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Secondary education

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Original poster

Living in GCSE hell

13 replies

Ooopsadaisy · 15/04/2011 13:58

Is there anyone out there whose DC is revising (or supposed to be) for GCSEs?

Are they getting on with it?

How do you know that they're actually doing it?

Do you get involved or ask any questions?

I am not a pushy Mum at all, but I want DS to do his best and don't want to be an old nag.

I find this really quite stressful. I am a GCSE Mum virgin but will have it all again in a few years with DC2. I want to get it right both times.

Any hints/tips/advice?

OP posts:
Kez100 · 15/04/2011 14:29

Daughter is year 10 and has History (because she is doing it in 1 year) plus science modules and French speaking revision to do. I ask every night how she has got on that day and, I suppose, it's on trust. I think that's OK for her but appreciate they all have different characters!

I do know she did homeworks last weekend straight away so she could concentrate on revision for the rest of the holidays. I just hope it is efficient revision - she wont let me test her or anything, so I don't.

She has a whole day at school next week for History if she wants to go in. I've told her she is going (hope that was the right thing to do - I just feel if the teachers are giving up holiday to help, she should take advantage of it).

ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 15/04/2011 14:34

DD1 is in Year 11 and revising well, tbh. She has made the most beautiful revision notebooks for each of her Science topics ... All we've had to do is supply notebooks and coloured pens! I suspect that so far she's putting off Maths and revising the subjects she prefers but she is certainly far, far more work-focused than I was at that age.

Post it notes; little notebooks; nice pens etc all useful but I suspect more appealing to girls.

BBC Bitesize can be a useful site, if he knows what to look for (eg some of it only relevant to a specific syllabus).

Kez100 · 15/04/2011 14:40

When I did my exams I found revision very difficult and ended up doing lots
Of past papers which gave me confidence and then i would revise the areas i was rubbish at. when I went into the exams i felt well prepared and it was more fun than revision solidly.

crystalglasses · 15/04/2011 14:42

Oh how I longed for a child that did revision! Where did I go wrong? All the shiny pens and notebooks in the world wouldn't have helped. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 15/04/2011 14:45

Crystal - I think we've just been v lucky with dd1 and I suspect that dd2 will be a different beast entirely! Starts stock-piling glittery pens for dd2 in the hope they might just sway her... :)

Original poster
Ooopsadaisy · 15/04/2011 15:11

Glittery pens and sparkly notepads don't really do it for a grumpy, outdoorsy, sporty 14 year old lad, but they might help DD in a couple of years!

I know he has been using Bitesize and was recording some notes onto his ipod Touch to listen to in the car.

He is hating every minute of it.

I just don't know how much he is actually doing or how much of it is of any quality.

He has all the potential in the world but is a very reluctant academic (except Maths where he loves the challenge and finds it disgustingly easy).

And don't even mention 6th form to him .........

OP posts:
ColonelBrandonsBiggestGroupie · 15/04/2011 15:16

Ooh I'll tell you what then - if he will help dd with Maths, she can help him with English/Science/Geography/French! :)

Brilliant idea to have stuff on i-pod.

teenidentity · 15/04/2011 15:16

Are they still going out with their friends during the day?

I ask because ds has been holed up in his room for three days this week, supposedly revising but I think he feels his missing out and his friends are probably out enjoyuing the sunshine...

Original poster
Ooopsadaisy · 15/04/2011 15:22

teenidentity - I think all his mates are really trying to revise. None of them have been out much. Knowing them as I do (having watched them all from nappies to enormousness) I know they must all be hating it.

I feel really sorry for them. I'd hate to be a teenager again. No-one gave a stuff about my O'Levels (back in the day!) but there seems to be so much pressure on dcs now.

He's out fishing today so getting plenty of fresh air.

OP posts:
Yellowstone · 15/04/2011 15:50

Ooopsadaisy I'm in exactly the same position. DS2 is 15 and due to start his GCSE's in four weeks time.

I'm not a virgin: three DDs and a DS have taken theirs in the past few years but none displayed this DS's reluctance or inability to get down to it. I'm not pushy in the least either but he's bright like yours and I'm really loathe to see him mess up. Very good predictions but he's way behind them right now.

Advice? None! As far as my own DS goes, nagging will be counter-productive I know. He has been a bit better since last Monday when I said absolutely no more sleepovers until after exams and also that Facebook and the X-Box were both under serious threat.

He's done about five hours a day since then, in fits and starts. Interspersed with X-box and football. I feel sorry for him really, he's got my level of revision concentration (that of a gnat).

Original poster
Ooopsadaisy · 15/04/2011 16:05

Yellowstone - so how did you handle the older dcs? Did they just knuckle down to their revision?

DS also has very good predictions and he is almost there according to his teachers/reports.

I have offered to sit and help organise notes. ("Don't touch my stuff!")

I have offered to make flashcards for French. ("Don't treat me like I'm 2 years old!")

I have offered to sit and debate Geography topics (my area of interest) and Literature (my area of academic success). ("Just leave it, will you?")

What else can I do without becoming the Mum from hell?

OP posts:
Yellowstone · 15/04/2011 16:24

Ooops looks like we're not in the same position: I'd be much less concerned if my DS was 'almost there'. He's been far too relaxed and distracted for almost a year. So have faith!

The older ones all had different ways of doing revision but they all got down to it by themselves and none flogged themselves either - but they were steady and they started way before this one has (finally) done.

My only help was domestic: providing food and drink and attempting to keep the noise in a very noisy house down. Could never do much about the noisy neighbours though, except hope for torrential rain!

When the actual exams came around I did also pick up after morning exams and drop off for afternoon ones which I think helped when exams were back to back. But of course that's not an option for most working mums.

Good luck, it really doesn't sound too bad!

gingeroots · 15/04/2011 20:11

Sympathies to you all guys ,hell it is .....and then when they've finished in early June ,what do you do with them?
Lots of shared angst on this thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/teenagers/1166377-JESUS-CHRIST-anyone-else-got-a-reluctant-16yr-old-GCSE-student?pg=15

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