To be tired of teachers exaggerating

[onarailwaytrain]

Dd and DS (twins) in year 11 at the moment and all we have heard is how they have to get their GCSEs, their lives will be ruined if they don't, they will never get to college and never get a good job. Etc.

Dd in particular is unlikely to get many cs or above. AIBU in thinking the teachers should back off a bit?

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/authors-teachers-and-parents-launch-revolt-over-exam-factory-schools-9773880.html

Perhaps if school holidays weren't so damned long, our kids wouldn't be constantly trying to re-learn whatever they were studying six long weeks ago

Ha ha-yes, that'll solve the problem. Kids just need more of the same. That will help the pressure on them

Ilovesooty, a poster on this thread who is a teacher did tell op that her mortgage is at risk if kids don't get good grades.
I agree totally with eustacia. Op is right to be annoyed at attitude of teachers who seem to be making her children feel depressed or written off for life for not being academic. Einstein said that 'we are all geniuses but if you tell a fish he must ride a bicycle then he will spend his whole life believing he is stupid'. There is a lot of truth in this.

Laphem, the rest of us teachers should have remembered that quote...

I am indeed being forced, by the government, to teach fish to ride bikes!

No wonder we are discussing strikes again! But again we will have to say we are striking for pay alone - it is illegal for us to strike for better education policies! So again we will be vilified by all and sundry!

Laphem, OP is indeed right to be concerned about her DC's mental health. However, her refusal to tell the school of these concerns means that her other arguments are somewhat pointless. She's disappeared anyway. The pressure on teenagers is ludicrous.