GCSEs 2018 (4 already)

oddsocks I forgot what she wants to pursue afterwards? That´s a tough one, if she's closing herself to discussion. Sometimes they've just had enough of us . As you say, the whole thing may just vanish naturally by force majeure.

DD breaks up tomsorrow for Easter. She tells me she has lots of practice papers to do.

She enjoyed early class today (physics) but she has to leave before 7am to get there.

stickerrocks not sure I could cope with anoth change! DD has changed choice of 6th form as well as subjects.

mmzz our poor DC in y11, rough end of the deal

Just back from year 9 parent's evening. DS2 doing 10 GCSEs, but the teachers representing half the subjects he's planning to do didn't want to see us (in DS's words but they only have time to see the disruptive children).
It was ok. There was a slight sense of déjà vu about it all.
A few of the teachers mentioned that they are going to start the GCSE courses next term so they can finish up in March 2020, rather than risk going beyond Easter
Two teachers even told me (a bit wide eyed) what I'd already learned on this thread - that some schools are really struggling and teachers are even setting while units as homework for the students to self study.
It brought home how much our year 11 DC are really going into their GCSEs blind.

Dgd 26th June for her induction day for 6th form she wants. ( her school 6th form).

Dgd would be over the moon if she gets a 6 in English.
oddsocks if dd doesn't get grade for science she won't be able to do the A level. A sticky situation. Suggest you try to explain to her she needs to concentrate on what's she's good at. Maybe do a list and let her decide that way?
They want their independence and want to make decision's at this age but sometimes they can't see the wood for the trees. Bless you oddsocks hug and thoughts on way to you and your dd.

stickerrocks, she’s had a taster session already and she did the subjects she has initially chosen. Not sure if any further taster sessions? She has an introductory day after GCSEs before school breaks up for summer holidays so maybe then?

Yes you are right Bluebelle decision might be made before that as Science teacher has asked her to do some practice papers to prove she is capable and no sign of her doing them. I’m actually wondering if this all some kind of avoidance tactic and deep down she doesn’t want to go to 6th form

It isn't possible for most students to memorise all the poems. Some of them are just too long. MiniSostenueto's approach is good, though.

Oddsocks given how your DD is, I would delay until results day as I know at most schools a lot change their mind once they get their results depending on how they have done, also for science if she doesn't get the grade they ask for decision will be made for her.

mmzz I know you wouldn't harangue me I was only joking unfortunately my posts don't always come across as I intend.

DD wants to change her A level options to a Science. However she will NOT discuss with DH or I nor does she want us to interfere. After a dilemma I contacted school and her science teacher as I have concerns regarding her ability. Science teacher has replied to say so has she and would not recommend her doing a science at
a level... DD needs to hand in her form tomorrow and will not enter into any conversation about it.

HELP

Well that should be interesting mmzz as my DS is also hoping for a 7, somehow I think your DS has a much better chance than mine

I think my DS is aiming for a 7. Anything 5+ will suffice though.
I'm just re-iterating what he told me so that i could make up his study timetable and he was just relaying what his teacher had told him.

But no, even if I disagreed with you (which i don't), I wouldn't harangue you.

Agree there are different levels here. For A star grade (old money) then you do need to know the poems and texts inside out ( though not by heart) with numerous quotes for each and plenty of context and also lots of context themes and quotes for the set texts. This was my DD s in previous years. Very dyslexic ds however is struggling to read 10 poems let alone memorise any and can’t memorise quotes. He has just started doing practise questions on poetry analysis and is struggling to do more than half a page on transactional writing and with spell check turned off when he types a large proportion comes out as gobbledygook anyway. He will probably treat the passages as unseen as you get given them in the exam anyway and write as much as he can to aim for a pass. His time is best spent practising writing rather than memorising stuff which he finds very difficult.

Dgd just said to me that in English today they are writing opening g paragraphs for each theme when comparing poems which they should learn off by heart so less hassle in exam. As you have to know an in depth analyse of each poem there really is no need to learn poem word for word ( it would take too long to sit in an exam repeating them to yourself before you get to the quote your after!. The exam is only 1 hour 45 mins. You must obviously know what the poems about who wrote it when. Influences, language used, style of poetry etc. Only my opinion mind. And you don't need to memorise whole poem to know that.

mmzz from what you've said you're DS has done I think he is probably aiming for a much higher grade than DS, also I do have a very different approach I will tell Ds what I think as in you should revise english because..........then I step back and leave it to him rightly or wrongly as I believe it has to come from him they are his exams and his future. I know I will probably get harangued for saying!

P.s even English teacher says no need to know off by heart or word for word the poems.

Dgd hasn't even attempted to learn the poems off by heart. She is, however doing flashcards with main themes of each poem and lists of which ones to compare with each other on those themes. Its impossible for them to learn poems off by heart. Learn quotes, yes, be able to compare, yes, be able to analyze, yes that should be enough. Its bad enough having to know the 12 themes in Frankenstein alone, then romeo and Juliet and inspector calls ridiculous![