GCSEs 2018 (8) Dozens of DCs, 1 DH and Flashcards in the fridge

[mmzz]

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(I got an A for Language, but a B for Lit as you can tell!)

Alexander are you and DD watching Gloria on Graham Norton? You must watch it on iPlayer if not, as she's doing parodies of her classics.

@KingscoteStaff - DS1 not playing cricket tomorrow but regretting it. I think your DS should have a good old hit - he'll feel much better for it.

@Stickerrocks - Gloria is very funny!

Saturday & Sunday cricket here for ds. He's a regular second teamer but then has been called up to the firsts for Sunday. Not having the heart to say no, I'm justifying it by telling myself it will give him a real boost & he does actually seem to have worked harder since he got the news
Batting middle order is the worst position for revision according to ds, no fear, he'll be 11 on Sunday!

No I wasn’t. I must tell dd about it. She’s not home til tomorrow.

How much of a break are your DC having this weekend or over half-term?
DS seems able to go on, and the preparation he has done has made all the difference this week in reducing the stress of taking exams. He's got a lot left to do, but he can get through it if he works for 7 hours today and 7 tomorrow. It's a similar situation at half term.
On the other hand, working non-stop for 5 weeks risks burn-out.
So, I was wondering what everyone else has got planned? I see several DC have (lengthy?) cricket matches planned?

I'm pleased to see some of the dcs are playing cricket in the sunshine - will do then the world of good.
Somehow, yesterday, I managed to develop lower back pain and was hobbling around but after an early night, I've just got up miraculously better, which is a relief!
DS has a geography revision session this morning if he wants to go. I think otherwise he's planning to revise English lit this weekend. Past two evenings have been a bit of maths practice and a lot of gaming!

He’s got some revision sessions at school this morning then physics tutor this afternoon. In between some cricket. Tomorrow will be a normal revision day - so 5 50 min sessions. Slow and steady here.

mmzz DS not taking a break over this weekend. Next week is his heaviest week (6 exams) and he's just got too much left to cover.

Once he gets to Friday he'll be taking that afternoon and the weekend off. I know he's going to really need a break by then. He only has 4 exams after HT though (paper 2s for maths and sciences) and they're well spread out so he'll have lots of time for past papers/revising weaker topics.

That's a lot different from DS loose. DS has been working until 9 each evening, going to bed at 10:30 and is back in school sometimes by 8am, often doing an exam by 9.
On Wednesday night, there was one sub-topic DS felt unsure about, so he got up 30 minutes earlier on Thursday morning to revise it. Then sat the exam at 9. (It paid off because the sub-topic came up in the exam).
It's all his choice, I'm not pushing him. But does it sound like too much?

mmzz if he's coping and feeling ok I wouldn't worry. Sometimes the stress of knowing/feeling you're not prepared is worse than the stress of revision. I do think he should have a day off over half-term though if at all possible. That's a pretty knackering schedule (DS has been doing similar) and at some point it will catch up with them, probably at HT when the pressure abates for a spell.

I think you are right - we'll need to work in a day off somehow, and preferably ensure he goes out in the fresh air.

mmzz to be fair, he had a day of revision at school yesterday and did a bit more when he got home, so I left him to it!
I may need to remind him about Physics 1 this week, though. He's well prepared for geography and maths, reasonably prepared for English but Physics is a tricky one for him!
Slightly more concerned that he hasn't used any of the lovely pens I bought him - sniff! He's using his rubbish biro. He's trying to get round me by claiming he's changed his handwriting to make it more legible. I said I had no sympathy now for his hand aching after the RE exam!

Loose - I'm thinking of solutions along the lines of it's a lucky pen or a magic pen. Then I remembered that they aren't 5 and we won't get away with selling it that way!

Mmzz I do think every child is different. Mine couldn’t cope with that schedule but has always been one prone to tiredness and illness. And also will be happy with good passes, it’s not in his nature to strive for the very best grade he can. But others thrive on knowing they have covered everything 100% and don’t need breaks. You know your son and if you are watching for signs of stress, fatigue etc he will be fine. What’s right for one isn’t right for others.

Mmzz I have to remember that for DS it's 'just' a pen. He ignored the post-its as well so I took them back.
One year as a joke DH got me a big box of different pens as a stocking-filler type present at Christmas. The joke slightly backfired as I was genuinely delighted!

Cricket all day today. Lovely weather and main rival school!

He plans to do Geography and Maths this eve, then 5 sessions tomorrow.

Big week next week...

He’s planning to take the Friday night and Saturday off going into half term, before really focusing on Geography 2+3, Music and the second Maths and Science papers.

Loose - glad your back is OK..
DD took Thursday PM off. Yesterday she spent the whole day on Physics (one of her A level choices)..she worked from 10ish till 5.30pm with lunch break)...expect she will do the same today. Just three exams next week which include one that doesn't require too much revision.
HT will be virtually all History with a bit of Maths and maybe 1 hour of Tassomai a day (Chemistry/Physics). She's working on the Saturday of HT and we have a family celebration on the Sunday...and I expect she will work the same sort of hours now (9.30-5.30) unless she feels that she needs to do any extra.

English revision in school this morning.

Then a couple of hours revision on maths or a science this afternoon, then he is refereeing from 4-8.

kingscote Cricket all day tomorrow for DS - although he might get an hour or two revision in in the morning.

I hope you all enjoy a sunny stress free weekend - I'm working!

DD had the night off last night. She's at dance this morning til 1pm then revision this afternoon and tomorrow. Missing a dance competition tomorrow which she's nor happy about, but understands. I think the cricket etc is a good idea. DCs need some hobby time. If DD didn't do her dancing through GCSEs she'd have a breakdown.

Morning, checking in. Long day at work yesterday so just catching up with everyone's news
LooseAtTheSeams thank you so much for those tips- very helpful.

3 days without exams here, but ds fretting over English Lit - he can do quite well, but English is not a subject he is naturally good at so a lot depends on what questions come up. English and Geography are this weekends priorities, he has done a lot of Physics and is fairly confident.

Enjoy the wedding all!

So many cricketers on this thread! Will do them immeasurable good to remember that there is life beyond revision and exams, I am sure. Loving the cricket poem Stickerrocks

mmzz - my dd has a lucky bracelet (self designated not given to her by me). She forgot to wear it last Wednesday and that apparently was why Chemistry was a flop

I agree with oratory mmzz - they all have different capacities for work. My dd couldn't cope with your ds's work schedule, but obviously he can and he wouldn't apply himself to this extent if he didn't have the inclination. Do encourage him to take one day's break during half term though. Personally I wish my dd could / work a little more - as like everyone else she is up against it to cover all the material in sufficient depth. She will manage 5 forty minute sessions before flaking out and sometimes only 4. Yesterday I asked her if she would consider a short final session and she started rolling on the floor with her head in her hands (I asked her nicely and wasn't at all pushy) so it was time to call it a day, very definitely! She's having a lie in until 10 this morning, so after next week the pace is more pedestrian.

We have a very similar pattern of exams left to Cherryburn's ds. 5 exams next week (I think yours has 6 Cherryburn?) but only 4 papers after the half term - the second papers of maths and science.

Dd is at school today for 2.5 hours of geography. She informed me last night that it's not a revision session. They haven't finished the syllabus yet

This weekend will be mainly eng lit with a bit of geography thrown in. Not sure when physics will happen. No plans to revise for maths. She thinks they've done enough at school.