Is it possible to learn too much about manners etc?

Interesting thread Vik.

1) I believe that fundamentally, we are all responsible for teaching children respect - though I am of the opinion that children do indeed 'Learn what they Live'. For example, if I didn't say thank you to someone who had helped me and my children witnessed that - what kind of message what that give? But going back to what I stated - if a child acts in good faith but wasn't thanked or acknowledged (which often happens), then why should they bother! We all bemoan about how things were different when we were growing up - but I do believe that society as a whole have far too many expectations on young people.

2) I don't think that is necessarily correct. I believe that teachers have to take the 'hands-off' approach, simply because children/young people have far more rights these days and are often in fear of being abused (either verbally or physically) by them and their parents. See... I go back to the basics.

3) Again.. in my opinion parental upbringing needs to be considered, but also to expand further - so does the attitude of their peers. Also - what kind of message does it give to children who do tow their line - when a child who disrupts their class or continually bullies - seems to get rewarded for their behaviour (which does happen alot!) whilst they get overlooked. Goes back to my first point, about us all being responsible.

4) The government have kind of closed the doors after the horse has bolted. A typical response. As for my being happy about it - any initiative is good - but will it be followed through? I doubt it.

5) Of course - there could always be overkill and you need to strike a balance. I will have to think about your last question a bit more though :razz: I need coffee now!


Edit: And I haven't read the article yet either... so will probably add a bit more as well :razz:

Edit Edit: Bah Vik... you edited your post and added another question as well.... Coffee first!!!

I think ches hot the right note there.
Yes of course the goverment want to look great and dynamic, to counteract there massive wage packets.
I personally feel that respect and good manners should be the parents job to teach, but there are parents out there that dont teach there kids anything.
Poor neglected kids whos mothers/fathers are alcoholics, drug abusers ect, what becomes of the kids who slip the net, who social services never hear about.
These kids have to struggle to find clean clothes and hot meals let alone manners or respect, so yes schools have to play some part in this.
But all those millions of pounds i have a problem with, why will it cost all that money, like ches said, is this not already part of teaching, is it not already in place.
What are they going to do hire super teachers, if think NOT.
I really dont know what to make of this, i think the money would be better spent helping neglected children, good manners and respect should follow a good upbringing, with minimal help at school to reinforce what they learn at the hands of parents.

Sometimes I worry because teachers I've worked with equate respect with fear. If you fear your teacher, then obviously you respect them. I hate to see that and think that respect needs to be joined with love. Yes, it's hard to love every aspect of school, but as a teacher I felt it was my job to make it as fun as possible. My punishments were usually that if a student didn't participate in the harder parts of school (assignments, etc.) then she obviously won't be earning any fun parts either (art projects, baking, learning games). I like to think my students liked coming to school every day and we worked as a team in order to further their education. And the only way a team can work is if team members listen to one another openly. Children are clearly lacking respect for their teachers these days, in my opinion, which is a huge downfall in education. How can you learn from someone you don't even respect (or like)?

I agree with cherry. What are they going to do with all that money? Make fancy booklets that'll end up all over the pavement? Give the teachers a lecture so that they go on with whatever they'd been doing once it's done? I'm usually not one to say 'Oi! That's my tax money you're using!', but I really don't see how this is going to be used correctly. I've seen too much of this rubbish in schools.

Of course the underlying ideas are good; even I think some kids lack a bit of respect. But it shouldn't be something you focus on separately, that's not going to work because it'll seem like preaching and I know most kids these days will dismiss it immediately. It has to be part of the education system, it has to be present in everyday teaching, but it shouldn't be on the foreground, it needs to come naturally.

This means that yes, I agree that schools have to take some of the tasks that you'd normally put with the parents, because where are the kids half the day? Where do they interact most with other kids? Exactly, at school, where there is no parent to reprimand or praise them.

So all in all this is not something new, as Ches said, and it's probably wasted money. They should probably put it to a proper and comprehensive education of the teachers, so that they know what to do. Nowadays they're good at having all kinds of fluffy and good-in-theory-but-rubbish-in-practice education ideas, and they spend all the time teaching the teachers how to handle that, overlooking that it's probably much harder to deal with children that are causing trouble.