Year 11 GCSE exam support thread 3 - the exam weeks

[HSMMaCM]

New thread for those of us starting the exams.

Keep calm everyone.

Mine is now foraging. No idea what she will find...

I have just had to email a teacher at DS1's school-only about the yearbook, she replied from her Iphone within 5 minutes. Tomorrow would have done.

Hello, DD is doing her GCSEs but she is so secretive about it all I can't tell if she is actually doing any revision. I am trying not to worry or nag. It's silly, but I am worried she is not panicking enough. Apparently they have done loads of revision in free periods at school. Hmm!!

I just asked her about multi-choice exams: they have them for science and textile exams, she says.

I thought DS1 would be panicking more. Still time I guess but he seems to have it all under control as far as i can tell. it's hard Dogs, you want to know what's what but you aren't allowed to ask.

Nope, parents are not allowed to show any interest at all - unless she can't find something, then it's an emergency and WHY haven't I seen her art folder?

As an exam invigilator/reader/scribe I thought I'd just pop on here to wish everyone's DC's all the best. I see year on year how stressed they all get, but the one thing I tell my students just before they enter the exam room is "do your best, and if you do your best you've done grand whatever the outcome."

Oh don't Dogs, that sounds soo familiar. I had to get him another Scientific calculator as he couldn't find his and then lo and behold there it was. So now he has 2.

He has forgotten to hand in every slip I have sent back to school in the last month too. No time apparently.

Good advice from Drama.
I've told mine my principal objective is that none of them commit suicide during their teens. Any exam results will be a bonus....... None of it ever matters as much as you think at the time although their friend who says he may choose not to turn up as that is better than poor results is probably being foolish.

Littleham, I really think your DD is my DD's secret twin

Foraging is done by DS here who still fuels up for his growth spurt (he tells me).

DD has done 2 past papers for Biology today and refuses to do anything for French. Merde

"do your best, and if you do your best you've done grand whatever the outcome."

That would really enrage her. DD hates any pep talk. (She does like a silent hug though)

All I said was "Leave 5 mins earlier for the bus, so you don't have to run and risk falling again"

coffee yes some don't like 'pep talks', but I know my students do cos they're studebts I work with all the rest of the year as a TA and they have such low expectations of themselves and low confidence in 'succeeding' that they need a little boost!

It's always heartbreaking for me when I see some of them fall to pieces and forget things or struggle - every ounce of my being wants to give them a little nudge in the right direction of the answer but I have to abide by the rules of the examination and can't!! It kills me a little inside, but they won't have me to nudge them in the big wide world so I have to just let them be and try to keep them as calm as possible. Many of them worry about what their parents will say if they get a low grade as many don't have the most supportive parents - I feel it's good for them to know that "Mrs Drama" is proud of them before and after each exam at least.

Excuse my typos - stupid phone and fat fingers!

Uh oh. 1st exam tomorrow and 1hr ago " mum you know that wiggly line I saw when I had a migraine last year". ....

So packed her off to bed with 2 pink migraleve. Fingers crossed.

Glad to know someone else has a similar dd Coffee Au secours, quelle horreur She also hates pep talks, any parental intervention and God forbid that I should hug her! She does like treats.

Panic attacks from dd's year group today (not dd). She said some were genuine and the others got caught up in it.

Oh no Theas. Hope not.

Revising with help from the guinea pig.

HSM that is so cute!

Hi everyone.

We're also going through GCSEs at the moment.

Like a couple of others up-thread, DS3 also got stuck on the 'vocational' question in RE. He guessed (wrongly) at what it meant and managed to write something, so maybe, even if the answer is 'wrong', he might get something for trying..... [lives in hope]

Drama, I fully understand that. I feel for you seeing them struggle because they are too nervous and lack confidence.

As a teacher, I've said those words many times.

My DD is a bit of a rebel, she knows she has to do these exams, but hates them. The lack of creativity, results are checked via mark schemes and all that matters are ticked boxes, regurgitating stuff.
I told her many times she should go into politics and change it all.

Thanks for the new thread HSM. Haven't managed to read all posts as there are so many of them!

Ds handed in his art today so that's all done now. Forever. Also no more ethics. Ever. He's glad to see the back of that one. Said he thinks it went well.

He only has biology tomorrow so been looking at that this evening. So, day 1 done, just another 19 to go...

another one going through it, I am far more stressed that ds, though! although I was rostered for a 12 hour shift, and was so busy, I didn't get a chance to dwell.

RE was 'OK', they had questions about 'stuff' apparently!
20 minutes ago, I had to get him to turn off his light, he was reading Game of Thrones. (again) I like to think it's revision for Biology tomorrow...

Can I join too?

DS1 had RS and Algebra award thing yesterday. He really enjoyed the Algebra. He has two of his three least favourite subjects today: French and Biology. It's the French listening paper (or French guessing paper as he calls it).

He doesn't seem to get nervous, unlike me.

He has a stock of his favourite things for breakfast to tempt him in the mornings. I'm mostly anxious about him being on time for the exams as he has absolutely no concept of the passage of time and is late for everything.

He has so many exams. He doesn't finish until June 19th. I shall be a nervous wreck by the end of it.

Hope all goes smoothly today for everyone.

I'm in. Hello everyone. [grins] well this is fun isn't it?

'only' RE for DD yesterday as we'll and biology today. We are OK if it's genetics or tissues, but stuffed otherwise apparently.

DD officially left school last week (tears, yeabooks (wtf?) and hugging the headteacher) and only allowed in for revision classes and to take exams. Brilliant school though as they provide a free breakfast every day for exam takers, so no hasty croissant-needed.

DD's (very clever) friend around yesterday to revise Biology but I'm not sure that sitting at the kitchen table talking about their mates and what they will do at the Reading festival counts?

DD found another possibly welcome revision avoidance technique yesterday pm: a complete overhaul of the disgusting pit bedroom that was so full of crap that we couldn't get in to clean. She emerged triumphant at 5pm with a dustbin liner of stuff that had been wedged under her bed, desk, knicker drawer for ever. Oh, and finally put into the washing basket the knee deep pile of clothes that filled the entire floor space. Pity that the washing machine broke yesterday and we will be mountaineering over it on the landing u til further notice. But on the bright side we can see the carpet.
June 16th is our last exam. It's calm so far , well as long as there is 'bloody food in this bloody house!' , but expecting the obligatory Maths meltdown at some point. That's always something to look forward to.

My ds had the edexcel L3 algebra award yesterday too, I was very nervous about it as it is something his school suggest able students could do themselves at home and they would provide the entry and exam space. He has been working really hard to learn it and has had some help from a tutor, he turned out to be the only one in the school doing it so he had two invigilators and a whole hall to himself. He said it was really easy so either he did do it and do well or he has completely messed it up. It's a pass or fail thing at least, no grades.

French and Biology here today too.

My lovely young boy is sitting french and biology exams today. He's sat up in bed revising refusing breakfast! The fact that he's not hungry is very very worrying. I've got my fingers crossed for him and for everyone else. .....