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Original poster

How are your year 10/11 dc revising?

32 replies

Ikeatears · 10/09/2017 11:46

Ds is in year 11 and, although he wants to do well, seems incapable of putting in the effort to achieve his targets.
He floats around expecting all the knowledge to magically appear in his brain! Can you tell I'm frustrated?
He's got targets of mainly 6, with the odd 7 and one 8 (maths) but I'm worried he won't even get 4s.
Please can you tell me what your dc are doing to revise? How much time are they spending? Do they use specific revision tools? How much are you having to nag them?
I'm hoping to show ds how much work other students are putting in.
Also, have any of your older dc had similar targets and a similar attitude and had a hard lesson to learn on results day? He's chosen the A levels he'd like to do but at this stage, I can't see him getting the grades he'd need to get on the courses.

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 10/09/2017 15:13

What did he do for end y10 exams?
Can he say what worked and what didn't work for him then?

TeenTimesTwo · 10/09/2017 15:12

I think it all might seem a bit unreal and far away at the moment.

My DD1 had mocks in the second week of January. She revised only from the Christmas holidays (controlled assessments took up the homeworking effort in the Autumn term).

For the real thing she revised from after the Feb half term I think, but the massive ramp up happened Easter holidays onwards.

What we did make sure was that content heavy subjects like science and History had revision cards done prior to the Christmas holidays. However due to her organisation problems I had to hand hold her all the way through revision, and for various reasons that may not be an option for you.

Original poster
Ikeatears · 10/09/2017 14:59

I think I'd like to hear how other year 10/11s are doing - what techniques do they employ? Do they use use apps? Do they use specific websites or do they pin information up around their rooms? I can give him the toolbox but I can't make him use it. Just hoping some people will be able to share ideas that he may find useful.

OP posts:
lljkk · 10/09/2017 14:49

The way these threads on MN usually go is most people encourage you to just keep trying & then you can live with yourself that you did your best whatever happens. A few people will mention breakthrus (to make their kids more motivated) they had with their own kids for diverse reasons. I find that people who post like you have will not want to do any less than keep hand holding, assuming you can't find a magic ingredient to make him more self-motivated. If you keep bumping the thread up you will hear a lot of encouragement.

Original poster
Ikeatears · 10/09/2017 14:29

I've done revision timetables with him, broken down into small topics, I've bought the books, the coloured pens, highlighters, index cards, I've sat with him to revise, I've encouraged him to revise on his own, I've helped him, tested him, nagged him, given him space to find his own way, I've rewarded him, I've punished him, I've tried every tactic I can think of but the second I back off, he reverts to doing nothing!

I can only be on his back so much, I have two other children and it's not me sitting the GCSEs! He just can't seem to self-motivate.

He has my office space to work in, it's quiet, with no distractions. He has a desk in his room but he says there's too much temptation to get distracted in there.
He has no clue what he would do if he didn't go to college for A levels. He's more than capable just not motivated.

OP posts:
lljkk · 10/09/2017 13:36

Would he

A) be willing to sit down with you to make up a revision plan/schedule, Ikeatears?
B) would he engage & really help plan something realistic
C) would he then follow this plan ... without you nagging? How much are you willing to nag & chivvy?

What is his PlanB if he doesn't get the grades for the chosen A-levels?

TeenTimesTwo · 10/09/2017 13:32

Does he actually know how to revise?

  • slots of 20-30-40 minutes
  • have a goal for the session in mind - not just 'revise chemistry' but revise ionic and covalent bonding
  • active revision, not just reading the book, but making notes, drawing mind maps, doing practice questions

It might be a bit early to start yet, apart from revision notes / maps for topics / units completed last year. However every bit done before term ends is something that doesn't need to be done later.

When are mocks? He will need a revision timetable for them. He needs to identify all topics, allocate time for each one, and work out when he is going to revise.

No phones / social media / Xboxes in room whilst revising!

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