Hi
Got DS's Easter report and DH and I find ourselves muttering 'could try harder' etc etc. Not wholly delighted. His grades are fine, but what's disappointing is that for some pretty 'solid' subjects: Science, French, History, Geography, Music, RE, he's been given a '2' across the board for effort/classwork/homework. That's the second grade down (so equivalent of a 'B for effort' I guess) if you see what I mean. Maths, English, ICT and DT are all 1s across the board, so good for him.
I recently (before this report) took the time to look through all his schoolbooks - meant to do it earlier, but you know how things are .... I was decidedly about a lot of his work. He'd fulfilled the brief, pretty well, got good enough grade, but teachers' comments were always "good, but you could have expanded/written a bit more/done extra detail" etc etc. So he's doing the minimum production to say that he's done his homework, ticked the boxes, but never ever going the extra mile to produce something impressive, neat and rounded. Homeworks like Maths, where you have to just supply the right answer are no problems. It's the writing/analysing, etc, that he rushes. Looks like he just can't be arsed to push himself that little bit more.
Is this a Year 8 thing?? A boy thing? I can remember at school wanting to produce really careful work - often to please the teacher! Don't boys do that? Is Year 8 a 'coasty' year? I don't want him to get into bad habits.
Drip feed time now in that he is exceptionally able intellectually. I asked to know the results of his CAT tests in Y7 and found out that he'd got the top mark of his whole year (about 120 kids). I wasn't surprised (but haven't told him). He has no trouble at all grasping info and concepts and remembering them forever.
People might ask about his levels. They're good. Projected for end of Y8:
English 6b
Maths 7b
Science 7c
Art 6c
Drama 6b
DT 6b
French 5b
Geog 6c
History 6b
ICT 6a
Music 6c
RE 6a
Have I got unrealistic expectations? I don't have any worries about the school, btw. Just rather disappointed/puzzled about all the 'B's for effort when I know he's quite capable of pulling his finger out if he had something to motivate him.
Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.
Secondary education
Bright Y8 boy coasting - can he be motivated?
kitnkaboodle · 31/03/2015 00:37
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