How are you going to help your exam years DC stay motivated?

[muminthesummer]

This is really worrying me. DS is year 11 so just had GCSES cancelled. He's already had a lot of self isolating before Christmas and I feel like he's already getting a bit bored with home learning. I'm dreading months of it and keeping him on track as I'm well aware that everything he does could count towards his final grade, but without the actual exam to aim for it's not going to be easy.

Just to add, he's pretty independent and doesn't really like me being involved with his work and probably won't really listen to me anyway.

What were his plans for after GCSEs?

My DD is planning to do A levels next academic year. I've spoken to her about maintaining a "work" ethic because the jump in standards/work level between GCSEs and A levels is meant to be quite high.

Because she is also hoping to go to uni we have also talked about "self-directed" learning in that as a GCSE student she has been expected to manage her time in a way that you don't usually do until you are in university. I've really "bigged" it up to her how well she is doing with a lot of praise.

If that fails I am prepared to resort to bribery 😀

DS is doing full online lessons as he knows all the effort will go towards his CAGs. Luckily he's staying at the same school for A Levels but I've encouraged him to read/watch some 'fun stuff' in the subjects he's planning on studying. Currently reading The Body by Bill Bryson.

What is your DS's plan after GCSEs?

He wants to stay on and do A'Levels too then university. He's logging on and going through the motions I think, but I'm worried that he seems pretty bored already!

I have one year 13 and one year 11.

We are fortunate that their schools are doing a lot of love online lessons.

We have talked about how the school expects them to continue to improve between now and May, and that their assessment will depend not only on what they have already done, but on what they do over the next few months.

They get that, and dd had her mocks before Christmas and is desperate to improve in 2 subjects, as she wants to to one for A level.

So I wonder if giving him some kind of mark schedule - current average and space to add on asignments and tests to see if the average is maintained or improved.

By reminding her regularly that her teachers will decide her grades so she has to work hard in every lesson, every homework, every test etc. No slacking off and then pulling out all the stops with last minute revision!

I have a year 11 DD, a year 13 ds and a ds in his final degree year. So awful for all of them for different reasons.

The motivation is life beyond his exams!
Does he want to be broke? Homeless? Not on the course of his dreams? My parents pointed all his out lovingly. They told stories of those they knew who had thrown it all away... point out that they can’t live off you forever and working hard now is really important to ensure the next step (whatever that is for your child: a levels, college, apprenticeship etc). This is loving parenting. ... we will help all we can but YOU need to take ownership of your future now.

I know there’s no exams... but life beyond the teacher assessment is the motivation. Impressing the teachers is his goal.