Either or!
His GCSE exams in a week or so have become the focal point for our entire household. Last weekend we spent the entire weekend ensuring that Son had a working torch. His Stepfather a Senior Design Electronics Engineer beavered away all weekend making sure that his chip was programmed, whilst Son sat in the school ITC lab doing the same.
I played taxi driver and chief worrier.
Finally Son came home on Sunday with a torch that works, or is close enough for government work! Hubby relaxed, secure in the knowledge that he too could pass GCSE Electronics, should he want to give it a go! I was just relieved that the household returned to an assemblance of normality.
As normal as it can be given the circumstances.
What with the studying, and swotting, and studiously avoiding revising!
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink - or devour textbooks! I've been applying moral support, sticks and carrots, and a little hard won knowledge on how to be an exam success. I've dished out helpful advice on diet, and getting enough sleep and how to be focussed.
Harder than training a horse, or a puppy I reckon! But he's a very smart kid and like smart kids around the world just takes for granted that he'll have the knowledge to hand when he needs it. He hasn't yet learnt that in the stressful environment of exams, that easy knowledge can play truant.
I'm toeing that fine line between being too pushy and not involved enough, I think. So, I was more than a little horrified to hear the following discussion between Son and his teacher, about exam technique!
'But you did well on the last test didn't you?' Teacher enquires whilst I look on.
'I haven't got the results back yet.. yeah... um' Son is an A student it should be ok.
'But that was a couple of weeks ago?'
Yeah, but Sir hasn't marked them yet. I did all the paper and everything, but..'
'But?' Teach and I ask together.
'I forgot to put my name on the paper, so it's in Sir's in-tray with the other un-named ones'.
Bam, so there goes success out the window!
Guess who's going to be going over and over exam technique for the next week, with my talented Son? Any other fellow Mum or Dad sufferers?
Vegemitevix writes about her adventures parenting two teens and a tweenie as an expat Kiwi Mum now living in her second marriage in a rural Hampshire hamlet.
Flickr: phi1317
Oh. My. God. There is another child in the world like my daughter! She, who would scrupulously do all her homework and papers by the date due, then carry them back and forth in her book bag all week without turning them in! I feel your pain. My girl is an A student, too. How do they manage such brilliance and unconsciousness in the same body?
ReplyDeleteI know EXACTLY what you are talking about - as I do this, I am simultaneously trying to print and format Man-Child's project that was due - YESTERDAY! *sigh* how can they be soooo bright yet soooooo dim??
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that, written the blog! I extend my sympathies but he's bound to do very well.
ReplyDeleteIt has been my experience that last minute cramming does not work. If you have done the work, and homework and all the assignments it is somewhere in your head.
ReplyDeleteHe will be fine...you'll see.
The Queenager's exam success depends on a lot of year round project work. Today she had to do a history debate, which she has worked hard for. That is, apart from the costume she is supposed to wear. 10.30pm last night she was raking through my clothes trying to find something (that fit her) that looked like a man's suit. She didn't even try it on till this morning, so then had to run round looking for safety pins to keep the skirt up. I just stood back and asked her why she didn't do all of this the night before (I know, I know - not what she needed to hear). Her response was that she would have been up till 1am! (What?)
ReplyDeleteThis year Eldest does GCSEs. If all goes well that means AS levels next year and A2s the year after. The year after that Youngest does her GCSEs... Never have I needed the 'keep calm' notice more!
ReplyDeleteMY SON AND I ARE IN IT TOGETHER ALSO, I FEEL..HE LIKES THE WAY I TEST HIM AFTER HE HAS HAD A REVISION SESSION...AS I GET THINGS WRONG...HE WRITES DOWN PHRASES I SAY WHICH ACTS AS PROMPTS...!! anything l can do to help l say...
ReplyDeleteit good to be appreciated..LOL
saz x
ooopppss, sorry about the capitals...
I have documented my own trails and tribulations of my son's lack of revision for his forthcoming gcse's. I think you have an added advantage that your son is at least applying himself where as mine, well, let's just say that if he put as much effort into revising as he did practicing at the skate park it would be a doddle. I really don't think he has grasped how important this is and unfortunately will find out too late.
ReplyDelete