A Strange But Urgent Request....

Shanelle

Hi
If you probably seen one of my threads before, you'd see the importance of this request :j
My DD has gone into total and utter panic mode, she has an AQA literature english exam coming up in the next 2 days. She has done a countless number of mock exams at home and has got her school teacher to mark them. She's been quite angry and perplexed about the results of the tests she's done which are B+ (and thinks her teacher is too soft a marker) , and knowing her nature I know she won't be happy until she reaches an A at minimum.

She's studied a lot more and completed another essay, the only problem is her school teacher is ill, so it can't be marked and her exam is on tuesday. She's in a major fluster at the moment and tried to asses the exam herself using a grade criteria and gave herself a grade D , I'd help if i could but I can't make any sense of it, I've never been the intellectual type and my english isn't really up to much.

So.... I know this a long shot, but I was wondering if there were any GCSE english teachers lurking about, who could pleasegrade this for her, bearing in mind I know that teachers are having their only weekend rest after tons of marking anyway. Of course, I'd be eternally grateful and do anything I could for them in return.

She's studying 12 poems and 4 short stories Cluster 1 from the AQA anthology. The test she's completed is only the short stories one.

Thank you for reading Oh and Please help

meritaten

why would you want perfect strangers on here to grade your daughters work? She is flustered and you really think that a stranger on here who could lie about being qualified could grade her work? are you serious?
she has been averaging B+. Your daughter is NOT qualified to say whether the teacher grades soft or hard (they do have criteria to stick to). YOUR job is to calm your daughter down, assure her she will pass and stop this hysteria.
Its an exam - its not life or death. exams can be retaken - but, if the exam is in 2 days then whatever happens now its down to her performance on the day. a grading now will NOT help will it?

ailuro2

Shanelle, can I suggest you take a deep breath and count to ten... then get your DD to do the same... if she's done all the studying she can do then sitting another mock test isn't going to help her any further.

It's important to have a bit of time away from the books during exam time too, to allow oneself to relax.

Try and reassure her that she can only do her best, and give her some Ovaltine and a banana for supper ( helps her to sleep) and a good healthy breakfast in the morning - all more important than the result from a last minute mock test.

Even if someone did mark the test, how would she know it really was a teacher and not someone giving her an A* just to put her mind at rest ( sorry, but it IS the internet, trust no-one!)

Best Wishes, hope she manages to calm down a bit and worry less.

ailuro2

cross posted, meritaten, glad someone else thinks along the same lines.

soup

modern parents, I despair.

WelshWoofer

I'm a science teacher and so not qualified to help with this but I would say that I think that some students can become a bit obsessive and make things worse by whipping themselves into a frenzy over small things.

This feels massive to her (so we shouldn't criticise) so the best thing to do is to try to distract her for tonight and ask her to speak to another member of her English dept tomorrow who will reassure her about her work I'm sure.

I've seen students not bothered at all about exams and some that almost have a nervous breakdown over them (these are usually the more able ones too).
Try to convince her that a break from it this evening will do her more good than harm and that someone else in school will help even if its just being able to speak to her for a few mins to put things back into perspective.

Good luck - this is a horrible time for many.
x

make_me_wise

I wouldn't trust anyone on an internet site offering to do this. As others have said anyone could pretend to be a teacher and give a grade your daughter wants to hear! Does that really do her any good or change what will happen on Tuesday....no.

She needs to chill out and relax so she goes into the exam, calm and clear headed. At this rate she is going to completely burn herself out and not be able to think straight.

Whatever the result is, she knows that she has done everything possible to do well. No-one can do more than that. What will be will be.

meritaten

Shanelle - I went to a carp school and although bright I had to go to a college to take my GCSEs as they were then. Then, after twenty years I did Open University. On one course my tutor would mark me at 69% all the way through. He didnt like my work at all! then he was taken ill about two assignments before the exam.......all of a sudden I got 90%! in the exam I got 85%. This was in psychology. I learned that year to take the mark be glad I passed and work harder and just do my best.
Another year I had a very sympathetic tutor - I turned in a rubbish assignment when my son was ill and got the same mark I had for the last four, over 90% I think...... I almost failed that exam as I got complacent and didnt work hard enough.
All your daughter can do is her best - but freaking out wont help! I know its hard but you have to trust what you have learned and UNDERSTOOD! in subjects like this its the UNDERSTANDING which helps you.

Shanelle

Hi
I am aware that not everyone on the internet genuine, but that doesn't mean everyone is a liar does it? I asked for some advice, a roundabout grade of course me and DD were perfectly capable of understanding this wouldn't be set in stone. In hindsight, I don't find it particularly wise to discourage her from studying, with the promise of retakes. The mock was taken in exam conditions and although it won't perfectly mirror her performance on the day, it can be quite an accurate tool to use. I've reassured the best I can, but like I said my DDs' common nature is hardly to relax when around exam times. What my DD said about the soft marker, may not even be an accurate opinion, but that it all it was an opinion. She never stated she was qualified or reinforced this with certainty and it was probably exam nerves and stress mixed with a combo of self esteem issues. I agree with the fact shes' cut this a little fine, but surely the point of mocks is to inform the student of what type of things come up and how to Improve?
Before any major exam I know DD will stress incessantly but strangely this hasn't affected her performance in the past. Even though I know this, It hasn't stopped me from helping her relax. The major worry usually sets in after the exam nearing the results date. In her opinion you can never study enough for an exam. I've reassured her the best I can, but I wasn't trying to give her false hope, just a little bit of an insight/reassurance of what grade she is actually at.

elaine12022

I agree with the other posters, trying to relax (both of you) is important, she cannot really learn much more now, but needs a clear head for the exam itself, i say this having done lots of exams and knowing how stressful they are! I also realise now how relatively unimportant they are.

rachbc

if your dd needs an A to relax just tell her you got it marked and she got an A...she might chill out enough not to freak out in the exam!