New Year 12 starters parent support thread (snappy title eh?)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

here we are.

Ellen, well done to your DS2, that's wonderful.

DS1 had the graphical calculator, no idea why, I rather thought it was for Physics but probably completely wrong. I remember he got it off eBay.

DS1 did Geology rather Geography, he had nice field trips in the Lake District, then they joined up with Geography for a week on France. This annoyed me slightly as it was orginally a cheaper option in the UK when he had signed up to the A level!

I went to Clacton for Biology field trip.

MrSlant don't feel you have to explain your sore arse and its evaluation of homework workload. We're all friends here.

Yes, MrSlant, methinks you protest too much!

MrSlant I hang around the kitchen cleaning things while DS is doing his homework at the dining table. I'm far enough away not to annoy but close enough to see when he's typing furiously which means he's chatting with his mates rather than doing the work he's supposed to be doing. He has form for complaining about how long his homework takes, it would be much quicker if he spent his time actually doing it rather than sharing cat videos.

Ds1 is doing ok so far. They have had one test, he was pleased as he found it easy but has heeded his teachers warning that at some point they will all find something difficult so don't be despondent when it happens. Also that some may find this now and some later.

He has made some new friends already, study periods are being put to good use getting to know each other. Some work has been done but it's early days. Ds1 has said that some of the students from other schools are having to do loads as they used different exam boards for gcse and haven't covered the material in the same depth as those who were at the school. Fortunately the other students are happy to help when asked.

After reading this thread we had a chat about universities and he has booked his first open day! It will be a learning curve for both of us so good to go to one early I think so that we have a few months to get our heads around it.

At university level there's been massive inflation in the quality (and price) of geography field trips. The pinnacle of my geography degree was a coach trip to Galway. Now the same department goes to Majorca. Other departments now go to New York, Cuba, etc. Although I can think of one department where the physical geographers still go to Bangor.

DS is spending Thursday in Manchester (somewhere around the Etihad studying urban regeneration - where there seem to be tonnes of projects) and then Salford Quays. Friday they are in Liverpool and at Ainsdale Beach looking at the sand dune ecosystem.

He is looking forward more to the one he goes on at October half term to Iceland.

I have homework too and work-work. Nothing more motivating than the idea of cleaning the kitchen to get me sitting down with my books!

starfleet I am enrolling on the same geography course as your DS immediately, Iceland! Lucky, lucky things.

DD misses doing geography star Iceland is amazing and so so cool! DDs pictures are out of this world, Food is dire though.

DD is reluctant to go back as her birthday is Wednesday and she's the big 18!

what is she doing for her birthday Fantasy?

ohyou
Going to see bad moms I think or sausage party with friends then on Saturday she'all get one of her presents and we're going out for a family meal.
I think I hid one of her presents in her suitcase rest of them she knows about surprise it's makeup
It's also my birthday on Wednesday!

oh wow - double celebration :) I hope both she and you have lovely days!

Happy Birthday to both you and your DD Fantasy!

I'm quite envious about DS's Iceland trip myself. I've been but it was a very short visit and I didn't get to do anything interesting.

star
I'll bare the HappyBirthday in mind for Wednesday
DD was to a local cinema a black beach and lots of waterfalls it's the land of fire and trolls

Homework is kicking in today, with dd doggedly working through the extension questions. All of a sudden her work is entirely incomprehensible.

Dd has another maths test tomorrow. She's not worried. She's still not getting much in the way of homework and is apparently doing it all in her free periods.

MsMermaid, Can I ask you a question by pm?

DD got a B in one of her English essays but gutted after the A* at GCSE but teacher said that's Max they could get as they didn't have contextual knowledge to get an A. She's such a people pleaser

Kitten I've replied but I'm not very useful I'm afraid.

How is everyone's week going? DD has a test tomorrow on her birthday so is whining but he's told her the question but won't tell them how to structure it?

Ah well. Probably for the best that they're not telling them how to structure it (and thereby what to include and what to argue). Having students arriving at university who feel put out that I expect them to do this themselves makes me very cross.

I think DS is doing fine. He doesn't tell me anything though. He's studying which is presumably a good sign (but I have to leave him to it or he gets annoyed).

step
It's the first time they've done an essay in R.S so to not give any guidance is hard for DD as without a structure she waffles and it makes no sense

Fantasy, she may surprise herself by structuring it really well. I don't know anything about any essay subjects though!

dds week is going well. It's really nice to see her enjoying her work which is so far, much more interesting than gcse. She's getting on well with others. Lunchtimes sound fun :)

It's probably best to get them to structure it themselves though and then help them to improve that. If someone always tells you how to structure it, you won't learn to do it yourself. And, equally, when you give people a structure you prevent them from coming up with something better themselves.

I bet the teacher will be able to help your DD to recognise when she's waffling and to come up with her own strategies for structuring an essay effectively. It's the first essay in A-level so it doesn't need to be perfect at this stage. It should all be about development.

(If she wants a tip for an effective essay structure, the key is in figuring out what her argument is. Once she knows what the main point the essay is making, she can work out what points she needs to establish and in what order to make that argument effectively. It does help to be able to clearly state what your argument is in a sentence or two before you start writing. If nothing else, it helps to stop you waffling off topic. )