Gcse 2018 (10) The one with half term

No revision here today. We took a day off and went to Llandudno and spent the day on the beach and promenade. The weather was fantastic and we spent hours looking for stones to skip in the sea and playing cricket. Back to the grindstone tomorrow

and thanks. (forgetting my manners - sorry!)

teenmum - never heard of it. i'll have a look now.

mmzz - has your DS tried Primrose Kitten?

Sorry Sostentuo- it sounds like your DGD is doing brilliantly on her own though which is great! I wish the same could have been said for my DS!

No money for tutors here just hard hard work and reading round subject mores the pity

Tassomai didn’t work for us as DS really didn’t understand the concepts. We spent the money instead on a tutor. I think it’s a great concept if you pretty much understand what’s going on and just have to learn it but no good if you have a lack of fundamental understanding.

Ups and downs again today! I’m on holiday today so I helped with some Biology but probably hindered as it’s really not my subject. Trying to learn the menstrual cycle and associated hormones with my 16 year old son was rather hilarious! He did timelines for history -seems to really help. He knows all the “stories” but just needs to make sure he has all the details. Maths went well too with some brilliant answers on the harder questions - he struggles with fractions, percentages and ratios but then does a simultaneous equation with quadratic and also a tricky probability one!! Feeling more hopeful about Maths now. Paper 1 was always a hard one for him as his number work is a bit shaky.

Sun finally come out so off to play (watch !) some tennis.

Trying to catch up wonderwine sorry to hear your DC suffering like mmzzs! Its a wicked world sometimes. A hug for both of you

Do any of your DC get mental blocks for things? DS just can't see to get/ remember electromagnetic induction, the Nitrogen cycle and the menstrual cycle.
He's tried all the usual stuff (CGP guides, YouTube, me(!)) and it's still not going in. Has anyone got any ideas before I resort to using embarrassment as a way to get the menstrual cycle fixed in his brain?

Yes - this is what happens when they're left to their own devices

BlueBelle123 as in the Geography paper 1 that was sat last week?

Oh dear came home to a not very happy DS not only has he also been revising the dreaded English but he spent half an hour revising geography paper 1!!!!!

you are doing well, KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse! i wouldn't have a clue how to mark an English paper!

Oratory similar scenes here with lots of muttering under her breath about how much she hates English language and Mr bruff

She's done paper 2 q1-4 this morning and I've marked it as a high level 6. I don't think I was being particularly generous but I can see how hard the papers are to mark.

DS doing eng Lang section B practises - I can see the steam coming out of his ears and he s hating every minute. It’s only the knowledge that the more he does now the less chance there is of having to do it all again next year that’s keeping him going

The account was all organised by the school, I was never given a login. To be fair, like you say it's so close now. She's just having that half-term lull that a lot of DC seem to be having. She is dog sitting for my boss Thur-Sat and she will have NOTHING to do except dog walking so she will probably be forced to revise then.

JufusMum its probably not worth discussing it now as its so late, but, I think your DD is mistaken.
It is multiple choice, and its true that the exam isn't, but it tests knowledge and tells you the right answer and it does it over and over until you know the right answer without having to think.
Even the longer questions which ask you to describe a six step process (for example), tassomai asks you randomly what step 4 is, so you learn those too. DS says it made a difference to him on the recent paper 1s. I suspect it just found and resolved the things that he didn't know that he didn't know (iyswim?).

You don't need to know your DD's login, as you can log in to your account (which you need to do to manage it) and it has a link to let you see your child's dashboard. Obviously, that's not worth knowing if she isn't using it though.

mmzz she has Tassomai but I have no idea what the login in. She says it is useless because it is multiple choice and they don't get those types of question in the exam.

I'm stuck at work its raining and i've got a line full of washing, whats the odds DS has got it in........and we can all guess what the excuse will be I was revising.......I will be so glad once these exams are over that I will never have to hear that excuse again........and yes he does have a phone but rarely does he answer when he knows it's me

JufusMum - this is where Tassomai is your friend. If they are supposed to be using it for science revision, you can log in and see what's happening:-

Just texted DD and asked how the revision is going, I got the reply "ok".

She's probably watching videos of Johnny Depp on Youtube

Agree that many dc don't want big parties (including my introvert ds - who has not been bullied and infinitely prefers his own company - chip off the old block!) and this in itself isn't an indicator of a problem. Also dd - who also has been fortunate enough not to experience bullying, enjoys her friends but likes to see them in small doses and prefers her family.

However there is extensive research and evidence that bullying can (obviously not in all cases) have long term consequences. I don't want to overplay any issues for mmzz's ds and sincerely hopes he emerges from this early experience stronger, more determined and undamaged. Certainly his single minded and resolute approach to preparing for his GCSEs shows that he is a gritty and resolute young lad

Mmzz don't want to play down at all the rough time your DS has had and the bullying - but I think you'd be surprised how many DS s on here also don't spend Birthdays with friends and don't have loads to invite to parties. Your DS won't be unusual there. And as you give a family option at least he has something to say if people ask what did you do for your Birthday.

mmzz given your impressive analysis and research skills (I'm being sincere, not teasing) I reckon you should do a bit of your own research into this and form your own opinion on whether or not you believe counselling would help or hinder your ds. If you conclude 'yes' it would be beneficial, then given your close and supportive relationship with your ds then you could probably persuade him to try it

DS is doing Edexcel which is 3, so different boards.