Revision angst Y7! Please tell me it gets easier!

[RockYourSocksOff]

Y7 Ds.

Loads of revision for upcoming assessments.

Maths, English, Science, Geography etc

Some of it isn’t difficult, reading resources plentiful on the web but boy, it’s like pulling teeth!

He needs to understand that the more you put in the more you get out. Working hard means more than the results but Ds lacks this and seems to think he’s ‘fine’ and ‘knows everything’ (he doesn’t)!

Homework in our house mostly = a grumpy response!

Please, can anyone who had similar in Y7 with a very reluctant dc tell me it does improve.

Once he gets started he seems to knuckle down (of sorts) but it’s beginning to eat into quality time and it’s really not enjoyable!.

I wish my dc had the worth ethic to just get the job done but sadly he doesn’t and we just end up bickering.

Work ethic not worth

Its year 7, it means nothing and is simply practice. He'll get it by the time he needs to in year 10/11

NoSpend, I hope you’re right.

This homework has been set. Lots of it. I feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall and I’m just trying to help.

I just hope by Y10/11 he really does see the positives of revision.

Can’t help compare to others who seem to just want to revise and seem to enjoy it!

Its like pulling teeth with my DS2 who is also year 7. But this year means very little so Im trying to chill.

nobody enjoys revision though

NoSpend. In Ds School it does in a way.

It can mean they move sets during upcoming assessments so in a way it does mean something.

We’ll see

Not quite secondary, but it's mock SATS week here, and I feel your pain!

But those sets won't be static and will be reassessed regularly presumably. Thats certainly the case at my DSs school.

NoSpend. You’re right (I think/hope) but I’m just worried that by the time he realises that revision really does help towards assessments, it might be too late and he’ll just coast along.

Fruit, good luck.

The problem is that if he wants to go up in sets others need to go down and unless he pulls out all the stops he’s going to remain static!

It’s good to cultivate a good work ethic. Maybe reinforce things by rewarding him if you see him working hard.
Find out about what he’s doing and ask him questions to test him.
Sit with him to help write revision notes (in my experience it helps with morale when there is someone there with you).
If he says he knows it all and doesn’t need to revise, say that if he doesn’t get more than 80%, you will require him to do additional non schoolwork practice (eg bond or other workbooks).
If he works hard but scores badly, say you’re proud of him, give him a reward for effort and try find out what he needs to improve (it may be exam technique or more drills or difficulty with a specific concept).

My DS at y7 did minimal revision (basically just did homework and whatever slides teachers put on shared drive), I was very worried but he did fine at his end of year exam, so just let him explore his learning style and revision technique now, but built into routine that he must complete his given homework - missed homework means whatever sanction at school AND back to basic Nokia phone for a week.

DS is "starting" to get this in y10. But we had to hit rock bottom before he did.

It's hard to see the point in y7, I think.

How are you approaching it?

A) Here's the resources, now go and revise for these very important tests?

B) OK you need to do some revision for these tests. Lets sit down together and see what is reasonable. It would be good to learn how to revise now while the tests are less critical, wouldn't it?

He could be in a position where he doesn't really know how to organise his revision. Plus for most schools, tests at the end of this term in y7 may well effect sets, but it's not the end of the world - you sound quite stressed about it.

Have a look at what's needed, agree something reasonable sounding, e.g. 3x20mins per day after school, max 2hrs each day at w/e (if that). Divvy it up between subjects. (In our school, humanities need less time as they tell them the rough question and it is about answering technique). Do it with him if needed. Or say - do a mind map on 1066 events and then when you've done it explain it to me.

So long as he does something he agrees to, and practices techniques, it gives him something to build on next time.

What Teen said - I got to university before I realised that I had never actually been taught any techniques to revise. I would sit and read information and think ‘well I know rhat’, because I would while it was in front of me. Good revision is a skill and one hat needs to be learnt and practiced.

Does he know how to read and consolidate information into mind maps/flash cards/‘cheat sheets’ and then use them to test his knowledge to identify gaps?