to think that if DC had been taught properly in the first place they shouldn't need to revise?

[chicaguapa]

Of course IABU! IMO.

DH is having real problems getting his Y11s to start revising for their GCSEs and isn't getting any support from the parents. This is a school where parents move into the catchment and pay over the odds for their house. It is bewildering.

But having dipped into a few threads on MN it seems that one school of thought is that DC shouldn't have to revise and should have just been taught properly in the first place. I wonder if this is why the parents at DH's school aren't bothering, if they think their DC will do well by just being at the school?

I was also wondering if these parents also feel that their DC's GCSE results achieved without revision is an accurate way of determining DH's performance over the year as their teacher? Or is it reasonable to expect them to put in some revision in their own time?

What subject? If it's RE or something, I can see he might have a tough job.

Guess it depends on the area. Money doesn't necessarily equal educated parents, or parents who give a shit.

And no, I would NEVER expect my DCs to not do any revision, and use that as a way of judging the teachers. What a ridiculous gamble. And of course you need to revise. GCSEs are taught over 2 years so even the brightest kids need to refresh their learning.

My DS has been taught properly and he does need to revise. But he is a teenage boy and while I am trying my best to get him to revise and putting a lot of energy into it, I cannot force him to learn or take the exams for him.

I can't make promises to teachers that revision will takeplace properly. I can only do my best.

I've never come across that view? Don't these people remember their own GCSEs (O levels in may case)?

However well or badly taught a subject is, you wouldn't expect to remember the stuff you did a year ago in enough detail to pass an exam without some revision.
It would be a high risk strategy just to spite judge a teacher.

So what's new? Some parents always think you can magic up an A with minimal work by the pupil. Some parents are great. C'est la vie!

And what almondcake says. Parents can encourage, lecture, etc, but ultimately it is the children themselves who have to take responsibility for their own learning, revision and exam results.

Tthe following is gospel for some parents:

• My child does well at school = my child is bright and works hard!
• My child does badly at school = the teachers are terrible and have failed my child!

There is, of course, no correlation between their child not doing well and any of the following: not paying attention/ being lazy/ not being terribly bright/ not being an independent thinker/ not being internally motivated / not doing homework/ being poorly organised / having no revision schedule / going to bed too late / spending too much time on social media

I am a teacher. I have to go into school over Easter to run revision skills clinics for kids who should have been focusing in the first place. This is in addition to term time in class revision and revision homeworks. Some parents are fantastically supportive. Others - less so. Guess which sort moans most when their children underperform?

I get more wound up by pupils who mess around in lessons and never had in homework on time, and then expect you to give up hours and hours of time to teach them the material. Of course they need to revise, but getting teenagers to realise it is difficult. Good luck to your DH.

That's a ridiculous school of thought. But I don't know that a 16 year old can be forced to revise - they can be forced to sit in front of books but not to actually revise and take information in...you can lead a horse to water and all that. So I'm not sure that I'd force my teenager to revise - I think they do better when they're intrinsically motivated, and if they don't do it now they'll have to do it later when they're ready and have real reasons for wanting to get the grades. It will be harder later in life, but maybe that's what it takes. So yes, I'd tell them the reasons I think they should revise but I wouldn't be punishing or chaining them to a desk, I don't think (ask me again in ten years' time when my DC are that age!). And perhaps parents think they're under enough pressure from the school and don't want to add to it?

SOME children can get away with no revision, but certainly not all and, in my opinion, parents should be most definitely encouraging them to do it.

Does your DH encourage different ways to do it? We were always told to write it out onto a mind map in note form and stick it up in our rooms. Natural instinct is to read things so if they're placed on a mirror or above a chest of drawers or something then it'll probably go in eventually!

People have always had to revise for exams. That's just the way things are. Unless you are lucky enough to have a photographic memory or something.

The parents are being a bit daft, especially if they have made a conscious effort to get their kids into that particular school. Maybe the school could send a letter out?

What I meant by "that's a ridiculous school of thought" is that thinking that if a subject is well taught children won't need to revise is ridiculous.

Having said that, some subjects are more revision heavy than others. I only ever revised for sciences and maths which were my weaker subjects, and ones with onformation to retain - and got straight A's at GCSE - are these students capable of getting the grades without revising?

This thread made me think of this cartoon which I saw on fb recently

I'm a bit like this for myself. I do feel if it has gone in properly, as opposed to has been taught properly, then it will stay in, ready to be retrieved at exam time.

I am a bit clueless as to how to revise as well. other than re watch webinars and re look at power points.

I am also rubbish at taking notes and find it more effective to pay proper attention to lectures, rather than miss stuff by trying to make notes.

I'm all in all a rubbish student who still passes quite well.

I would also like to thank every teacher who is spending Easter running revision or catch up sessions for pupils who didn't bother to work in the actual lessons. You have no idea how grateful I am as a parent at this point.

Maybe a study skills session with his pupils to discuss ways of revising would help motivate them?

MammaTJ - I would suggest that you look into how the brain works. there has been a very good MOOC on this from Australia, but any modern guide to studying will help.

Revising is different from last minute cramming. Just reading or watching on the subject is pretty useless, but working through problems is good. As is mixing up the areas you study so: 1/2 English, 1/2 Maths, 1/2 Geography then 1/2 English, 1/2 Maths, 1/2 Geography is better than 1 hour English, 1 hour Maths and 1 hour Geography.

But you are correct note and highlighting are pretty useless.

I have had to dig my nails in my arm to stop a random sob twice this week in Year 11 lessons when a couple of kids weren't paying attention. I am working so hard on a variety of different revision activities, I've taught a full day and run revision sessions at lunch and after-school today. I can't do anymore, they have to do the rest, but it is getting to me this year for some reason. If I'm not making stuff for Year 11 I'm thinking of what I could be making for Year 11. Ironically I arranged for a counsellor to offer a stress-busting session for my students but I think it might be me who goes over the edge.