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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

Grade 5 theory

106 replies

Floottoot · 31/10/2018 10:19

Just thought I'd start a thread for all those taking grade 5 theory next week.
I've taught DS for it, as I've taken my own pupils through it previously, but it's been surprisingly hard work - maybe because we've tried to do a crash course (I usually spend a couple of terms of more when teaching pupils), or maybe just because teaching your own child is just harder!
He's capable of doing ok, but massively under-practised so I'm worried he'll make silly mistakes, and his actual note writing is scruffy. We haven't looked at terms, other than those he already knows, and certainly no German ones!

Anyone else looking forward to it being over???

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MeltingWax · 31/10/2018 12:33

Me, me! I am looking forward to it being over!

DD is sitting next week. I also feel as though we've rushed it a bit and am wondering why as she won't be sitting a Grade 6 exam until at least this time next year.

She sat Grade 3 theory in the summer session. She should do ok for Grade 5 but she doesn't always read the question properly - ascending instead of descending, with our without key signatures are classic errors for her.

She also hasn't learned any terms and because of other commitments between now and next Tues will have no evenings free in which to sit and look through them properly.

I also have DS sitting Grade 4 theory the same evening (he did Grade 2 theory in the summer). He doesn't know any terms either.

Ho hum.

Original poster

Floottoot · 31/10/2018 13:24

Glad it's not just me, Melting!!
It shouldnt be as hard as it has been! Just to get DS to actually sit and do it for even half an hour is difficult - he finds copying out for things like transposition really tedious ( typical boy, doesn't like writing) and makes the most ridiculous errors, but shrugs them off. Who knows how awful his paper could be, unless he finds some intent between now and Tuesday??
The frustrating thing is that he KNOWS what he needs to do, and is pretty able to do it ..he just doesn't apply himself!

All we need is a pass!

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ILovePandas · 31/10/2018 21:50

Hello floottoot and melting my DD is also doing grade 5 theory on Tuesday too. Prep was going well until half term and then we had a holiday so no practice for the last 10 days and her teacher is on hols till the day of the exam so she’s on her own (I’m no help at all).
Plan is to do another couple of practice papers between now and Tuesday but unfortunately this weekend she’s away with the Guides so no time for practice then either!
Not learnt all the terms either, she either knows them from playing or she doesn’t.

Original poster

Floottoot · 31/10/2018 22:10

Hi, ILovePandas.
I was hoping half term would allow for a bit of a blitz, but it's been the opposite - DS has been catching up with sleep and piano lessons in preparation for his exam towards the end of November ( as well as catching up with some serious PS4 playing...)
I left him to do some writing out, changing from accidentals to a key signature today, and was a bit 😵 to realise that he didn't think to include the key signature again when he went onto a new stave. 😫 It's just a lack of thought, which is SO frustrating!

Is there anything your DD finds particularly tricky? DS is a bit bit and miss with intervals, if he doesn't stick to the plan - he starts thinking in enharmonics and ends up with the wrong interval number.

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Trumpetboysmum · 01/11/2018 06:59

Ilovepandas I’ll see you there !! I’m not sure how ds will do - he should pass but who knows - his piano teacher had words with him last night and went over a few things so maybe that stuck ?!? He doesn’t need to have it as he has grade 5 jazz but he does need to do it if he wants to continue with music seriously.

ILovePandas · 02/11/2018 20:19

Yes trumpet will see you there! There are also some others from school. I’m not entirely sure where it is but hopefully the sat nav will find it.

DD did another paper last night and it went ok but like you all say it’s the silly mistakes that can swing it from a pass to a fail. For instance misreading the question, missing a signature, missing a sharp etc.
Any last minute tips?

Trumpetboysmum · 02/11/2018 20:28

No and we’ve got a busy weekend ( and the school show ) so I thought no ds’s focus is elsewhere !! Did you get the email that the time has changed to 5pm for our centre ?

Trumpetboysmum · 02/11/2018 20:28

Think ds’s focus !!

MeltingWax · 02/11/2018 20:39

Hope everyone's prep is going well. DD was playing in a concert last night & they were told to take a book as there would be some hanging around. I packed her theory book so she could try and learn some terms. She was a bit .

Am fretting now about the logistics for Tuesday. Have to pick the DCs up from 2 different schools and get them all the way across London by 5pm...

Original poster

Floottoot · 02/11/2018 20:41

DS did his first full practice paper today, with mixed results.
He made a few silly mistakes (said a major 3rd was minor, because he didn't take into account the key signature, that sort of thing) and one huge one, which was a transposition question and worth 10 marks - he (correctly but mistakenly) worked out that the original key was minor and tried to transpose from that.

I'm working tomorrow, so it'll be down to him to go over the areas he's making mistakes in.
He's still not breaking a sweat over it...

We've had an email to say that the centre is particularly busy this session, so parents will have to drop off without stopping - I'm a bit worried because I don't actually know where the centre is, and it's a high school, so I could end up dropping DS in completely the wrong part.

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Original poster

Floottoot · 02/11/2018 20:47

Melting, that's my stress too - DS doesn't finish until 4pm and it can take a good 10 minutes for him to appear, and another 15 minutes to get out of the school car park, after which I've got to get across the city ( no idea where I'm going, actually), drop him, hope he finds his way into the exam hall, and get back across the city to pick up DD from a school production rehearsal...and then get back across the city to collect DS after the exam.

Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly for you! We'll both just be relieved if we get our DCs to the exam in time and in one piece!

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MeltingWax · 02/11/2018 20:52

Fingers crossed indeed for favourable traffic/transport and all DCs to be where they need to be in good time!

I was half thinking about picking DD up from school before her last lesson of the day but she is already missing school on Thursday for her piano exam and there are school assessments coming up. Will be very glad when this week is done and dusted.

RomanyRoots · 02/11/2018 20:55

Just come on to say good luck to your dc, it's such a relief when it's done.

ja9r · 02/11/2018 21:02

Nothing really to add... my ds is doing it next week. He's been working so hard in prep. He works harder on music theory than any aspect of school work... because he has a piano teacher who really pushes him... way more than any school teacher does.

I'm not musical at all. He is on his own!

Good luck to all your dc.

Trumpetboysmum · 02/11/2018 21:15

Romany I really hope it is done on Tuesday and he doesn’t have to resist it !! He spends hours a week on music ( just not theory !!)

RomanyRoots · 02/11/2018 21:21

Trumpet

I know, they are all pretty much the same, although mine is becoming more conscientious, taken years with ABRSM syllabus, but other theory seems to get more interest.
I bet you'll see this too.

Original poster

Floottoot · 02/11/2018 21:27

Thanks, Romany.
I have to say, I actually think grade 5 theory was harder when I took it (nearly 30 years ago....eeeeeek!), but I suspect the rest of life was a lot easier than it is colour DCs now - so much else to juggle, in the way of school work, extra curricular activities etc, it's hard for them to find the time needed to really nail it.

I'm praying DS does enough on the day not to have to take it again next term!

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Trumpetboysmum · 02/11/2018 21:33

Me too Floot - but when I booked the exam I’d forgotten how crazy this half term is !!

Original poster

Floottoot · 02/11/2018 21:48

for our DCs now.

Yes, this half term has been bonkers, Trumpet, and the run up to Christmas is worse!

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Lotsofmilkonesugar · 02/11/2018 22:09

Good luck for everyone taking the exam this time🤞They all sound well prepared and I expect any silly mistakes won’t happen on the day as they will concentrate better 🙂 Just don’t let them leave early!!

April2020mom · 03/11/2018 21:14

My stepdaughter is doing her first ever formal piano exam. She is going in for her Grade 1 exam. Good luck everyone! Make sure that they read the question carefully. Remember practice makes perfect.

howabout · 04/11/2018 14:38

Just having a quick catch up on this as I have resolved to be far more diligent with DD3 and theory than I was with DD1 and DD2. DD1 is naturally conscientious so more or less got on with it herself. DD2 had me tearing my hair out and eventually although I had taught her it all I had to come to an agreement with her piano teacher so an outside party could get her to engage with it. I remember the pain vividly Floottoot.

Good luck to all.

Original poster

Floottoot · 04/11/2018 19:58

Thanks for the good wishes!

A couple of quick questions about exam protocol:

Do they have to take their pencils etc into the exam hall in a clear plastic bag?
Can they take bottles of water in with them?

DS has done 3 practise papers this weekend, and done ok on all of them BUT he's driving me mad by making daft mistakes, like not circling answers when the questions asks for it, or ignoring key signatures in some intervals - it's the inconsistency that is frustrating me!

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MeltingWax · 04/11/2018 20:36

Hiya floot - they are allowed to take in bottles of water. I try to avoid giving them a drink because am always paranoid they will spill it over a completed paper. But they did in the summer exam because it was so hot.

In previous exams they have taken in pencils, sharpener, rubber and ruler in a clear plastic pencil case along with their sticker thing to put on the exam paper. I have seen other candidates holding clear plastic bags and even normal pencil cases I think.

Before the last theory exam when he was sitting Grade 2, DS managed to jam his fingers in the toilet door at the exam centre and he could barely hold a pencil .

Original poster

Floottoot · 04/11/2018 21:02

Thanks, Melting. DS has a habit of knocking drinks over, but his school drink bottle is not spill, fortunately!
Your poor DS!! Ouch! Fingers crossed, this exam will be uneventful...

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