Can my year 11 DS drop a subject?

DCFC79

pollypenny wrote: »

The problem may be that the school doesn't know where he can go during those German lessons. Additionally, it's not that easy to give extra maths or English instead.

A poor result can be left off any CV.

I dropped a subject whilst at Sec School, i went to the lesson as normal but did work for other subjects, dont think it was a good idea as whilst trying to concentrate on our own work we would have the background of the subject being taught distracting us.

I dropped the subject after the mock exams we had.

Dunroamin

SnowWhiterThanWhite wrote: »

Hi, thanks for your comment. I most certainly haven't 'written him off' but, having seen him struggle through most of school, I simply cannot make him learn and take in information. He sits at the dinner table every evening and weekend for 90 minutes to revise - From his mocks, it is obvious that the information is not being retained by him.

His plan is to join one of the services, and he is fully aware of the entry requirements, but, he can only do his best - no more.

As for home schooling, great idea, but, I certainly couldn't do it myself, not least of all because I work full time.

I have thought about a tutor, but, sadly, it would be out of my financial reach.

I really want to thank you all for your comments - they have certainly given me food for thought and I will definately have a long think over the school holidays as to our decision going forward.

A very merry christmas to all of you X

If he's not very academic but wants to go into the services, I suggest he look at doing a course in Public Services at college when he leaves school. Many students respond better to practically based courses like BTEC than they do to GCSEs.

aliasojo

[quote=[Deleted User];58078535] My father worked in a factory for 40 years but one thing he did do was make sure he supported me and pushed me through my educational years. He'd have never let me 'give up' on something. He wanted his kids to make the most of themselves and to have something better than he did.

[/QUOTE]

Can I just give you an 'other side of the coin' example?

My Father was similar to yours in that he wanted me to get somewhere in life, to achieve, to be all I could be, etc etc. He had strong views on education and the reality of this was that there was little room or consideration for personal development or aptitude .

He made me take Russian at school. I had no interest in it, found it tedious and boring, I didn't understand most of it and struggled in class.

He refused to let me drop the subject, he required me 'to develop a backbone' and just 'get on with it, it will eventually get better'.

It didn't get better. My confidence hit rock bottom, I went from being a reasonably intelligent interested kid into one who began to loathe school. My other subjects suffered and I started to truant.

I left school as soon as I could and I also left home at 16 (for more reasons that simply being made to take Russian I should add but I did feel my father cared less about me than he did his 'educational stipulations')

The point I am trying to make is that some kids will simply not respond well to being made to continually fight with something they struggle with, especially if that something is not an imperative.

I don't agree with giving things up on a whim, but there does come a time (imo) where you have to decide if there will be a benefit or not, with continuing.

I wish my Father had let me 'give up'. I genuinely believe I would have achieved a lot more in life if he had.

balletshoes

OP if he's sure he won't succeed at German, and its cutting into other revision he could be doing in subjects he can do well in, I say let him drop it, and discuss it with the school accordingly (they may have other options that you and your son aren't aware of yet).

Its not the end of the world if he doesn't take an exam in one subject, and it doesn't teach him he can just "give up" - he's already been trying his best for ages with it. Besides which, if you can't try stuff out and then let it go if its not for you when you're at school, when can you?

scooby088

[quote=[Deleted User];58078657]OK I'm an employer.

10 years time your child and someone else comes in for an interview. I ask them about school, qualifications etc.

Other person tells me about his GCSEs, A Levels, Uni degree.

Your child tells me he has no qualifications but that he had a lovely time at home and did some great things. Might even be quite interesting.

In all honesty, who do you think 99.99% of employers will pick?[/QUOTE]

No one ever asked me a question with regards to qualifications I took at school 10 years later, what you learn at school is irrelevant to what you need to know for the working world.

I hated languagess with a passion and have never had cause to use my german gcse for anything.

mountainofdebt

[quote=[Deleted User];58078535]Appalled to see some of the attitudes of parents on here saying they shouldn't do it if they don't want to etc. You should want your kids to do their best and not mollycoddle them.

Its a big bad world out there and if they don't make an effort its not going to land in their lap.

Must admit - it seems I am somewhat lucky in some respects. My father worked in a factory for 40 years but one thing he did do was make sure he supported me and pushed me through my educational years. He'd have never let me 'give up' on something. He wanted his kids to make the most of themselves and to have something better than he did.

Not sure if there are people on here with that same attitude which is really sad.[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry but are you saying its better for the OP to lay down the law, stress her son out more about a subject which is not vital that he does well in and potentially damage his performance in those that are ?

(And before you ask I have I laid down the law with Junior when it was obvious it was needed and boy did he know it)

I totally agree that its a big bad world world out there but surely its also important to learn to recognise when something isn't working and then decide what you're going to do about it.....not just struggle on because you don't want to appear to lose face - too many politicans do that !

mountainofdebt

And lets be honest its the government that have decided that everyone must study languages regardless of whether they have any ability up to the age of 16 - where's the sense in that ???

And as for not wanting to go to Uni, does that mean you class everyone who doesn't to be a 2nd class citizen?

Dunroamin

scooby088 wrote: »

No one ever asked me a question with regards to qualifications I took at school 10 years later, what you learn at school is irrelevant to what you need to know for the working world.

I hated languagess with a passion and have never had cause to use my german gcse for anything.

You may not be asked questions about school exams but, if you don't have the appropriate qualifications you'll never make it though to the interview stage anyway.

Dunroamin

mountainofdebt wrote: »

And lets be honest its the government that have decided that everyone must study languages regardless of whether they have any ability up to the age of 16 - where's the sense in that ???

It's been considered for a long time that everybody should study a language at this level, it was only recently that the requirement was dropped and then reinstated. You don't need any special ability to study a language for GCSE as the standard is pretty basic.

rising_from_the_ashes

Mara69 wrote: »

Many years ago, my school tried to teach me Spanish, French and Latin (at various times during my schooling). I was so rubbish at all three and my parents tried to get the school to allow me to drop them and concentrate on English but they would not allow it. I still can't speak another language but my English, I am pleased to say, has greatly improved despite my school.

We had this too - we started by having to do Latin, French & German (as well as English) and TBH it's far too much to try to learn that many different languages at one go ... I now can remember bits of one language and other bits in a different one - surely it would've been better for me to learn one of them properly!:mad: