The Naked Crepe

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Psst, over here!

Sorry it wasn't personal at all. I just worry about teachers putting pressure on kids. There is such a fine line between encouragement and pressure and worryingly I have no idea where the boundary actually lies. DS wasn't amazing by any stretch. He did well in science and maths though... But needed a maths tutor at his own request!

I agree that it all seems much more pressurised. My nephew is at a super selective and doing very well but is under CAMHS because he is obsessed with the fear that he is not good enough and this is having a major impact on his mental health. My sister has been speaking to the school and is not sure whether she should be pleased or horrified that they are able to be so much help - apparently this is a common problem for them. But they don't appear to give any thought to the fact that their exam/league table angst might play any part.

Found you! Hanging out nekkid? Put your clothes on Crepes, have some dignity... well I'll keep mine on if that's OK.

Place marking for later. Running in circles atm going nowhere. X

MI, is she starting year 10? I think schools do like to point out at that point that it is all real....and time to pick the higher hanging fruit? .I don't think the dc should feel under pressure to do well for their teachers....but we never got much in the way of grade predictions or talk so I am not sure what was said to the DC.

To be fair, it's only the science teacher who does the I Will Be Disappointed act and I slightly love him. And DD1 does need to realise that this year is a big one, and that if she chooses she can do as well as what she calls the "smart people".

Didn't take it personally at all, but did take it as worth thinking about!

That's spot on, I think, MI. You do want them to learn that hard work pays off blah de blah (for a child like your dd where that is true and possible). It sounds like they know there is more to come and they want her to aim high.

Dd spent the whole of her school career being extraordinarily contemptuous of the whole educational system. This did worry me, but she pulled her results out of the hat. I expect she'll spend four years at uni pouring scorn on them, yet getting what she needs out of them. I hope so.

So common, especially with bright DC, MI.
DD felt all that pressure massively in Y9-Y11 - not wanting to let teachers or us (though that was in her mind) down. But most importantly she put massive amounts of pressure on herself. Y12 was much better - I hope she can keep it all in perspective in Y13 too.

Mercy me, crepeys. Did my volunteering in the primary school today. I'm with the same class, which is now year 3. But the poor new teacher. He's not the most engaging of teachers, TBH, but rather than the two or three TAs the class used to have he now has none. Well, one but she has to spend all her time with a new boy who needs constant one-on-one attention - he runs out of the room, takes his clothes off, screams, etc.

Of the 30 in the class, 13 have special needs. I had to teach the most 'challenging' group two intervention lessons, on my own. For 50% of the time it was bedlam, and for 40% they actually sat down and did what I asked, and tried really hard, and I loved them for it. The other 10% was them being told off for riotous behaviour by the SENCO.

I have bought wine.

Herbs, you have earned your!

Here, I am a proud mummy - DS has now been trusted to make meatballs, apple crumble and today, pumpkin (well, butternut squash!) pie all by himself for the cafeteria he is doing his work experience in Last day tomorrow and he is actually looking forward to going back to school as it has been proper hard work!

Crikey Herbs - I thought our lot were bad taking ten minutes to glue their spellings in.

Crikey, Herbs. In awe. Well done to BTM ds!

One boy spent the whole lesson playing with the blind, because he wanted to watch the bikeability session outside. Two other spent a lot of time under the table picking up the 'unit' squares they'd thrown on the floor. I eventually got them doing the task, and the penny dropped! They got it! But then there was no more work for them, the noise level rose, and blind-playing boy then decided he wanted to do his work so shouted at them to be quiet. Etc etc.

Oh blasted heck rudy. I have not one but two social commitments for that precise time. Maybe they will all fall ill...

Holy shit, crepsters! I can relay good news about my wayward dd! She phoned and was perfectly nice, friendly and NORMAL. And said it's going fine and she is much better now she has done 2 food shops and found out where the laundrette is and worked out how to do her laundry. Her course is interesting, she has joined lots of societies, is picking up her gym card tomorrow and student finance have paid her (or at least sent a message to say they have). She now has lots of new friends and has also bumped into various people from school (including someone from her a level maths class who has also ended up there through clearing). And she says she now realises that everyone finds it hard at the start. And is pleased that I didn't let her come home. And she even had a chat with dh.

Yay - go Stropps's DD. So glad and such a relief for you. The tough love seems to be working out.

My girls are going tomorrow . I'll just be happy if DD2 can actually get her enormous suitcase off the train and get herself to her uni residence.

Whoooooopeee. So pleased for ou and her. (Tell her my dd begged I come home at the end of the first week.)

I may be at large in London on Saturday but dh is in charge of an arrangement so god knows when I will know. He never does this as out ideas of what constitutes APlan are radically different. On phone in black hole can't catch up properly

Stropps that is cheering news. You must be so relieved and happy. Long may it last.

Fantastic news Stropps, long may it last

Sorry, subconsciously copying Mrs W's post.... Brain is fried!

I am savouring the moment. Because obviously it could all go wrong again by tomorrow. But I've just seen a photo on FB of dd out on the lash with her new friends, and she looks very cheery. She told me that she was going out tonight because she doesn't have any lectures tomorrow - and made a point of telling me that she turned down offers to go out last night, because she had lectures today. I am happy for the merest hint of positive and sensible behaviour. It has been a long, hard slog from the beginning of the grim times when dd was in year 9. It would be nice to be able to stop worrying about her all the time. Even if only for a bit.

Hooray, Stropps! Good for dd and good for you!! (and even poss. quite nice for DH)

Blimey Herbs, you've done well!

With our DC that balance between encouragement and pressure shifts all the time I think [limp but involved addition to conversation]

End of a taxing work week I hope

DD not back from 'quick drink after work' when has only just recovered from w/e. Not my circus, not my monkeys. And repeat.

Stropps!

Oh Strops, that's good to hear. Assume she's taking her meds again? I really hope she has a spell of stability.

Herbs, I'm exhausted just reading your account of your day. Mine was a lot more "grown up" - the first day of my course was great, and it was nice to get my brain whirring.

DS is slowly getting better, and I'm hoping he'll be back at school tomorrow.