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

[mmzz]

Previous thread

Are any of you seeing this at home?

also from the Guardian:
And from a history teacher in Norfolk: “The new GCSEs have broken my best students, left some with serious stress-induced illnesses, and isolated the majority, leaving them completely apathetic towards their own learning. My lunch times are filled with crying students who feel they are not doing enough, despite doing full days at school and revising until 1am every single day.

“They have heart palpitations and panic attacks and migraines and they are all so, so tired. Worst of all, I feel like a hypocrite, because I’m not even sure I could achieve the grades I am asking them to get.

“I am lying to my students when I smile and say it will be fine, because they have worked so hard. Ultimately, I feel I have failed them.”

Cross posts! Thanks for link

Stress: Ds is more irritable than normal, he didn't sleep well 2 nights ago and he was in tears a couple of weeks ago, but he's not crumpling and he's not describing anyone else doing it either.

Is the Guardian right? I don't doubt the stories it relates, but is it that widespread? It makes it sound like an epidemic.

That Guardian article makes really sad reading. I wish there was a better general understanding of grade boundaries and how they work, because I think that could alleviate some of the stress. This year's results will be pegged to previous years so the same proportion of DC will get each grade. The boundaries have always compensated for easier/harder papers year on year, which is why, as the article says, you only needed 18% on one of the new maths papers last year for a grade 4 when you would have needed more than that on the old papers for a C.

The whole thing has been really badly managed though, and that idiot Gove should be ashamed of himself.

mmzz I suspect it becomes 'contagious'. So if there is a critical mass of DC in a school who are really stressing/becoming hysterical that can spread to their peers. It's why DD used to line up for exams at the last possible moment because she didn't want to get caught up in the rising angst.

DD has been OK, but she has not really pushed herself in terms of working all hours and her own aspirations are set at a lower very achievable level... The school have been pretty good ..over the last 12 months there have been positive messages about expectations and even failure and how you can positively learn from failure. However, DD is not sitting most of these NEW GCSE's.

DD says AQA Chemistry was not too bad - a few wonky donkey question but generally fine.

I agree about the 'contagious' nature of it. This is why dd has been revising at home - to shield herself from her peers. She blocked one of her friends who was posting obsessively about Chemistry on twitter last night - but apparently she will unblock her today

more of DD3s friends are seeing counsellors than DD2s friends were four years ago and DD1s friends 5 years before that, so I would agree that the stress levels are going up, the more they fuck around with GCSEs.

Thankfully DD is taking it all pretty much in her stride after having had her meltdown in November/December with mocks, and a mini-meltdown at Easter because they STILL hadn't finished some courses (Weimar Republic was covered in a single day, with a mock during the final lesson ). I'm not sure I should be happy she's chortling away at twitter, but at least she's not in the same state as those poor kids in the Guardian article .

The contagious element makes sense. Ds2 had a really stressed NQT in year 5. She shouted a lot, ripped up work, went into meltdown one day over a missing pen etc. Other mothers started to tell me that they had school-refusers on their hands, or their Dc were having nightmares. The atmosphere was miserable.

DS2 was, and still is, really laid back. Plus it was generally the least able who were being shouted at. However, when he was regularly comforting a crying friend in the playground, it started to get to him and he actually asked me to find him a new school because he had lost hope that it would get better. Contagion.

DD is home from chemistry exam, which went ‘as expected’.

We had anticipated extreme anxiety and panic attacks following sudden incidents of them during the end of year 10 exams last year, but she’s pretty cool and calm about it all which is a huge relief.

She hasn’t been studying until the early hours, because she physically can’t. Her severe decline in health has enforced a pace that coordinates rest and study and it’s helped her sustain her energy over the last few months.

She will, no doubt, still crash come mid June, but we have plans in place to support her and she has an entirely clear summer to recover.

I can barely keep my eyes open today! Only another 6 x 8 mile journeys to do today and then we’ve four clear days for study, rest and royal wedding watching!

#edexcelchemistry on Twitter:
one girl writes "You’re all welcome, I’ve single handedly brought down the grade boundaries"

I decided to help the girls with their 9am start by dropping them off outside school (which forces me to go in the opposite direction to work) rather than dropping them at a bus stop on a dual carriageway (in the right direction for work). Unfortunately the level crossing gates came down. DD glowered at me and drama lama friend desperately wanted to discuss how little/much revision she had done. I ended up talking gibberish for 10 minutes as the clock ticked away, trying to avoid reference to any exam/school related topics.

Glad it went well for her Always. She's such a star.

Re the contagion, I don't think social media helps. Much as I have enjoyed the wit on Twitter/YouTube I do think it allows the DC to whip themselves up into a frenzy of indignation/anxiety.

Cross-posted mmzz! That is very funny though!

I won't hear from DS until this evening as he's at school all day.

For those that have DCs reporting back on Chemistry - is that AQA triple higher?

mmzz I think many kids will have more than 20 exams over the 4 weeks-just counted up and ds has 25, 26 if you include the French speaking. those taking 12 GCSE (which is ridiculous I know, but that's a whole other thing).

Ds just back, Chemistry 'fine' - lots of calculations and the required practical was one they had revised very recently.

Feedback from dgd on AQA chemistry paper 1 (higher) hard but straightforward , happy and confident, no stupid scenarios like biology paper and did all in just about enough time. We must remember that our DC sit exams with masses of questions in less time than what an old GCE or 0 level was given.

Dgd school advises against doing 12 and one of her friends who is doing 12 has dropped in grades by a large amount in mocks. Doesn't pay to overstretch yourself.

cubscout I agree - 20+ over 4 weeks (really 5 weeks if you include half-term) is normal. Ds has 25
But the Guardian said "students may be sitting up to 28 exams in the space of two or three weeks"
How do you do that? Its a fortnight of exams and then a week off. So it would have to be 28 papers in the first 2 weeks.

Surely that can't be right, it would be 3 papers on 9 of the 10 school days???

Dgd sitting 24 papers all told. So, Spanish oral√ art completely√ R.E paper 1√ R.E paper 2√ biology paper1√ and chemistry paper 1√ so only another 18 to go. Next week 8 exams 2 a day except Monday.

Yes AQA Triple Higher for DD.
She is home and ranting about how AQA said they wouldn't need to know about Chadwick(through a mouthful of jam doughnut - my standards are high!) and then asked a question and you need to know about him. Aside from that seems happy enough.
French writing tomorrow and then nearly 4 days to the next batch.

So after holiday only 10 exams left hooray!

DS said AQA chemistry (double science) was much harder than the biology paper which he found ok.