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Original poster

Mock exam revision

22 replies

terry110 · 23/12/2013 21:21

DD 15 finished school last Friday and I've been trying to encourage her to start revision as she has about 7 mocks in January. She's done nothing so far and says I should lay off asking her, she'll start when she's ready. previous revision attempts have been hard work in recent months, sometimes very ask minute. I know it's Xmas but We've got visitors for nearly the whole holidays and I would love her to get started. any advice on how to motivate her or shall I leave her to it?

OP posts:

MagratGarlik · 24/12/2013 00:08

IMHO I'd say leave her to it. These are her mocks, not her real exams. If she doesn't work and bombs at her mocks, it may give her the shock to realize she won't coast her real exams. Sometimes failure in a 'safe' environment e.g. not final exams can be a good thing (and if she does well regardless, good for her!).

Rosencrantz · 24/12/2013 00:11

There's a lot to be said for not revising for mocks.

The results will show you genuinely where you are, indicate how much work you need to do, and more often than not shock you into pulling your finger out.

Fundamentally, it's her education and it's up to her how much work she does.

lackingimagination · 24/12/2013 00:31

At 15 years old there is no way on earth I would have done any revision over my Christmas holidays for mock exams no matter how much badgering/bribery/punishment my parents used (although they never tried). I got As and Bs in the real exams if that's at all relevant

NoComet · 24/12/2013 00:50

Depending how close to the begini g of term mocks were I might have done some revision the second week of the holidays.

Before Christmas, Not a chance.

I'm glad DDs were before the holiday, although she is now utterly beat.

It's been a very long term, let her unwind.

Luvvies · 24/12/2013 01:10

My son's school (high in the league tables grammar - not boasting I promise, because you'll see how ridiculous this is.....) have in all seriousness advised us that they expect them all to be doing 5 hours a day for 10 days over the holidays. I can kind of see why they get good results, but there's no way my DS is going to go anywhere near his books for at least another week.

Oh and we got a really patronising card with a list of "stressbusters" e.g. "make cookies" "watch a film". There was a whole presentation I had to sit through basically saying what a terrible time it is for them. Yes, it is for some, but they are making it 10 times worse with these expectations.

MrsDavidBowie · 24/12/2013 09:05

Ds is yr 10 and has got loads of homework for Christmas (comprehensive)

He has actually done a lot of it already. Took some down to FIL's on Sunday to keep him busy.

I would have procrastinated, making elaborate revision charts in different colours.

monet3 · 24/12/2013 09:23

Bribery works. £10 for every A

MagratGarlik · 24/12/2013 10:01

Bribery does nothing to encourage self-motivation to learn.

Ge0rgina · 24/12/2013 13:58

I agree with Magrat, if she doesn't want to do it, she'll realise that she needs to do a lot of hard work when the mock results come back, unless she manages to ace them with no revision (you never know!)

But kids never WANT to revise, that's why you do need to press them to do it otherwise they wont, and will regret it!

Rosencrantz · 24/12/2013 14:13

I disagree... Kids do want to revise, when it counts. Clever, bright kids who care about their future will revise for their real GCSEs on their own.

Mocks are a different story.

monet3 · 24/12/2013 16:45

I have a DD doing mocks after Christmas. She is predicted all A* without ever doing a day of revision in her life. We have told her its now time to learn and work hard.
We have had many chats about how important it is to learn as much as possible for the mocks, it will make the GCSEs much easier if its drilled in.

There is one thing that teens want and that is money !! My DD is doing 6 hours a day of revision because she knows there is something more than just a grade sheet waiting for her when the results come in.

Magrat, Money is the motivator for most successful people I know why should it be different for children?

Lomaamina · 24/12/2013 16:49

I'd let her decide for herself, assuming she's generally doing fine, although

FWIW, my DS (yr 11) has had several pieces of homework, some of which comprise simply checking revision folders are up to scratch, others of which require mini-projects, but we agreed he does all he can till the end of the week and then he rests. They've had such a tough term, with another two heavy ones to come. They need to rest so they don't burn out.

(And we're ignoring the HT's exhortations to spend 2/3 of the holiday working ).

MagratGarlik · 24/12/2013 17:04

Monet, I have taught many undergraduates who still do not know how to motivate themselves. Learning becomes easier when you learn intellectual curiosity and the motivation comes from wanting to know more and wanting to learn. This is something that can be inspired by others, but ultimately does not come from bribes.

Further, your assertion that money motivates most successful people surely depends on how you define success. Most university professors would be considered successful, but if money was the only motivation they would do something better paid. Some work that most academics do is even for free (peer review of manuscripts, Editorial board memberships etc). Now, I realise not everyone wants to be an academic, but if your DD aspires to go to university, her lecturers will expect her to have developed a love of the subject and enough intellectual curiosity that she won't need to be coaxed with bribes.

lljkk · 24/12/2013 17:11

I think you'll find the going rate for A* in final exam is about £50 (goes down to £30 for a B). I think £10 for an A in a mock is about right. £5 for an A in mocks.
Grandparents are supposed to do the bribing though, not parents. Grandies better at seeing the big picture.

Rosencrantz · 24/12/2013 17:38

Fifty pound for every A*? Bollocks.

Do I owe my now 21 year old, degree educated DD £600? What about her A grade Alevels? Or her degree?

She got those A*s because I taught her the value of an education as a child. How educating yourself to the highest extent you can achieve is he best way to secure a prosperous opportunity filled future.

Substituting that life lesson for cash is very lazy parenting.

monet3 · 24/12/2013 17:44

I agree with most of what you have said Magrat, but all children are different what works for one does not always work for another. I have one very inquisitive child who loves learning and another that just learns because he has too. With my DD we found that bribing worked, and as a added bonus she is now enjoying the revision to the point where we have to force her to have a break.

You are right about success it comes in many different forms.

TeenAndTween · 26/12/2013 15:04

rosencrantz Clever, bright kids who care about their future will revise for their real GCSEs on their own.
Surely that should be just kids who care about their future will revise for their real GCSEs on their own. ? My DD is not particularly clever nor bright but she does want to do well. It is not only the bright kids who work hard!

I don't think there is a lot wrong with incentivising / bribing revision. However if we do it it will be based on targets met / exceeded not specific grades. These GCSE results are with the youngsters for life, but I can imagine some at 15 needing a more tangible incentive (especially for subjects they are not so keen on).
However if a child needs a lot of pushing to get their GCSEs, then I would question whether A levels would be the right choice for them.

Coconutty · 26/12/2013 15:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

monet3 · 27/12/2013 08:50

With the change to exams modular to linear, tougher content and higher grade boundaries I think its very important to revise for mocks. I find it funny that so many parents dont think they are important.

Roisin · 27/12/2013 09:03

I think how much revision they need to do depends on where they are now (on target or not), how easily they learn and remember things and how much time they've missed off school.

Last year ds1 did very little revision for mocks, but did work hard preparing for his real exams in summer (and did very well). Now he's got AS mocks coming up and knows he needs to do more work for these, so he does intend to do quite a bit this holidays, but he's had a relaxing week off first.

Original poster

terry110 · 08/03/2014 21:12

DD is due to GCSE exams starting in May. All we do is battle as to revision & how she's hardly started And just spends every opportunity to pratt about, she will say anything to do something else. We fight constantly about her lack of commitment and concentration, she's shocking. I know I should let her get on with it but she'll just do nothing and then sit and sob and blame me and call me the most horrible names for her not doing the work. I knew it would be hard but quite frankly it beyond that, I don't know I'll survive til the summer.
Anyone else in the same position? DH just makes it worse.

OP posts:

TheWave · 09/03/2014 10:05

Can you help her chunk it up a bit to get her started? E.g. print out some sections on a topic from, say, BBC bitesize, open a revision book (if you have one) to that page, give her a pad of paper for that subject and say you'll be back to go thru in an hour?

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