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Original poster

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:
Maliceaforethought · 31/03/2015 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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.

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

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%.

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. . . .

Original poster
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:
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.

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.

Original poster
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:
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!

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.

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

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