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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Oh joy! I made DS1 cry this morning

13 replies

Ormirian · 28/02/2011 13:40

Had to take his options from back today. He had filled in all the blocks save one - he intended to do art, I wanted him to do Resistant Materials. He wants to be an engineer so I though RM would be most useful.

He couldn't make his mind up. Ended up in floods of tears. I have been nagging him a bit much I think. Have already conceded that he will do Music instead of German so don't think it unreasonable to expect him to compromise.

Shit! I hate this

OP posts:

Hassled · 28/02/2011 13:43

I remember it being a nightmare with DS1 and DD. Art GCSE is bloody hard though unless you have lots of natural talent - but having said that DS1 did RM and it was very very dull. It's such a big deal for them to have to cope with at such a relatively young age.

If it helps, I made DS2 cry yesterday and felt like shit afterwards too.

Original poster

Ormirian · 28/02/2011 13:56

Is it dull? That surprises me.

Oh well.... in the end I told him to go and speak to his tutor. I know it's a bit late but he needs advice.

Poor lad He just seemed so little at that moment.

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GrendelsMum · 28/02/2011 14:02

So he wants to do music and art?

That sounds to me like quite a lot of coursework where there's a lot of emphasis on natural talent, iyswim.

I remember sobbing away over A-level decisions - it was so bad that I met my cousin's wife YEARS later, and the first thing she asked was what I'd done for A-level in the end!

Original poster

Ormirian · 28/02/2011 14:12

He has natural talent re music but not so sure about art.

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elena1975 · 28/02/2011 14:23

RM is the most atrociously awful waste of time ever.

If you ask my ds, that is.

He utterly loathes it (it was his 12th choice for GCSEs). They spend hours and hours discussing the difference between different types of screws and nails and he spent about a year making a pen holder. What was John Lewis invented for if not to buy a pen holder if you really want one?

ajandjjmum · 28/02/2011 14:25

DD and DS both did Resistant Materials at GCSE and loved it. There was a heavy focus on their coursework though.

Kez100 · 28/02/2011 14:49

I think he should choose. He is the one that has to do the work. I might send a child to discuss engineering and option choices with the careers advisor (so any change of heart comes from the child themselves) but to make him pick a subject he doesn't want to do. How on earth will he find the motivation to achieve his best?

irregularegular · 28/02/2011 14:57

If he wants to do engineering then he will need to do A-levels in Maths and Physics. I don't think other subjects will make much difference (except obviously he should do English, one language, one humanity, two sciences at GSCE). If he wants to do music and art for the others, then let him.

Resistant materials is just jumped up woodwork and metal work as far as I can tell.

Original poster

Ormirian · 28/02/2011 15:06

Thanks everyone.

Kez- I was hoping his desire to be an engineer would motivate him but sounds as if rm isn't as relevant as I thought...

Irregular - his intention is to try for an apprenticeshiP after GCSEs

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C4ro · 28/02/2011 15:14

My parents made me do Music GCSE very much against my wishes when I wanted to do Economics, Politics, Sociology. I'm sure they had the best of intentions but I loathed the teacher, loathed the musical instruments I felt forced to learn and had no motivation for it at all. I got thrown out of that class but was allowed to sit the exam- resulting in one of my lowest grades.
If he has all the normal GCSE like Maths/ Physics covered for his engineering, then let him go for Art; he has a case that good design/ drawing skills is also part of the requirement for engineering.

Original poster

Ormirian · 28/02/2011 16:13

Thanks everyone.

He decided to go for RM. Not prompting from me or his tutor.Hope it's the right thing to do. He's really stressed about it all.

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mmsmum · 02/03/2011 11:27

What do you mean no prompting from you? You just said had him in tears over it. Art would also be useful for engineering as he may want to draw bridges, engines, buildings etc

I would give DC my opinion and as much guidance as I could but at the end of the day they are the ones putting all the work in every day for the next two years

Original poster

Ormirian · 02/03/2011 11:39

I mean he opted for it without talking to his tutor which is what he was going to do. I hadn't been nagging him in the sense of tell him what to do, I just pointed out that he needed to think really hard and that RM might be a better option for the career he wanted - he knew it really and that was what was upsetting him. Head v heart, not just mummy v heart iyswim.

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