A Strange But Urgent Request....

Poppy9

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I have never heard of anyone doing multiple (or any, actually) practise exams at home, not even for proper qualifications like A levels or degrees.

DD school sells pupils batches of past papers for maths and it's very effective method of revising for maths. Much better than reading over books. DD used the past papers to find out what she didn't know. She didn't do them under exam conditions but just worked her way through to get a good feel for how questions would be worded, how many marks a type of question was worth and to find her weaknesses. Worked very well.

Schools give out a lot of past papers so that pupils don't feel so intimidated by the exams and can get some practice of timing, how to answer etc. I think it's a great idea as I went into my O levels having never seen an exam paper only being told - you have to write 4 essays etc.

I did past papers 20+ years ago for my accountancy exams. Like many colleagues we found revision books packed with past paper questions the best way to revise and learn exam technique to pass the blooming exams.

meritaten

ok Shanelle - I get where you are coming from now - from what I remember of your previous post about perfectionist daughter is that unless she gets straight As and is top of the class your daughter will stress. In HER mind she has to achieve perfection or its not good enough despite what you say to her. Sorry, if I had remembered your previous post right off, my advice would prob be the same about getting someone to grade her work. but would be more sympathetic about the reasons why.
hun, I dont know how to say this - so straight out - your daughter is obsessed with exam results. and I mean OBSESSED. This level of obsession is not normal. Have you thought about her reaction if she fails? I am sure she will pass - but will that be good enough for her? I worry that she is reaching for something that isnt obtainable. she made you come on here and ask for someone to grade her work didnt she? I dont know what to say now - your daughter is setting herself up for disappointment if she expects perfection in her life. No-ones life is perfect.

belfastgirl23

Poor girl. TBH I think the best thing you can do for her is get her out for a long walk in the fresh air to de-stress her. And reassure her that you have total faith that she'll do well and that life normally works out for the best.

I don't envy you the next few months OP!

mountainofdebt

OP

I haven't read any of your previous posts (or can't remember them!) but it does strike me that your daughter is being a little obsessive - after all unless that person knows the marking scheme of your daughter's examining board then how can they do it objectively?

I might also be wrong here but don't univesity's look at the AS results to use to base their offers on ?

The thing that would worry me more would be your daughter's ability to deal with any curve balls that life throws at her......trust me its not nice seeing your offspring's dreams go up in smoke thanks to an unforeseen curve ball - but it is a mark of their maturity as to how they deal with it.

Humphrey10

Poppy9 wrote: »

Schools give out a lot of past papers so that pupils don't feel so intimidated by the exams and can get some practice of timing, how to answer etc. I think it's a great idea as I went into my O levels having never seen an exam paper only being told - you have to write 4 essays etc.

I thought that was what mock exams were for?

I hate exams so much, I can't conceive of doing extra exams that I didn't need to!

shellsuit

My son is in Yr 10 and is currently taking GCSE's (he took some last year too).

I this was about someone in Uni!

She should be proud about the B. A B s good, it's not a fail is it?!

Agree with it being a silly idea about getting a stranger from the net to mark her work though ~ what if it was a worse mark than a B? What if they lied?

Poppy9

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I thought that was what mock exams were for?

I hate exams so much, I can't conceive of doing extra exams that I didn't need to!

They only do one mock exam under exam condition in school. The past papers is a good revision guide for finding out what you don't know and the sort of questions you will be asked.

Everyone loathes exams

Humphrey10

I remember my first SATs test at 7 years old, I was in the first year to do it for real (the previous year had done the tests but just as 'guinea pigs', to make sure they had set the questions at the right level). I don't remember being told much about the tests before hand, we were just told we were all going to the hall to do tests, 'just to do as best you can and don't worry if you find it too hard'. The age 11 ones were treated in much the same way, as again we were the first year to do them. There was no stress, no worry, no pressure.

I can't think how they could do GCSEs and A levels the same way, but I do wish they could, I keep reading about children and exam stress in the papers, they even have them revising for SATs now, it's really not right imo.

mountainofdebt

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I can't think how they could do GCSEs and A levels the same way, but I do wish they could,

You can.

You simply ensure that your child has done sufficient revision and you're not up tight about the exam the night before either.

Then on the day you wave them off and tell them that all you want is for them to do their best.

Any then pray that they read the question right!

onlyroz

Humphrey10 wrote: »

I have never heard of anyone doing multiple (or any, actually) practise exams at home, not even for proper qualifications like A levels or degrees. If she needs to go to all this trouble just to get a B, is it realistic for her to plan to do A levels and a degree, or is she setting herself up to fail? Is it just eng lit she is having trouble with, or is she finding all her subjects too hard?

Or is it not that she is finding it hard, but feels she could improve further? If she isn't 100% sure she will get an A*, why on earth is she sitting the exams a year early? She could have another year of studying!

This is nonsense. Doing past papers is an extremely effective way to revise.