Gcse 2018 (10) The one with half term

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www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3256691-GCSEs-2018-9-Will-we-get-to-half-term-for-never-was-a-story-of-more-woe-than-this-of-Juliet-and-who-is-Banquo

Oops. Can't remember how to link nicely, so this will have to do.

pease
farang yes same here. Massive loss of momentum with five exams left.

@Peaseblossom22 Hope your DS continues to improve.

DD also doing NCS - both my nieces have done the program and a lot of DD's older friends too ..seems to have worked well for all of them...my one niece actually went to help out on the program in her first year at Uni too. I don't think it is for everyone but in my eyes, a great opportunity to mix with liked minded other 16/17-year-olds if your that way inclined.

Quick confirmation from Warwick Uni this morning that DD can attend the Lab day in July ...so pleased about that too.

Juggling work and home today...DD did Maths paper this morning whilst I was out and doing some English this afternoon - then back to History tomorrow.

hmc I have to admit I've never thought about counselling. First of all, we'd have to have a conversation with DS that there is problem.
DS has acknowledged it a couple of times, mostly recently during the Easter holidays, but mostly we don't try to rub it in.
For example, rather than talk about how there's no one to invite for his birthday party, I would just give him a series of choices, one of which would be doing something with friends and a couple of others which would be with family, or on holiday etc. Then DS always chooses one of the two non-friends options and a crisis is averted for another year. it is going to be more difficult with his 16th coming up though.

I have always just been hoping that things would come good on their own. However, here we are at the end of year 11 and it hasn't happened yet.

I'll think about counselling though. If it would help, rather than take away anything left of his self-confidence then i'd arrange it for him.

mmzz is your DS doing 2 History papers DS is doing 3......thought I'd point out just in case.......

AQA - I think its 2. Will go and check now!

yes, its 2 as far as I can see:
History (new) 8145
8145 paper 1 Understanding the modern world 19 1h 45m 04 June 2018 am
8145 paper 2 Shaping the nation 19 1h 45m 08 June 2018 pm
filestore.aqa.org.uk/admin/t_table_pdf/AQA-TT-GCSE-JUN18-CONFIRMED.PDF

Bluebelle- is your DS doing Edexcel?

DS is doing Edexcel which is 3, so different boards.

mmzz given your impressive analysis and research skills (I'm being sincere, not teasing) I reckon you should do a bit of your own research into this and form your own opinion on whether or not you believe counselling would help or hinder your ds. If you conclude 'yes' it would be beneficial, then given your close and supportive relationship with your ds then you could probably persuade him to try it

Mmzz don't want to play down at all the rough time your DS has had and the bullying - but I think you'd be surprised how many DS s on here also don't spend Birthdays with friends and don't have loads to invite to parties. Your DS won't be unusual there. And as you give a family option at least he has something to say if people ask what did you do for your Birthday.

Agree that many dc don't want big parties (including my introvert ds - who has not been bullied and infinitely prefers his own company - chip off the old block!) and this in itself isn't an indicator of a problem. Also dd - who also has been fortunate enough not to experience bullying, enjoys her friends but likes to see them in small doses and prefers her family.

However there is extensive research and evidence that bullying can (obviously not in all cases) have long term consequences. I don't want to overplay any issues for mmzz's ds and sincerely hopes he emerges from this early experience stronger, more determined and undamaged. Certainly his single minded and resolute approach to preparing for his GCSEs shows that he is a gritty and resolute young lad

Just texted DD and asked how the revision is going, I got the reply "ok".

She's probably watching videos of Johnny Depp on Youtube

JufusMum - this is where Tassomai is your friend. If they are supposed to be using it for science revision, you can log in and see what's happening:-

I'm stuck at work its raining and i've got a line full of washing, whats the odds DS has got it in........and we can all guess what the excuse will be I was revising.......I will be so glad once these exams are over that I will never have to hear that excuse again........and yes he does have a phone but rarely does he answer when he knows it's me

mmzz she has Tassomai but I have no idea what the login in. She says it is useless because it is multiple choice and they don't get those types of question in the exam.

JufusMum its probably not worth discussing it now as its so late, but, I think your DD is mistaken.
It is multiple choice, and its true that the exam isn't, but it tests knowledge and tells you the right answer and it does it over and over until you know the right answer without having to think.
Even the longer questions which ask you to describe a six step process (for example), tassomai asks you randomly what step 4 is, so you learn those too. DS says it made a difference to him on the recent paper 1s. I suspect it just found and resolved the things that he didn't know that he didn't know (iyswim?).

You don't need to know your DD's login, as you can log in to your account (which you need to do to manage it) and it has a link to let you see your child's dashboard. Obviously, that's not worth knowing if she isn't using it though.

The account was all organised by the school, I was never given a login. To be fair, like you say it's so close now. She's just having that half-term lull that a lot of DC seem to be having. She is dog sitting for my boss Thur-Sat and she will have NOTHING to do except dog walking so she will probably be forced to revise then.

DS doing eng Lang section B practises - I can see the steam coming out of his ears and he s hating every minute. It’s only the knowledge that the more he does now the less chance there is of having to do it all again next year that’s keeping him going

Oratory similar scenes here with lots of muttering under her breath about how much she hates English language and Mr bruff

She's done paper 2 q1-4 this morning and I've marked it as a high level 6. I don't think I was being particularly generous but I can see how hard the papers are to mark.

you are doing well, KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse! i wouldn't have a clue how to mark an English paper!

Oh dear came home to a not very happy DS not only has he also been revising the dreaded English but he spent half an hour revising geography paper 1!!!!!

BlueBelle123 as in the Geography paper 1 that was sat last week?

Yes - this is what happens when they're left to their own devices

Do any of your DC get mental blocks for things? DS just can't see to get/ remember electromagnetic induction, the Nitrogen cycle and the menstrual cycle.
He's tried all the usual stuff (CGP guides, YouTube, me(!)) and it's still not going in. Has anyone got any ideas before I resort to using embarrassment as a way to get the menstrual cycle fixed in his brain?

Trying to catch up wonderwine sorry to hear your DC suffering like mmzzs! Its a wicked world sometimes. A hug for both of you