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Secondary education

Bright Y8 boy coasting - can he be motivated?

37 replies

kitnkaboodle · 31/03/2015 00:37

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 Hmm 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! Blush 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.

OP posts:
pieceofpurplesky · 31/03/2015 00:47

Giving a pupil an A for effort leaves them with very little place to go ... B is pretty standard (where I teach A= outstanding B = good C = satisfactory and D = unsatisfactory).
Levels look great, all 7s by Year 9 therefore top grades at GCSE.
The comments about more detail are pretty standard - there us always room got more detail even in an A* piece. Just keep encouraging him to be detailed

Waitingandhoping2015 · 31/03/2015 07:03

Ha I could've written all of that a couple of years ago about DS1!! It never changed. But he's doing fine, currently in gcse year. We're always pushing him though, nagging about a bit more effort. He could get straight As if he wanted to, will probably end up with a mixture of As and As. It's a boy thing / it's just his nature.

senua · 31/03/2015 09:53

Yup. It's a Year 8 / boy thing.
If he's getting good grades without breaking sweat then what is his incentive to get Grade 1s for effort?
When marking, teachers have to make a comment about 'what could have gone better'. It doesn't matter if the piece of work is F grade or A* grade - they will always suggest an improvement.
No need to stress yet - as long as he is not slipping down sets - plenty of time for that in Years 10-13!

kitnkaboodle · 31/03/2015 09:54

Waiting - yes, I fear it will ever be thus. He'll get good GCSEs, no doubt. He's a great reader, curious about the world, enthusiastic about the STEM subjects, etc, (well, maybe just STE!) - just doesn't seem to see the point in doing his best for his teachers

I can see that it might well be a 'boy thing' - but why is that so?? He isn't particularly influenced by peer pressure and trying to be cool. Happy to be geeky.

He had a lull like this in primary - his teachers despaired of him, then had a motivational teacher in Y5/6 who galvanised him again. His current school has no 6th form, so maybe the enforced move after GCSEs might galvanise him again.

I think it's not helped by him having a younger brother in Y6 who is highly motivated and competitive - winning all the prizes, etc. I can see that DS1 is just as able, probably more, than him, but lacks the push. Funny how they turn out different ...

OP posts:
Hassled · 31/03/2015 10:11

I have a Yr8 DS who is in exactly the same boat - makes enough effort to stay in the top sets, just about, but no more than that - and I wouldn't think his position in those sets is particularly secure. It is bloody frustrating. But he's DC4, and older 3 DCs all had a dip in Year 8 - the novelty of High School has worn off, they're aware that the Y9s are choosing GCSE options but yet they're way off dropping the subjects they dislike, hormones are rampant etc etc. So I'm not too worried yet - I think he'll find a bit of motivation in due course.

ElizabethHoover · 31/03/2015 10:13

so what if he is coasting? give him a break imo/ime

all gets heavier in years to come.

kitnkaboodle · 31/03/2015 13:36

Elizabeth - I'm only giving him a hard time on here, deciding if and when I need to have a little talk with him. I haven't been nagging him, though I think our faces when we saw his report, which he was quite pleased with, must have been a bit of a giveaway .. We did give praise for his grades, though, and effort in Maths, English, ICT and DT (the last two of which he really loves)

OP posts:
Takver · 31/03/2015 16:00

Not just a boy thing - could say exactly the same about my yr 8 dd! She's always been like that with written work - again, if it's maths or science where there's a 'right' answer, then it's a different story.

Similarly, if you look at her 'theoretical' ability it's very high, but she is happy to do 'well enough' in subjects that aren't her favourites.

I have recently given her a bit of a talking to on how she is going to need to start stepping up a bit going into yr 9, and I think she took some of it on board. . . .

Takver · 31/03/2015 16:01

Mind you, her school report didn't help - she got 1s for effort in subjects where I know and she will admit that she definitely isn't giving 100%.

sanfairyanne · 31/03/2015 16:17

his levels are ok but i am assuming he could do better if his cat score was high? i mean obviously those are good levels and everything but presumably not the best in year? if he is competitive, can you let him know he could be doing better? otherwise, i dont have many ideas sorry, i would probably leave him coasting as his results are okay and its ages til gcse Blush

Rivercam · 31/03/2015 18:07

I think year 8 is a funny year, they're not the year 7 newbies, or have the 'excitement' of choosing options etc.

I think all you can do is to install good habits into him - ensuring homework is done regularly, tests properly revised for, so he has the tools and procedures established for the more important years ahead.

Maliceaforethought · 31/03/2015 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Frikadellen · 31/03/2015 19:55

I could have written this post (apart from 6 in art and drama as ds hates these subjects) and I have been wondering about the same thing. Considered contacting the school and despairing over how ds doesn't seem to see using his intellect can push him further. (made worse by a 60 year old bil who is HIGHLY intelligent but really has wasted this in his life)

I have 2 older girls and really didnt have this issue in year 8 with them. Ds English teacher has put DS as only of 2 boys forward for a discussion panel thing means ds has to read 6 books in 12 weeks. Something he easily could manage but he doesnt wish to do so as he finds fiction reading boring.

I want to just give him a good kick up the backside to get on with it(Obviously I wont but the wish is there) English teacher is fab and can clearly seee ds needs pushing ds ADORES debating (will debate anything he is able to ) so to give him this chance is just wonderful, I worry ds will just blow it.

I have spoken to him about trying to do better (Why would I do this will just make me above X - who is 1st in class) On pointing out X them may also work harder I get .. But X is my friend why would I try to push him out.

I just don't know how to cope. On paper ds is doing fine and when I have tried to talk to teachers about this (in year 7 not done so in year 8 at all) i get the feeling they feel I am a pushy mother. I am far from it however I know my son and I know his abilities and he is coasting just doing what he has to get the grade to be in the top forms. I do not belive they are secure.

Also worry that the one thing he is keen on doing and interested in (law) he has been put off by a teacher telling him to do law he has to do History. Year 7 history teacher was fab and ds loved history year 8 teacher not so fab and ds now finds history dull and uninteresting..

Fingers crossed year 9 is amazing. (would love year 7 back but unlikely)

kitnkaboodle · 31/03/2015 21:34

San fairy ann - nah, he's not competitive at all. The only thing that could easily motivate him would be 'rewards' - like a recalcitrant toddler! Think sticker chart with more than stickers at stake!! But I'm not going down that route at age 13, obviously

Malice - it's a comp in leafy suburbs rated 'good'

Frika - I'm going to go in n talk to his school after hols. Who would be best - head of year?? Looking through his books n teachers' comments has raised a lot of queries for me about school work these days. I'm 51 so it's a different world from the 1970s! I don't think I'm quite as despairing as you yet! Just would like him to start getting a work ethic! Or is it possible to get good gcses without a lot of effort if you're very smart, but lazy??

OP posts:
Frikadellen · 31/03/2015 22:21

Yes head of year would likely be best.

Whyjustwhyagain · 31/03/2015 22:21

For DS1 I did do the bribery bit in year 8. It was a while ago now, but he was young in the year group and always did enough but never any more. Though his grades were high.
I promised him a ludicrously expensive piece of tat much desired item from Games Workshop if he achieved x number top effort grades across the term.
At 12/13, I felt he wasn't mature enough to do his best work when his second best would do
By Y9 and options, the idea that he might not get the options he wanted, or the set he hoped to stay in, was enough to motivate him.

AgnesDiPesto · 31/03/2015 22:56

Yes my Yr 8 son the same. More B's and 2's than last year but grades in tests holding up. Dipped on homework especially. I think the novelty / wish to please of Yr 7 has worn off now there is nothing specific to aim for as not exam year. His grades seem to depend partly on how much he likes the teacher - the poorest effort is for the teacher he really dislikes. My parents are both teachers and say its a yr 8 & 9 thing!
He is quite competitive and has end of year tests to do in May / June so we've talked about raising his game for that to make sure he stays in top groups for next year. I am going to have to be more on the ball on revision I think.
And yes I think girls generally put in more effort and do neater work / want to please more than boys esp where homework is concerned. Lots of comments in my sons book are about presentation and expanding answers. They know he can do better which is why even though he is getting top marks in tests they are only give 2/b for effort.

Goodpresentideaplease · 31/03/2015 23:13

My yr9 DS is similar. 8 teachers in a row said he is clever but not working to ability at his parents evening. I am happy with 2s for effort, we used to have a couple of 1s and rest 2s until the last report which was half 2s and half 3s. Top set for everything but not secure.

I have no idea how to motivate, I spent half of that trying to get him to do some revision for end of yr exams shortly after Easter with little luck and much arguing Sad

Seeline · 01/04/2015 11:09

I'm not sure he needs to be doing more. Is it you saying 'could try harder' or his teachers?
Agree with PP that teachers need to point out how to improve work - especially essay writing. It's certainly not something my kids did a lot of at primary, and is a skill that needs to be honed. Hopefully the skills will be firmly in place come GCSEs.
What are you hoping for at this stage - A*1's across the board? If so, how can he improve over the next couple of years. It's an awful lot of pressure on a child to keep up that standard until exams.
You say he does the minimum for his homework - how can you tell? Does he rush it, leave it until the last moment etc The teachers give him decent grades and guidance on how to make it better. the good grades indicate that it isn't bad to begin with.
By the way I have a bright Y8 boy - his essay work is always untidy and messy, but usually gets good marks and encouraging comments from teachers as to how to make it better, so I don't think it is unusual. I know he spends a long time on such work, and really thinks about the subject matter before starting - this effort is not always reflected by way of an 8 page piece of writing though!

Maliceaforethought · 01/04/2015 12:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

teddygirlonce · 01/04/2015 12:45

I've got one in Yr 9 at a superselective....I'm always amazed that you know what their 'levels' are - we've not once had a report home that gives SATS levels - it's all about their position in relation to their peers!

emkana · 01/04/2015 12:48

At my dd's superselective they say 2 is the expected level of effort, which is "high". That in combination with good attainment is good enough for me.

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ragged · 01/04/2015 12:50

I'm praying that DS gets very minimal for homework in yr8. It's going to be a huge uphill battle to get him to do any (and usually has been in past). I'm already worn out and he's still in yr6.

teddygirlonce · 01/04/2015 12:54

I was surprised that when we went to DS's GCSE Options Evening they were going on about the boys needing 1s or 2s for effort in subjects (rather than the attainment grade)...

sanfairyanne · 01/04/2015 13:08

with bright kids it is better imo to focus on the effort than the attainment. they can coast up to gcse very easily. even teachers can confuse effort/attainment so they get a high grade for effort just because they get good results. its hard because you dont want to put too much pressure on as well.

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