GCSE Revision is hard work!

elisebutt65

Having failed my oldest DS by being busy working etc (according to him) I have spent all morning sorting out a timetable for revision, making DS 2 sit a mock maths paper and now a short summarising exercise for English.

Now he's doing his usual prevaricating, face timing me etc, whinging, moaning. About to take phone off him and expecting wails of anguish. God, I pity his teachers. one of them said at Parent's evening that if there was a GCSE in arguing then he'd get an A*!

Apparently he is an A student, hahaha, just bone idle.

I still have my own lessons to plan for next week, but have spent all day doing this revision stuff with him. I just can't get through to him that it's not punishment but necessary. He needs an A in maths and Bs in his sciences to get onto the A level courses and so far he's working at C/D. His teachers all say he's capable but won't put the work down on paper. Aaargh!

How can I incentivise him? My own students (16-19) are a piece of cake and do everything I throw at them, but I can't do it with my own!

theoretica

http://www.ogdennash.org/poems/the_parent.htm

GwylimT

Beat him with a big stick.

I let my son learn the hard way, after all I wouldn't be there to force revision at university.

Jagraf

Very normal behaviour. Mine did hers last year and I was exhausted at the end - it's a bit early for full on revision isn't it for gcses or does he have mocks before half term?

Does he want to do A levels - talk to him about all his choices to see if that's the route his heart is set on.

DUTR

Jagraf wrote: »

Very normal behaviour. Mine did hers last year and I was exhausted at the end - it's a bit early for full on revision isn't it for gcses or does he have mocks before half term?

Does he want to do A levels - talk to him about all his choices to see if that's the route his heart is set on.

Does he want to live in Wyken or Chelyesmore?

FBaby

Don't feel guilty, you are doing the right thing and however much he acts like you are the evil reincarnated at the moment, one day he will come to you, give you a big hug and tell you how thankful he is that you were there to push him when he needed and that without you, he wouldn't be where he is.

Boys are overall much more emotionally immature. They live in the present and don't think much of the future. They need female help to do that for them, mum to start with, girlfriend and wife later on!

DUTR

FBaby wrote: »

Don't feel guilty, you are doing the right thing and however much he acts like you are the evil reincarnated at the moment, one day he will come to you, give you a big hug and tell you how thankful he is that you were there to push him when he needed and that without you, he wouldn't be where he is.

Boys are overall much more emotionally immature. They live in the present and don't think much of the future. They need female help to do that for them, mum to start with, girlfriend and wife later on!

:eek: I'd have to say being male and knowing lots of males I disagree with that summary, lots think of the future and is a reason most come out of relationships, as they don't want a life of that family life routine or getting stung on divorce.
I'm not even going to ask the OP what Daddy says on the issue, I remember when I was doing my studying, yes it was difficult but the rewards were worth it in the long run, that is irrespective of gender.

heuchera

elisebutt65 wrote: »

Having failed my oldest DS by being busy working etc (according to him) I have spent all morning sorting out a timetable for revision, making DS 2 sit a mock maths paper and now a short summarising exercise for English.

Now he's doing his usual prevaricating, face timing me etc, whinging, moaning. About to take phone off him and expecting wails of anguish. God, I pity his teachers. one of them said at Parent's evening that if there was a GCSE in arguing then he'd get an A*!

Apparently he is an A student, hahaha, just bone idle.

I still have my own lessons to plan for next week, but have spent all day doing this revision stuff with him. I just can't get through to him that it's not punishment but necessary. He needs an A in maths and Bs in his sciences to get onto the A level courses and so far he's working at C/D. His teachers all say he's capable but won't put the work down on paper. Aaargh!

How can I incentivise him? My own students (16-19) are a piece of cake and do everything I throw at them, but I can't do it with my own!

Thinking back to myself as a lazy 16 year old :cool: .. nagging went in one ear and out the other. Parental pressure just made me want to do less work not more. What did get through to me was a throw-away comment by a friend which went something along the lines of "do what you want.. if you want to f... up your exams it's up to you, innit"

Deep down I did not want to mess up my exams or my life, I just wanted the adults to leave me the hell alone.

Your oldest son blaming mum for his own failures has made you into a bit of a helicopter mum when it comes to your 2nd son, lol, which isn't very fair on him. Just tell him, look, you know what you need to do if you want to get those grades, you don't need me to tell you or nag you, the ball is entirely in your court. If you want to spend the rest of your life working in McDonalds you can do that.. :whistle: and then take a step back.

heuchera

FBaby wrote: »

Boys are overall much more emotionally immature. They live in the present and don't think much of the future. They need female help to do that for them, mum to start with, girlfriend and wife later on!

sexist.. much?? :eek:

onlyroz

Have you tried bribery? Something substantial like £100 for every A grade, £50 for every B grade, and zip for anything lower.

elisebutt65

Jagraf wrote: »

Very normal behaviour. Mine did hers last year and I was exhausted at the end - it's a bit early for full on revision isn't it for gcses or does he have mocks before half term?

Does he want to do A levels - talk to him about all his choices to see if that's the route his heart is set on.

Just had his mocks. Only about 15 weeks to go so we're starting off gently, with 30 mins each on 2 subjects Mon - Thurs. 1 hour each for 5 topics on a Sunday. He's having Friday nights and Saturdays off for mates etc. Then from 1/2 term onwards we'll start to ramp it up a bit and be more focussed on his areas of weakness as well as embedding the basics.

I'm not teacher ng him anything, but just 'how' to do the revision, so that he gets into good habits for the next few years. I won't be there to make him do revision at Uni, but if has the revision skills, then I will not need to (unless he goes to Warwick and then I'm lumbered with him for another 4 years on top {joke})