GCSEs 2018 (12) Are we nearly there yet?!

[mmzz]

I'll be at Ed Sheeran on Friday too - can't remember now who said they were going.

DS will be doing Maths, Economics, History and Geography A levels. (Well they start 4 and can drop one after year 12. They do this in case they (a) don't like a subject they haven't tried before or (b) can't handle the step up in a subject they have done before.

Originally he thought he'd always do Geography A level but it currently looks like this may be the one he drops depending on how he gets on.

Just printing the syllabus now.

It's frustrating. I hadn't really looked at it before. There are some clues e.g. if it's a 4 mark question and asks for 2 examples you have to give at least 2 consequences. I've told dd to think like an annoying toddler and keep thinking "why"

Also if you make a point that is in the resource folder it's not credited. Fair enough really but she'd never been told so thought it was a valid answer even though she could come up with other points when questioned.

Worrying that it's the same for biology but I'm not going to think about that now!

DD has spent most of the last two days either doing Biology past papers or glued to Science with Hazel ... (maybe of help to some)
www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdb23cYgONtCG-zPaWigog

Reservoir it's me. I bought resale tickets, then panicked when he cancelled anything bought through Viagogo the next day. Luckily I used Twickets but I must remember that we need photo ID.

The k-pop shop is just a little Korean convenience store which does snacks, has a shelf of Kpop stuff, a deli counter and lots of jars of Kimchi, but it's ideal if you have a teenager who resents spending £20 on something on Amazon only to receive a parcel with the poster missing.

Thanks for the Science with Hazel link Teenmum, DS is giving that a go which is reassuring his Mum!

Subject specific language kick so important in geography. Each topic in most subjects dgd looked up SSL. She tried to learn as much as she could. Dgd would answer your question but is at her mums head down for biology revision which she is fed up with. That's another wordy subject. Having to put the 'right' word or not get the mark

On the subject of apparently irrational mark schemes and subject-specific language, I found this blog post by Michael Rosen particularly thought-provoking:
michaelrosenblog.blogspot.com/2015/04/guide-to-education.html

I think his apples/leaves analogy perfectly encapsulates what some of our children are going through, being trained to spot the magic word that is in the mark scheme, rather than actually being allowed to express their very considerable knowledge in their own way.

I love that A chicken

Anyway she's given up for the night and gone to bed.

She wants me to get up at 7.00 to test her on biology. Oh joy

Still. Four down at the moment but 9 down by Friday

My parents have just been to take Dd & dh back to the caravan. He’s got a scan tomorrow afternoon & she’s got Biology tomorrow morning.

I think Rosen is a bit unfair. (I have a feeling he also doesn't like children learning to read being given decodable books). If exams are going to be 'fair' it can't just be 'the examiner liked your answer' can it? - That is too subjective. So being clear on mark schemes is important as then everyone can have access to the information, not just those at independent schools whose teacher are 'in the know'.

I know subject specific terminology is a pain (my DDs struggles with it too), but to share ideas effectively in technical subjects I do think specific terminology is important. e.g. 'Electrons orbit the nucleus' not 'the negative thingies whizz round the middle bit', etc.

In Rosen's example, it was presumably a comprehension test and not a biology one.

That said, I haven't encountered the new specs, so it could be that they are way OTT in their prescriptiveness.

Good luck to all the DC this week.

About Edexcel maths and whether paper 3 will be a stinker. The general consensus is that this year’s higher papers have been much more straightforward than last year’s. Someone posted on twitter whether this would mean that paper 3 would be hard to sort the 8s from the 9s and the Edexcel Maths account tweeted that the intention was that all 3 papers would be of a similar standard. (This doesn’t mean that they will be a of a similar standard as its quite hard to get this right).

twitter.com/emporiummaths/status/1005501712185032704?s=21

I think they panicked after last year’s low grade boundaries and this year’s grade boundaries will be a lot higher as a result of amending the papers to make them more accessible (they said they would be doing this).

Thank you noble that's interesting. In a strange way I hoped there would be some stinker questions, selfishly, as DS3 would be better at having a crack at those than eliminating any 'silly' mistakes. But generally it's much better that more than 20% of the paper is accessible for level 4 or 5.

According to dgd who sat AQA higher maths papers from last year for her mocks this years papers harder not easier

Thanks to all for kind wishes
stickerocks hope your mum is improving

The whole boundaries thing is nothing but a worry tbh. What's done is done. All I know after 28 exams by end if this week dgd has done her best, held it together very well ( only a few sickbags for english) has been brave to face her fears and steadfast in her studies. I could not ask for more no matter what grades she gets.

Sostenueto
Great attitude.
If a DC has tried their best that's all that you can ask.
The results will be what they will be, but if a DC has worked hard then you won't have any 'if onlys' in August.

Good luck to all our DC tomorrow, biology paper 2 and geography paper 3. DVD who does edexcel for Spanish and RE says she certainly notices the difference to AQA exams, not so many f* ups!

Yes true teentimestwo

Also I think like this teen. Its great if your DC achieves 8 s and 9 s but my dgd only needs 6/7s to study the A levels she wants to. So if that is what she attains she will be sitting in same classes as those that achieve the golden 9s with all the stress that involves, being taught the same and doing just as well! So as long as you get the grades you need to go on with your studies what's in a grade?!

Pity DC don't think like that ( and some parents)

Getting very frustrated with DD. She has revised a quarter of her Biology book today, and tells me that she will do the rest tomorrow in form time. In half an hour? She's really grinding to a halt. She's hardly done anything all weekend

Just discovered this forum so thought I’d join. Great reading about everyone’s experiences etc.. My DS has 1 week and 2 days to go until it’s over. He’s exhausted...it’s just been exam, revision, exam etc for 4 weeks! Even when I take him out to relax, he’s not relaxed! English and History have been the most demanding as so much to remember. All the sciences this week plus Maths and history and then graphics on 19th June. I’m exhausted too as many early starts to do last minute revision, weekends spent going over English. We go on holiday on 22nd June and my DS and I can’t wait! Break open the wine! . How are all your DC bearing up! Do you think it’s too much?

She's going to be fine Jufus I'm sure! That last hurdle is so far and difficult to get over when you have ran a marathon!

Sost I agree. In our case 3 years ago it was 'would DD pass her English' (she did) as she needed that for her next course. We were more delighted with her C for that than any other result. She worked very hard for it.

It is obviously nice / heartwarming / ecstatic making if the hard work is rewarded in the results. Unfortunately some kids will work hard and will be rewarded with 3s. Others will laze and be rewarded with 7s.

This year of all years grade prediction is finger in the air stuff I think.

Hi flower and welcome! and big emphatic YES way too much,! This years cohort deserve gold cups, medals and a lot of credit to have to sit so many exams over a short period of time all of which are harder than the exams previous.