The Start Of GCSE's Revision
I spoke last week about our family plan of Dan Jon not doing any revision at home for his SATs, but for Top Ender it is a little different... and by a little I mean a HUGE amount. Top Ender will be taking her GCSE's next Summer, yeah I know, the little girl who is the reason I started this blog is old enough to be taking her GCSE's and then will be out in the big wide world.
Anyway, the last few weeks have been full of revision for her mocks, taking her mocks, going over the questions asked in her mocks with her classes in the different lessons and even speaking about them at home. They have discussed what they got right, what they got wrong, where there are gaps in their learnings, where they need to revise a little more, where they need to improve, where they can help each other and themselves. We've even spoken about them at her recent Parent's Evening!
We had made it important, revising for her Mocks. Ensuring that Tops had time, space and snacks. Asking her questions about various subjects, asking her to teach us so that things will fix in her own mind and do you know what? It worked.
It worked because Top Ender nailed all of her exams, including her least favourite subject (German), hitting the targets the teachers had set for her and in more than one subject smashing them and Flyfour and I left Parents Evening, buzzing from all the amazing things her Teachers had said about her, her attitude and her results. Although I was a little disappointed as nobody asked to adopt her this year.
Flyfour and I have been totally honest with Top Ender. We told her how like us she has smarts, and if she wants to, she could not do any work with regards to revision, she could just sit back and take her exams and do well. Well enough, that she gets average grades and she could go on to do the rest of the things that she wants to do in her life, just like we did.
After all, at the end of it all, the grades you have don't really mean anything. Sure, they help you get into the next steps of education but in the real world? When was the last time someone asked you what grade you got in your GCSE's?
However, we've also told her that what might be more appropriate for her, is if she actually puts in some effort and gets the best possible grades she can. Then Top Ender could be proud of herself, could see that the effort she put in magnified her natural smarts and get her grades that I wish I could say I had myself.
And Top Ender agrees.
Top Ender learns best by doing and can memorise anything if it is a song. So she is teaching Flyfour, Dan Jon and I various bits and pieces (I'm excited, but can't say that for the rest of the family!) and we're on the hunt for songs that cover the topics, or that we can change the words to in order to make them cover the topics!
We're also after your top revision tips, plans, ideas, anything that you know that would help us or anyone else who is preparing to take their GCSE's. Let us know in the comments, or over on Facebook what the best tips you have are.
Anyway, the last few weeks have been full of revision for her mocks, taking her mocks, going over the questions asked in her mocks with her classes in the different lessons and even speaking about them at home. They have discussed what they got right, what they got wrong, where there are gaps in their learnings, where they need to revise a little more, where they need to improve, where they can help each other and themselves. We've even spoken about them at her recent Parent's Evening!
We had made it important, revising for her Mocks. Ensuring that Tops had time, space and snacks. Asking her questions about various subjects, asking her to teach us so that things will fix in her own mind and do you know what? It worked.
It worked because Top Ender nailed all of her exams, including her least favourite subject (German), hitting the targets the teachers had set for her and in more than one subject smashing them and Flyfour and I left Parents Evening, buzzing from all the amazing things her Teachers had said about her, her attitude and her results. Although I was a little disappointed as nobody asked to adopt her this year.
Flyfour and I have been totally honest with Top Ender. We told her how like us she has smarts, and if she wants to, she could not do any work with regards to revision, she could just sit back and take her exams and do well. Well enough, that she gets average grades and she could go on to do the rest of the things that she wants to do in her life, just like we did.
After all, at the end of it all, the grades you have don't really mean anything. Sure, they help you get into the next steps of education but in the real world? When was the last time someone asked you what grade you got in your GCSE's?
However, we've also told her that what might be more appropriate for her, is if she actually puts in some effort and gets the best possible grades she can. Then Top Ender could be proud of herself, could see that the effort she put in magnified her natural smarts and get her grades that I wish I could say I had myself.
And Top Ender agrees.
Top Ender learns best by doing and can memorise anything if it is a song. So she is teaching Flyfour, Dan Jon and I various bits and pieces (I'm excited, but can't say that for the rest of the family!) and we're on the hunt for songs that cover the topics, or that we can change the words to in order to make them cover the topics!
We're also after your top revision tips, plans, ideas, anything that you know that would help us or anyone else who is preparing to take their GCSE's. Let us know in the comments, or over on Facebook what the best tips you have are.