GCSE '18s (20) - half term beckons!

[mmmz]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3355907-gcse-18s-19-new-beginnings

YANBU - the comments aren't exactly motivational!!!!
So she lost his exam paper AND writes flippant comments. Teaching doesn't seem to be her strong point

Is it worth seeing LS dept too at parents evening (you may know them already). DS found them really useful in similar situation. She tried to get him changed to a different set and when that didn’t happen (only because teacher in that set left) was v proactive in trying to iron out some of the issues. Different subject but similar issues.

Thanks very much all.

Bluebelle good point about being clear what I want to get out of it. As it’s a regular parents’ evening we obviously want to get an idea of DS’s progress in maths so far. If there’s a problem (and hopefully there isn’t) he/we need to know quickly while there’s still (just) time to change.

Beyond that, from the HoD I want to know when they set, if he can be placed in a lower set where the pace is slower (and asking questions/for further explanation is tolerated) and I’m going to ask that if at all possible he isn’t taught by this particular teacher.

From the teacher I want to know if she’s found the missing half of his paper yet! And to communicate to her that DS finds her unapproachable when he’s struggling with something. I’m quite happy to point to the comments on his paper as examples of why that might be the case. She’s also said that when they’re not getting something it’s because they’re not putting the hours in and I will assure her that I know for a fact that DS is (he spends ages on maths at home) so it’s not for want of trying.

Does that all sound ok?

Yes Oratory we’re going to speak to LS as well.

Cherry that all sounds really good......when talking to the teacher I would start with how hard DS is working at home on maths and his desire to do well, hopefully this will put him in a good light and so the rest she may be more willing to take on board....just a thought
Good luck!!!

Good idea Bluebelle, I’ll do that. Thanks!

Yes good luck !

YADNBU! The only thing I would say is that this teacher is beyond reform, so I wouldn't waste my breath with her (unless its satisfying, of course!).

I wouldn't be speaking to the HoD alone after something like that either, but rather requesting a joint meeting with the head of the sixth form and the head of maths. Not a 10 minute one either. Your DS needs to be put in a new class NOW, and ... btw they have a rogue teacher.

TBH, in your shoes, I'd be getting out the heavy weaponry. He's doing A levels!! This is not the time for the school to

Whistl unfortunately maths teachers are in serious short supply, this is what I tell myself when I think about the maths teachers at DS's school!

Bluebelle I know, but even for sixth form? Not every teacher can teach the sixth form so wouldn't it be the better ones who do it?

Am I being naive? (Doubting myself)

There's really a drastic shortage of maths teachers. I would do as Bluebelle advised and push strongly for a move to a set with a different teacher. I think that's the best outcome. Definitely talk to the HoD about what's gone wrong because they will follow it up (lesson observations, asking to look at marked work, keeping a record of feedback.)

How did it go, Cherryburn?

I think I may have used the phrase "You Muppet" in some written feedback I gave earlier this week. Now donning my flak jacket.

I'd love to be able to use 'you muppet' but sadly I don't think I can get away with it!
Currently likely to be very late for work owing to complete suspension of my branch of district line and trying an 'alternative' route. Was very tempted not to go in at all as no lessons but trying plan B!
DS has a psychology test today, which he isn't looking forward to apart from the fact that it marks the end of the research methods topic!

Morning all! Sorry not to update last night-we went for a burger on the way home and it was quite late by the time we got back!

Not a satisfactory outcome on the maths test issue. Teacher and HoD had clearly closed ranks and rewritten history (so apparently there was never any suggestion that DS hadn’t completed the second half of the test, or had deliberately not handed it in...) but both were adamant that the teacher can’t have lost it. So I (and DS) said that he was equally sure he’d handed it in and we’d have to agree to differ. I don’t think it was ever going to be anything other than that, unless it had turned up in the meantime.

On the changing teacher thing, HoD said that she’ll be teaching the top set. So thankfully there’s no danger that DS will have her! When I said that DS found her unapproachable and unwilling to help he said ‘she does like to push her students hard’. Err...righto.

Teacher herself acknowledged that she does go through things at speed, and could be better at the tech (they all have iPads so her working could be sent straight to them-this is how his other maths teacher does it) which would allow DS (and others) to listen rather than try to frantically copy down what she’s doing at the same time. I got the impression she won’t be making any serious attempts to change though. But as DS will only have her for another few lessons it won’t affect him. And the top set will probably cope with (and probably relish) the pace.

Rest of the evening was great. Really positive feedback from all his other teachers (including other maths teacher), high test scores and all of them commented on his positive attitude/engagement in class/that he was a pleasure to teach. Which at least reassured me that my enthusiastic, determined, lovely son hadn’t morphed into a lying shirker with an attitude problem since starting sixth form (sorry, I needed to get that off my chest!)

Ah, well the positive you can take from that is that at least he won't have her long term....and whilst you feel that your point wasn't fully taken on board about the missing paper etc, at least you stood your ground. Also your comments to the HoD regarding the math's teachers approach will hopefully have sewn a seed

Sticker - I think a lot of adults who read the comment 'You muppet' on their work would take it in the spirit it is intended and have a chuckle to themselves

I guess the missing paper will never be officially found. If the teacher discovers it later, in a bundle of other papers, maybe, or under a folder, she won't want to lose face by owning up to it.

Good news that your DS is to be taught by someone else.

DS always found maths incredibly easy. At GCSE, he'd typically learn in a lesson what the teacher would take a week to teach and have the class practice, and he finished test papers in half the alloted time but still get 98%+ almost all the time.
However, in his new school, the pace is extremely fast, and DS is find it a challenge to keep up. Moreover, he had a maths test recently where there was a question he couldn't do (unless he spent half the time on it and then didn't get half the others done).

TBH, I am surprised by just how big a step up A levels are. Every single year, from year 1 onwards, teachers would always tell me that DS would be challenged the following year because "next year is a big step up", but it never was. So, i stopped believing them when they said it. But this time, it was a big step up!

I’m guessing it’s a combination of step up and new school at the same time whistl. The pace will be geared at students targeting A/A* s and maths degrees and will potentially be teaching beyond the curriculum too. Would be interesting to know if it would have been such a big step at the old place. I hope he is enjoying the challenge and your able to keep his confidence up - he is still brilliant at maths just within a group of people also brilliant at maths.

I’m slightly non plussed (but also delighted) that DS doesn’t seem to be finding it too difficult at the moment, even in the faster paced FM group (although next report may be revealing as they’ve had end of topic tests this week when he is also exhausted). Ed Psych report said he was bright and we had been waiting for him to develop the maturity and skills to overcome (or work around) his spld - but where’s his older sister did this gradually, moving up the sets from year 6/7 onwards, he seems to done it almost overnight pre gcse s !!?? I thought his gcse results were just the result of endless practise (learning by doing) and one on one help and he has historically struggled at the start of a new year/new teacher and when he is v tired but not so this year. It is fascinating. He has been lucky in he has kept some good teachers who knew him from last year and ‘get’ him so that helps - some if his gcse teachers were in the cherryburn maths category. And increased confidence may help too I guess and being more willing to work when it is not such a struggle. Sorry for the ramble but it’s a startling turn around

whistl yes I think you’re right that the paper will never reappear, even if it turns up!

And I agree with Oratory that your DS’s school will probably be going beyond the curriculum and throwing in some ‘challenger’ questions amongst the run-of-the-mill stuff. It must feel strange to him to be faced with questions he can’t do immediately but it will stand him in great stead for university (and STEP if he’s going for maths)

Oratory it must be great to watch your DS grow into himself like that. It’s probably a combination of all the things you mention, but I do think confidence/belief plays a disproportionate role in achievement (assuming the potential is there) and it’s fantastic that he’s made such a positive start.

DS stays in touch with the boy who sat next to him at his old school. The boy is doing FM.

The pace is much slower at the old school. They spent the first 2 weeks recapping stuff learned for GCSE and they take a lot longer to cover each topic.

In addition, DS is preparing for IIMR next month and has some project work, plus lots of extra clubs and attending talks etc. So, its not as if the new school is working towards A levels all the time.

At this rate, either the old school is going to run out of time for covering the curriculum, or the new school is going to be finished months early.

Or old school will just teach the mark scheme and new school will teach maths. DD2 applied for an academic sixth form with a high Oxbridge success rate where the attitude was very much teachers teach more or less what they wanted to teach to inspire the pupils in their subject and as a by product of that the (very bright) students did enough to get their A/A* s but this wasnt the main focus of the two years.

Thanks Cherryburn yes it’s lovely and I agree confidence is a big factor (that and he actually wants to work now)

I guess for those that aren’t stretched at sixth form there will be a bigger step up at uni