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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think you need your chemistry text book to revise chemistry.

56 replies

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/04/2013 14:03

According to ds3's school, I would seem to be. He has his Chemistry Standard grade exams tomorrow (these are the scottish equivalent of GCSEs) - and he and all his classmates were made to give their textbooks in, so they could be processed for next year's students.

Is it just me, or is that a bit odd? Surely you need your textbook in order to revise a subject properly? He still has his notes, and access to past papers, but what if there is something he needs to look up in his textbook?

OP posts:

KobayashiMaru · 30/04/2013 19:26

If he doesn't know it now, he's not going to get much more from the book by tomorrow. He can google it anyway.

Spikeytree · 30/04/2013 19:34

I use a textbook to teach about 3 times a year, most are poorly thought out and pitched squarely at the middle. If he has a good set of notes from lessons he won't need a textbook to revise from.

Students cannot be trusted to return books I'm afraid, even our A Level students.

FreyaSnow · 30/04/2013 19:41

If it is so easy to find websites that cover the entire curriculum for each subject in an age appropriate way, could somebody please tell me what these sites are? I have never been able to find such sites, hence I keep paying for textbooks. It would save me a fortune.

I agree there is little point teaching from a text book; that isn't the point of them surely?

Annunziata · 30/04/2013 19:44

There is a chemistry/ maths one called Scholar I think. Or something like it.

The DC's school are still using their textbooks for those shambles new exams.

Salmotrutta · 30/04/2013 19:49

Scholar doesn't go down to Standard Grade.

And the pupils need a password.

Salmotrutta · 30/04/2013 19:51

Freya - your DCs teachers should be able to give you websites.

BBC bite size is the obvious one but each subject probably has a favourite site.

Are you in Scotland - because Scholar is your friend if you are!

TheBuskersDog · 30/04/2013 19:51

My son never had any science textbooks, his notes are all over the place with sheets missing etc., he's using revision guides to revise for his GCSEs (not just reading them, making notes and then reducing onto revision cards).

Annunziata · 30/04/2013 19:53

Does it not? Ach well. Scratch that then!

FreyaSnow · 30/04/2013 20:02

No, I'm in England.

Obviously Bitesize is a revision site. It does not cover all the knowledge children are meant to cover for the entire curriculum in the way a text book does.

No, we have not been told by the school about these websites that cover the curriculum. Apparently, looking things up on the Internet teaches children 'research skills.' Unsurprisingly, my daughter is at school and is therefore eleven, not an adult. The Internet is broadly based at adults, not eleven year olds. Even the bits aimed at eleven year olds are often not covering the same curriculum.

So I bought text books, and when the teacher says, write about why William won the Battle of Hastings, DD looks it up in 5 minutes in a textbook, where all the points are covered, pitched at the level of an 11 year old, rather than wasting hours trying to find something online.

Salmotrutta · 30/04/2013 20:06

All I can say is that I know of Maths sites, Science sites, Languages sites etc. that are all well used by schools up here - usually based on the curriculum and, as I mentioned above, Scholar, which is a Heriot Watt University run site covering Highers and Advanced Higher content for a range of subjects.

Fuctifano · 30/04/2013 20:17

My Chemistry teacher friend recommended this one:
www.boroughmuir.edin.sch.uk/subjects/chemistry/s4_notes/ for its unit by unit approach. In the school I teach in it is standard to ask pupils to return books before their study leave begins as after that they may be S4 leavers. Although most teachers I know don't teach to text book very often their new S3 cohort may be beginning their new timetable as early as next week - so it is not unreasonable to want to have all resources at hand.

I feel your pain as my DD has just finished her fourth Chemistry past paper and that was after her PE exam today. Yes SQA I'm looking at you and your bonkers schedule. My DD has 4 this week and her friend has 5!

Salmotrutta · 30/04/2013 20:23

Thing is Fuctifano - with the best will in the world, the SQA have to do a one size fits all. No matter how they schedule it there will be pupils with several exams close together.
They have to fit them all into a 4-5 week window otherwise pupils would be out on exam leave for far too long before the change of timetable.

And if they go on to University they will almost certainly have short exam timelines so at least it gives them an idea of how to timetable their study.

GingerPCatt · 30/04/2013 20:40

See if your local library has the textbook. Or if they don't, you can request them

snowmummy · 30/04/2013 21:02

In an ideal world, text books would be sent home and they'd come back after the exams. We don't live in an ideal world, they don't come back and schools do not have the money to replace books year after year.

OP what do you think schools should do?

mrsjay · 30/04/2013 21:04

he can do past papers sqa website has them dd hasn't got her text books for her exams just her notes and past papers and facebook and you tube

mrsjay · 30/04/2013 21:06

but is there a scottish version of BBC bitesize?

yes bbc bitesize has standard grades and higher revision on them

mrsjay · 30/04/2013 21:07

dds friend has 4 this week I suppose it is just the way they have to do the subject,

mrsjay · 30/04/2013 21:08

They have to fit them all into a 4-5 week window otherwise pupils would be out on exam leave for far too long before the change of timetable.

you are right exam leave is long enough imo dd last exam is 2nd of june

Fuctifano · 30/04/2013 21:34

But 4 or 5 exams in one week is excessive. Many candidates who will be leaving at the end of S4 are sitting General and Foundation levels in Maths, English, General Science and P.E are this week. This is a young person who will not be considering FE or HE chance to show an employer basic numeracy and literacy skills. I don't think study leave should be any longer, teaching time is tight as it is for most courses, I just wish SQA would have looked at what they are expecting of our less able kids.

Fuctifano · 30/04/2013 21:34

mrsjay · 30/04/2013 21:40

I agree with you but it does depend on the options doesn't it and at least it is out of the way,

Original poster

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/04/2013 21:57

Snowmummy - ds3 had a textbook, which he was allowed to bring home - so the school is clearly happy for them to have textbooks - but they were collected in before they had sat the exam. So I am not arguing that they should have been given textbooks, but that they should have been allowed to keep them until after the exam.

The maths department have allowed them to keep their textbooks until they've done the exam, and I am baffled as to why the chemistry department haven't.

OP posts:

mrsjay · 01/05/2013 08:16

good luck for exams today it is a tense time for everybody I am sure he will do great op

mrsjay · 01/05/2013 08:18

The maths department have allowed them to keep their textbooks until they've done the exam, and I am baffled as to why the chemistry department haven't.

I think it is because they have their notes to revise DD has no textbooks they were all handed in last week before exam leave

Original poster

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 01/05/2013 08:25

Thanks for the good wishes - I am about to drive him in.

OP posts:

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