making choices for S4 - play to your strengths, right?

[LunasSpectreSpecs]

DS is in S3, they have started talking about making their choices for S4 and Nat 5s. He's taking 9 subjects at the moment and will drop to 7 for Nat 5. The two subjects he wants to drop are French and Design and Manufacture (think that's what it's called). Got the first choices sheet last week and both of these are in the same column, so he may have to keep one.

He hates French and although enjoys Design and Manufacture, is struggling with the "arty" design side. In French he's doing very well - got the S2 award last year as one of the 15 best in the year of 200 odd. He knows what he wants to do for Highers and what sort of degree he wants to do, neither of these two are really relevant and will be dropped at the end of S4 regardless.

My feeling is that at this stage it's about playing to your strengths - take French even though you don't enjoy it and secure a good pass, instead of taking something you're likely to struggle with. But apparently I "don't understand" and "am ruining his life".

I'd speak to the guidance teacher. Sometimes they are able to change things round. This happened with one of my dc's as there was enough demand.

Perhaps look at SQA website for a more detailed account of the courses. He might see that a strong talk grade for French is marks in the bag and takes pressing off allowing him to concentrate on subjects that he’s less of a natural at. He could also see how much the “arty” element counts for too.

But that won’t change the fact that you know nothing, don’t understand, don’t appreciate the magnitude...

Another point in French's favour is that I did it to first year Uni level so could in theory help (should DS get over the impression that i'm a numpty who knows nothing). Couldn't help with Design and Manufacture.

We have a parents' evening in a couple of weeks so will talk to the teachers concerned then, and try to catch his guidance teacher.

My DS took French and hated it and stressed all year and failed it. He was doing really well in it before S4. there is a big jump and yes he should play to is strengths but a year doing something they hate can be a hard slog.

Teachers (ime) will always sell their subject so unless he is completely useless, they will recommend he takes their subject - keeps them in a job!

I'd be looking at what other subjects he has and how much there is to do in terms of the assignments and exams so as to not overload.

Being a numpty even when you know the subject is de rigeur for you as a parent

I have a degree in French albeit from over 30 years ago but the fact that I can't remember every word or know the French for words like "laptop" or "router" means I "know nothing " I was only allowed given one day to help ds with his Oral French for his Nat 5. He made massive progress over that day - but if only he'd let me work with him earlier. He wouldn't let me work with him for his Aural either (I think he ended up with a C but he might have got a B but as I said to him, I'm not bothered by his actually result, except I knew he was capable of an A ) (He's now in S6 so that's why I'm vague as his Nat 5 results have been superseded by his Higher results)

If your ds ends up needing to do one of those two subjects, can you sell it to him that doing French (or any foreign language) has been shown to improve Mathematic skills? That has the rare quality of actually being true!

Up to him ultimately You can only advise

Wax I agree, one of the perks of being an English teacher is that we are mutually stuck with each other. No hard sell at S3 parent’s night required. Even the small percentage that don’t take English in S5 doesn’t impact on staffing levels.

Though I ‘d (maybe perversely) worry that a teacher who didn’t wax lyrical about their subject and its virtues was jaded, scunnered or disliked my DC.

What's your DS like when he has to do a subject he doesn't like (and doesn't need it going forward)? My DD has to do French to national 5 but hates it and doesn't need it afterwards. She's hard working and driven so will get a good grade. My DS2 also hated French, is of similar ability to his sister but wouldn't have worked and would have got a C at best. He dropped it and did something he liked (got an A).

Lots of uni courses don't even consider national 5 results when making offers (except for the minimum English/Maths entry criteria) - just giving offers based on Highers achieved or predicted.

If it were my DC and they were on track for mostly As with an odd B in their other 6 subjects then I'd be okay with them doing one thing they liked even if they were slightly better at something else.

Saying that I'm a big fan of studying a MFL (have an French Higher myself). Also I was a bit surprised at the uni subjects where they preferred a MFL e.g. History at St Andrews; English Literature at Edinburgh even if it wasn't a formal requirement.

Though I ‘d (maybe perversely) worry that a teacher who didn’t wax lyrical about their subject and its virtues was jaded, scunnered or disliked my DC.

:o :o

I'm just remembering meeting the science teachers at end of S3 who said to DS2 that he'd do well at all sciences but would recommend Physics (obviously as she was the physics teacher) He took Chemisty (failed it) failed Maths too - should have taken Biology... he would have failed Physics.

Though I ‘d (maybe perversely) worry that a teacher who didn’t wax lyrical about their subject and its virtues was jaded, scunnered or disliked my DC

HeHe. I've been to see the same social science teacher for all 3 of my DC. She didn't wax lyrically about her subject for my DSs but did for my DD. I thought she'd just regained the love of her subject but she was actually trying to persuade my DSs not to choose her subject- it worked a treat.

Looking ahead if he knows which university and course he wants then it is worth checking whether a language GCSE is required. I believe Edinburgh does for all degrees, St. Andrews for Arts Faculty degrees.

He's unsure of University at this stage - is talking loftily about Oxbridge but to be honest I don't think he's got the work ethic for it. We have friends whose son is there and I saw how hard he worked through all of secondary and how hard he's working now and then I see DS still in the "doing the bare minimum" mentality.

He's looking at something medical but not medicine. Biochemistry, Immunology, Biomedical Science, that sort of thing. For Higher wants to do English, Maths, Biology, CHemistry and Geography. When I was at school a language was compulsory until the end of S4 so this wasn't even an option - languages were my strong point and I did two, but everyone did at least one.

St Andrews doesn't require a Nat 5 language for Arts Faculty degrees in general. Obviously, if you are wanting to study a MFL it is a bit different...

Edinburgh does not have a general MFL Nat 5 requirement unless you count English.

My lot had similar dilemma and opted for graph comm over French. One consideration is that it is pretty easy to study French independently to get to Nat 5 level if you have done it up to S3 but would be harder to do this with Design and Manufacture.

Sounds like it is not a make or break decision so I would go with letting your DS decide for himself. Going to have to get used to that very soon anyway and he won't be blaming you if he ends up wishing he'd done otherwise.

pick the subjects that you need for the career/course you want to do. If you do not like these subjects or are not good at them, then you may need to re-evaluate your career choices.

Eg if you want to be a vet but hate biology, then you may not be accepted to vet school!

It needs to be something he enjoys or he won’t want to work for it.

I got top 5 score in the UK in my GCSE French but didn’t take it to A level because I didn’t enjoy it. I did maths and 3 sciences instead and found them easy because I enjoyed them. My French teacher was horrified.

That's interesting about the language requirement for degree courses - DD at the moment is adamant she's not going to take a language, although I have pointed out that if she drops languages now it will be hard to pick up again.

We're also trying to get her to see past the fact that she only gets to take 6 subjects (2 compulsory so only 4 choices) and the school are planning to move to 7 for future years. Trying to get her to concentrate on what subjects she might want to take to Advanced Higher.

OOAOML would focus on keeping some breadth rather than Advanced Higher options. With 5 Higher options in 5th year and 4 subject Higher / Advanced Higher options for 6th year it is good not to block off choices (eg doing one social science Higher in 5th gives option to crash 2nd and do Advanced Higher in 1st. Drop social sciences at Nat 5 and you can do neither).

Thanks howabout there's going to be an opportunity for us to talk to the school which we're going to take up, because you're right, we don't want her closing off options. I'm also keen for her to justify why she's making certain choices, as it all feels very random at the moment. I do instinctively feel dropping all her languages now is a mistake as they would be harder to pick up again after a break. There just doesn't feel like much room to keep breadth, but then I'm looking at this as a middle aged woman who went through a totally different system.

My DS is looking at computing and engineering for Uni. None of the Unis in Scotland have a requirement for a MFL for any of the 100s of courses he has looked at, none of them even ask for Higher English. Some have specified English at Nat 5 C and above.