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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Sad daughter - history essay!

20 replies

seeker · 05/11/2007 22:22

My dd worked so hard on her first ever history essay over half term. She's just started year 7 and has never done anything like this before. She got it back today, marked level 3a. She hasn't had a level 3 for anything since year 2! I keep reminding her that it was her first ever essay and there were lots of helpful comments for next time - but she went to bed crying. Is there anything I can do? I don't really expect there is, but she was such a sad little soul tonight!

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Tortington · 05/11/2007 22:24

frame it or stick it on door and cut out some golden stars and put round it and tell her how fab fab fab she is and how proud you are of her that she worked so hard. then in red pen write on it 5a then in brackets(mummies score)

RosaTransylvania · 05/11/2007 22:25

Your poor DD. No advice, as DD1 is still only year 6, so we haven't dealt with this yet, but much sympathy.

ledodgyfireworksingedmyeyebrow · 05/11/2007 22:27

Aww your poor dd. The best thing for her to do is take the advice she's been given on the comments on this essay when she does her next essay and not be disheartened. History essay writing is a skill that she'll develop over time. What was it on?

ledodgyfireworksingedmyeyebrow · 05/11/2007 22:27

Original poster

seeker · 05/11/2007 22:37

It was "Why did the Normans win the battle of Hastings?

Trouble is, she's never written anything anlytical before. Lots of stories, newspaper reports and poems,but very little formal writing at all, and certainly nothing like that. I let her get on with it apart froma bit of discussion- I wish now I had helped a bit!

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laurliemonkey · 06/11/2007 00:01

i wouldn't worry, same thing happened to me for my first history essay in high school. roughly 10 years later, got my history degree

also, its quite possible that everyone got roughly the same type of thing. just make sure your dd reads and understands the comments

twinsetandpearls · 06/11/2007 00:11

This is often a problem as a primary school level 3a and a secondary school leel 3a are often different - they shouldn't be but it is too often the case. I have childrenn in my year grouo coming in with level 4s that unless there has been a major brain cell detroying trauma they just could not have got.

Did your dd get a copy of pupil speak level descriptors with the homework, in future she can use these to guide her when producing assesssed work.
level descriptors in quite dense teacher language for history

some links to more pupil friendly level descriptors

yet more pupil speal level descriptors

Original poster

seeker · 06/11/2007 06:22

Thank you everyone. I just felt for her - it's the first not very good mark she's had since she started. I suppose it's a bit like getting the first scratch on a new car - once it's happened you can relax a bit!

I think what upset her particularly was that she says there were only 3 people who got 3s - everyone else got 4 and a few 5s.

Thank you, Twinset - that's very helpful. We'll look at some of that together when she's got another one to do. I'm new to this secondary school business, so it's good to have a few landmarks in all the uncharted territory!

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Original poster

seeker · 06/11/2007 06:23

Having to stop myself telling her that the ones who got 5s probably had it written by their mums!

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ScienceTeacher · 06/11/2007 06:25

7 weeks into the new school year, transition is over, and it's time to get down to brass tacks.

Original poster

seeker · 06/11/2007 09:35

Whooo - tell it like it is, ScienceTeacher!

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witchandchips · 06/11/2007 09:49

it could be that a very tired teacher read the essay too quickly and missed some important points. Sometimes cleverer children assume too much comon knowledge so don't go through the basics

Original poster

seeker · 06/11/2007 09:55

I'd like to think so, witchandchips. But actually, I think the teacher did the best he could with pretty unpromising material! She really didn't know what she was doing!

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FluffyMummy123 · 06/11/2007 09:56

Message withdrawn

Magdelanian · 06/11/2007 14:45

I had to help DD when she started year 7. Searching the net for Key stage 3, history, subject and advise her on structure and what to include. I suspect other parents help to start with. Thankfully she gets on with everything alone now.

Threadworm · 06/11/2007 14:47

I wonder why they have to put levels on the marked essays at all. Surely just the helpful commnents would have been more constructive?

Original poster

seeker · 06/11/2007 15:21

It is a problem how much to help, isn't it? I try to be around for her to bounce ideas off and to help her keep focussed, but she is so proud of doing it herself that I'm reluctant to get too involved. I know some people just let them get on with it and not help at all, and I can see the advantage of that, but I don't think I could do it!

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twinsetandpearls · 06/11/2007 20:42

I use levels when I mark my students work and it does not upset them, when I first give a level in year 7 I prepare them for the dissapointment and then watch with pride as they try to improve each week.

Do they have a homework club at school, I work with a group of students every week in our school library and it has helped their homework immensely and parents are welcome.

tiredout · 09/11/2007 18:47

My friend's daughter gets all upset if she doesn't get top marks for everything. It's apparently important to be a 'straight A' student these days!

I wouldn't know what to say if my dd had that attitude. I don't place too much importance on the actual scores and nor does she. I think it's a throwover from her excellent primary school which, probably due to the large number of special needs children, didn't place such high importance on SATs etc (would be pointless to do so!). But parents evening is a bit embarrassing, with every teacher saying the same thing, 'she's doing very well' 'excellent pupil' etc. Scratching around for something different to say. So if she gets a lower score for something (and she does sometimes) it's not reflected in her teachers' opinions on her abiility and effort. Which can only help self-confidence.

How unlike my own schooldays when I muddled along and got 7 O levels at the lowest pass grades possible and felt proud of that! (not because I worked hard mind you).

Then you could sing that David Bowie song, Kooks: 'and if your homework brings you down, we'll throw it on the fire and take the car downtown'.

mumeeee · 10/11/2007 22:29

we have had this problem with DD2 now 17 when she started High school although she had got a level 4 in Maths in her year 6 SATS she was only getting level 3 in Maths at high school' The teacher explained to us that levels at Secondary school are different than levels at primary schooland that level 3 is normal for year 7.

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