GCSEs 2018 (5 & a puppy, but no kittens)

[Stickerrocks]

Here we go again.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3177476-GCSEs-2018-4-already

Not out of the woods yet Loose only on here can I express my concerns I have for her GCSEs, mainly English. Her writing speed and general timing issues is of a huge concern. We have talked about starting from the middle of back of the paper as that is where the higher mark are, but I may as well talk to a brick wall. She also struggles with English content. I think she may actually fail, her current prediction is a 2/3 !

Got to go, back later

Thanks for the really useful advice and best wishes to all for a calm productive Easter holiday and thoughts with those unwell.

Oddsocks15, don't the teachers say that the rule of thumb is a point per minute? So, if 8 marks are available, then schedule 8 minutes. Maybe I'm confusing subjects but I thought that was the advice.

@Oddsocks15 I know its only 6/7 weeks until exams but would your DD buy in to a tutor for a few weeks - this may make all the difference to change a grade 3 into a 4 (that's if there is an affordable local tutor). I found DD's French tutor made a difference in just a few weeks - 121 time is invaluable (unless the school are doing this). We are paying £15 per hour which seems to be at the lower end of tutor rates - but DD's tutor is fairly young and very inspiring.

OK, got DS out of bed to discuss artwork. We have a plan. Revision timetable done. DS1 now hiding again!

One of my friends on Facebook posted this ...

www.facebook.com/JayShettyIW/videos/1995740577407064/?hc_location=ufi

My friend just sent me this:

www.theguardian.com/education/2018/mar/30/advice-to-revise-7-hours-a-day-for-gcses-over-easter-unbelievable

It's a bit of an odd article. I'm not sure they quite know what point they're trying to make. DD and I have read it and concluded that revision over Easter = good / 7 hours = unnecessary. Not that there was any chance of that happening here anyway

We did have words this morning because while she's still full of good intentions it's always "later" or "in a minute" or "when I've finished this video" or "I was just literally about to start in the next five seconds" This last one when I finally lost my patience after an hour of this, and removed her phone.

She's got it back now but is revising (and I've put the phone under a sheet of paper as advised by the Guardian!)

Hmm I only saw the headline which has been all over twitter and facebook (must read the article later) but I thought the 7 hours reference was unhelpful. And we have to remember Barnaby Lennon was head at Harrow so not exactly your average expectations !!

Had to laugh this morning - got back from shopping to find DS half way through a paper, then he realised he hadn't put his clock back from last week so thought it was 9 when he woke up when it was only 8 !! Just given me an idea ;)

I'm trying to negotiate with DS that he has 5 full days off this holiday, but to compensate he should do 5 hours per day when he's working. Negotiations have ground to a halt because today is one of the days off and he is adamant that there can be no intrusion into his day with anything remotely to do with GCSEs, including working out what other time he can have off.

Let's just say that he takes his downtime extremely seriously It does not bode well for the flexibility he'll show as an employee in the future when his boss wants to ask him a question whilst he's on holiday.

I think 7 hours is so too much, I know my DD was in school the other day for that length of time finishing of coursework but there is no way I would expect 7 hours of revision.

I think revision needs to be balanced ...DD is tending to mix and match ...she does some paper exam questions, some online work and last night we watched a History You Tube video. The school have encouraged them to use the Pomodoro Technique...

DD worked hard on coursework this week and I doubt if she will do much revision over the weekend because she is working tomorrow.

mmzz know the feeling!
I don't think the 7 hours comment is helpful. It's the quality of the revision that counts.
However, if you're doing a practice paper in a subject, then reviewing your answers and going over bits you didn't understand or had forgotten, that does take up quite a chunk of time. And that would just be one subject - but productive revision.

I agree teen I think some downtime is essential. Following some advice on here I’m going to buy little treats as we go along. I bought her nail varnish today.
Also not sure about a tutor teen i am concerned it could have a reverse effect and her confidence gets knocked IYSWIM

mmzz yes we talked about using a minute per mark as a guide, but she struggles to put into practice

oratory intrigued with your idea!

I agree with everyone, I think!
The revision has to be effective, else there's no point.
Past papers, then marking, then reviewing are an excellent way of revising (once you think you've understood the concepts).
Short bursts are highly effective - I'd say 45, not 25 but that's a trivial difference.
Working in the Easter holidays is vital to exam success
Those who have moderate ability and apply themselves will do better than those with high ability who don't.
Avoiding burnout is also vitally important.

www.isc.co.uk/media-enquiries/news-press-releases-statements/good-exam-results-are-made-in-the-easter-holidays/

Short bursts are highly effective - I'd say 45, not 25 but that's a trivial difference Totally agree DD was I think doing 40 mins and 15 min break (but applying the technique) although I think I lost the plot because we also had some technical issues with laptop freezing/Netflix not working etc!

I am slightly concerned going forward (after her birthday on the 19th )- because she has asked DF for a guitar for her birthday and a camera from myself...DD is really faddy and puts 200% effort into new hobbies...so I think we are going to have to look at revision plans to ensure she gets time to do both but also ensuring that guitar/camera don't take precedent.

oddsocks What I found with having a tutor was that DD could be completely honest about areas of weakness without feeling like a failure ..she wasn't really focused in French in Yr10 didn't get on with the teacher and therefore she had completely lost her confidence - a lot of the work she was struggling with related to Yr10 work...also DD meets with tutor in coffee shop away from school.....so really relaxed. Its so nice because DD actually now asks when she is seeing the tutor....and I find her randomly speaking French most days which certainly didn't happen before Christmas!

Fully agree its quality of revision that counts and a focused attitude when they go back to school and during the long drawn out exam time - not total hours. I used to be in my room revising for hours but a lot of that time was staring at the books learning very little.

sending best wishes to sostenuto and Stickerrocks

When I was studying for finals in my country and then for public exams at 18, I revised 8 or 9 hours a day goes to hide

I can't work out what I think about this. 9-6, with 30 minute breaks every 90 minutes doesn't seem like back breaking work to me. In fact, if it was office work, it would be considered generous.
DS is nearly a full grown man. In previous generations, he'd have left school by now and be holding down a full-time job.
So, is it really asking so much to do 7-hour days for a month or two, with a very long holiday to look forward to starting mid-June?

DS would say it is. But is he just being soft and confusing would-like with can't?

mmzz I agree...

I think its comes down to can you revise effectively for 7 hours in one day? I think less is more sometimes....but I daresay some children could handle 7 hours - I know my DD couldn't because she would loose interest and the revision would not be effective...so I suppose it depends on the child.

In some respects I'm being more laid back about what she is doing at Easter because come the 4th May she will have another 2 weeks of full on revision when exam leave starts so if she can do 5 hours a day for 10 days over Easter and another 5 hours a day during the two weeks exams leave that's 100 hours of revision...without including any revision that will be done in school over the 3 weeks after Easter. ....and HT term week in May.

DD has completed 40% of each of the Eng Lit/Language exams and 60% of DT exams already and would have also done 25% of French come 30th April.

Exactly - it depends how you work. Nothing wrong in 7 hours if it works for you. I willingly did that and more for my final A level exams, but then I chose them and loved doing them. Perhaps my 18 year old self was much wiser than my 16 year old self!
DS has done some art exam prep, despaired, been told not to throw it away because it's meant to be experimental and not perfect and switched to computer science revision. I told him to resume art after dinner when hopefully carbs will have calmed him down!
I'm using Easter as the excuse for small chocolate based motivational treats. We don't do rewards for results here but who can argue with a little bit of chocolate alongside revision?!

Hi all! Fully round in less than 12 hours ( record for me!) Last time I had anaesthetic it took me 4 days to wake up! And that was supposed to be a day job
All biopsies done but will be a while before I know anything. Thank you all so much for kind wishes and its fine mmzz I didn't feel pressured my dear I just didn't want folks to worry.
stickerocks hope your DM gets seen to very soon!
To all other lovely peeps
Have a great day tomorrow. Hope to be home Tuesday.

I know DS wouldnt cope with 7 hours but then I think older DD probably could have done. Middle DD didn’t put that much time in to revision but was super efficient and organised (think writing up notes after lessons etc) so didn’t need to - as we said they’re all different. He s also got 4 weeks holiday so its a bit of a long slog but no exam leave (expected to be in lessons until they’ve done the exam in that subject)

sostenueto pleased to hear that you are awake!!! NO doubt you are entertaining the rest of the ward with tales of DGD and pup!

Stickerrocks hope you are bearing up and your DM is stable.

Loose reading your posts I am so pleased that my children are not artistic, your DS seems to always be doing art!

Reading your comments on revision it is funny how they are all so different DS does his in 2 hour blocks how effective he is I couldn't say. He has also set himself a target of 6 hours a day he's competitive and I think he is actually competeing against himself as he was saying that before y10 mocks over the holidays he did 4 hours so he wants to better that. I will be watching for signs of stress and I have mentioned do you think 6 is too much but I think he might agree with me after a couple more days not day 1!!!

sostenueto so glad you are awake and found these new Easter emojis

Glad you’re doing OK *Sostenueto. for your Easter in hospital.

I am hoping my DS doesn’t read that recommendation of 7 hours revision a day - he may take it too seriously, especially the stuff about it is students who revise hard at Easter who get the top grades. He is conscientious and is working consistently but not for 7 hours everyday. He also has the pressure/ motivation of needing good grades for conditional sixth form offers - that’s enough, without the added pressure of clocking up 7 hours revision a day.