Thread 14? Corona Cohort Yr 12 2021 - 'Vaccinations and Eliminations'

[orangecinnamon]

Just place marking for the New Thread!

It's strange having no dc's home today. Ds3 first day back today (year 7) ds2 had to do another covid test at school before he left yesterday.

I haven't ordered tests for myself or dh. We are both home all the time at the moment. Apart from twice daily dog walks. But we rarely meet anyone on our walks and don't have to touch gates or anything while out. Plus dh has had first vaccine. When I return to work I only work with 2 others who will have been vaccinated. But maybe I might order a test as I've not done one yet. Don't want to miss out 🤣

@Seeline students in England are allowed home for Easter, students in Scotland are not currently allowed, I don't know where you're DS is.

Thanks Monkey - he's in England, as are we, which makes things simpler.

Ds1 asked me to ask you(which is. First!) : "Please can you ask your mn mind if they've got a list of best books to read for a 17 year old boy. "

Was it Piggy or someone posted a list last year didn't they?

I think I posted documentary films but I may have done books! I can certainly do books! Wat type of books might he enjoy? What are his interests?

DS1 was applying for medicine so read books for that, but he enjoyed them and they really made an impact on him. This is Going to Hurt (Adam Kay) and Do No Harm (Henry Marsh).

Thanks Piggy for the Southampton webinars info.

I really can't find the info on their website now which is weird!

This is the Southampton form:

app.geckoform.com/public/#/modern/FOEU0232REAo8IIM

Thanks again. I found the chemistry webinar under chemistry outreach but couldn't turn up the life sciences one.

Apologies if someone already linked but there’s some UCAS thing coming up:

www.ucas.com/events/ucasdiscovery-south-west-south-wales-389066

That’s for South Wales and South West but think they are for all regions jut a different link.

Thank you Piggy. He used to be a very avid reader. There's not much he hasn't or won't read. He's read Orwell, Michelle Obama's autobiography, all sorts.

Ah, OK. That's good! Michelle Obama impressive!

I was going to say :

Agatha Christie
Anthony Horowitz's murder mysteries are good : DS really enjoys them as they are quite cleverly done
Sapiens
Into Thin Air
Erebus (especially if watching The Terror!)
Bill Bryson : The Body is really good
Black and British
Natives
Orwell always good for boys I think
Captain Corelli if really quite keen reader
All Quiet On the Western Front
James O'Brien's books
Invisible Women
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed out of the Window is good fun
Poverty Safari

I am sure I'll think of more!

Some of those are quite woke! But you should be woke at 17!

Oh, and Stephen Fry's books are good fun if any interest in the classics. All the Greek names can be a bit offputting. Troy is probably the most fun. Circe by Madeline Miller is a good book.

Apologies for derailing the book list but just seen this:

www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/09/assessment-of-england-pupils-sitting-exams-in-2022-likely-to-be-adapted

It discusses that A Levels next year may look a bit like A Levels were going to look before they scraped that plan and went with whatever they are going with now

Not much to go on but it looks like they won’t be the same as normal exams.

Interesting, thanks! The concessions for A Level before calling them all off were tiny and pointless so I hope they think it through a bit.

@Zandathepanda Thanks for the link to the A level article. My DS is doing IB and they announced more than a month ago that the exams in 2022 will be a bit different and they've given us all the details. The students will still cover the whole syllabus but there are some changes to the exams and coursework. I was a bit annoyed at first (thinking this might put IB students at a disadvantage against A level students) but cheered up when I saw the extent to which they had consulted with the universities and also that the kids know now (more than a year in advance) what is going to happen and that it is actually very well thought through.

Ds really shouted at me this morn when I asked if he was up. It was 7.50am he leaves at 8.10am. He always has a shower first and breakfast. He told me never to ask him if he's up again. I won't then.

Agreed @Horace123 - the IB approach and comms seem very clear and DD is pretty happy so far.

Adding to the book list, my DS would also say any Nevil Shute (but esp. On The Beach), The Secret History, Man in the High Castle, Dark Matter, Orwell - he has just read Keep the Aspidistra Flying and really enjoyed that. He likes Orwell very much.

Thanks for the link Zanda and it pretty much says what I was hoping would happen as this years cohort (both GCSE and A level) have also been disadvantaged and disrupted and who knows how things will be come winter again so it's good they are acknowledging that and coming up with a plan now.

ICan you will have to remind him of his outburst if your DS oversleeps and blames you for not waking him. #TeenagersKnowBest

I drove DD in today as weather so windy and wet. Roads were so busy, just like normal times.

She's been complaining of headaches and being tired/ dizzy recently so we booked her in for an eye test and voila she needs glasses. Just 14 mths ago she had a test and was told she had great eyesight and could wait 2 years for next test (normally we go yearly) so this was a surprise. We pick them up today and DD is so excited. We got a small discount as she's under 18 and they also did a fields test to check for tumours behind eyes so were very thorough.

She has been v happy to be back at school and in normal lessons again. She was having friendship issues with her group and so she got in touch with a quieter girl in her form to meet up with for a walk a couple of times recently and has sat with her and her friends at break etc and it seems the old group are being all friendly again as DD is being proactive and seeking new friendships so not being needy as it were. So weird how things work out. I've said to keep options open and keep friendly to everyone - she's never been one to gossip or bitch to others about anyone. It'll be interesting how things pan out as rule of 6 meeting up comes in soon and her old group were 7 so she always got left out.

When did everyone get their DC provisional licenses? Did you wait til 3 mths before 17th or could I get it now. I've heard mixed reports.

@AnneOfCleavage yes I'm not going to wake him again. If he misses the bus tough! Glad you found a solution to dd headaches. Ds's provisional took quite a while to come, but I did order it during first lockdown. I'd get on and get it though.

So pleased to see DS go off today. Re the reading he will read horror or zombie books - at the moment its The Stand.

Other book suggestions with a sci-fi/geek focus: Terry Pratchett; Asimov Foundation trilogy; John Wyndam (Triffids/Midwitch cuckoos/Crysalids). On a totally different slant, my two both love the Gerald Durrell books - they are very, very much of their time so need reading with that perspective, but funny writing about animals and interesting insight into thinking about zoos at the time (benevolent animal 'plundering' approach): Overloaded Ark, Balfut Beagles, Catch me a columbus, Zoo in my luggage etc

@Zandathepanda Thanks for that link to what’s happening to A’levels next year. Very useful, aside from that in that article, I’m quite shocked that parents are sending threatening letters to head teachers for making their dc wear masks. What is wrong with these people?