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My 6 yr old, who lived in York for 3 years, is adamant that Vikings wore horned helmets. Many You Tube videos later (all demonstrating Vikings did not have horns) & they remain undeterred in their conviction. Sorry York. Sorry Vikings. Sorry public history.
BTW let this be a lesson for any parents who, like me, vowed to be a better teacher this week & try the jolly "let's find out together" approach to questions & home school. Here is what happened...
I get info from school that next week my year 4 child will be do something about Viking Vik. I don't yet know who Viking Vik is but I turn to my children (ks2 & ks1) with cheerful primary school teacher voice & say....
"oh that sounds FUN! Vikings! Brilliant! We used to talk about Vikings when we lived in York didn't we?!"
Children: silence, sulky look beginning to take shape on both faces. But it is only Monday morning. I will not be beaten so soon. I continue in jolly "let's learn together mode" ...
"Gosh. Feels like such a long time we were in York. I wish I could remember about the Vikings! Silly me! Forgetting everything! Maybe you can help me remember?!"
Ks2 child: "I want to play the Xbox" (exits). KS1 child (taking pity on me) "the Vikings were the ones with horns on their helmets. Remember?" ....
Me: "Horns? On their helmets? No I don't remember that. Are you sure? Seems a bit strange..."
KS1 child: "definitely horns. Vikings had horns. Romans don't have horns. I'm a Viking" (puts hair into horns & sticks out tongue)
Me (determined to keep my vow I would be a patient, "let's find out together" teacher today): "I know, let's find some videos about Vikings and see if we can find out about the helmets. Will you help me?"
By some miracle, KS1 child agrees & even looks interested. I am briefly convinced I am a genius home tutor. Until....
We do some careful looking up on information on reputable sites & you tube and finds lots & lots of information about the Vikings DEFINITELY DID NOT HAVE HORNS ON HELMETS and yet ...
My KS1 child just shrugs after each one "nah. They had horns. I know they had horns so they had horns"
& so today's lesson was that the "let's find out together" mode of home teaching DOES NOT WORK & I should have done the "Vikings did not have horns because I f-ing said so and I am an actual f-ing historian if you would ever let me get on with any f-ing work" approach to teaching
Hope you've all had a brilliantly successful day like mine.
