Stuck run

[kitbag]

hi guys, I am in year 11 at school and I have been finding recently that school have been putting an awful lot of pressure on us to get A-stars. (even if we aren't predicted one). I am really stressed because I have got a maths exam resit and I'm behind with coursework because I am struggling to keep up with other coursework ...

 

has anyone else got this problem?? I would like to know!!

 

 

Kitbag xxxx

[Geoid]

My advice is, take it easy, do one thing at a time, stop going on the forum (you should be doing coursework!)

[ubereglu]

I think you're talking to me too Fred!!!

 

Mind you, I'm mostly up to date with coursework at the minute-apart from my second english draft...Don't get me started-the syllabus is rubbish and I did actually throw my work on the floor and screamed with a previous essay...luckily for me I got my Mum to help me read through it with me to help re phrasing things so it made more sense.

 

To be honest you really shouldn't be that pressurised, after all you can only do your best and you shouldn't be made miserable due to unrealistic targets.

[Hen Watch]

Speaking as a 39 yr old fuddy duddy - I still remember the year I took my O levels. Endless revision, revision, revision. You don't forget even at my age.

 

Your teachers are probably piling on the pressure because they want you to do your best. That is all that any teacher or parent wants of you.

 

I think that they really mean to say "keep going, and don't get complacent about your revision".

 

Try not to get too stressed. It is a stressfull time. We've all been there. Juggling with lots of subjects is hard. But don't think "I must get all A*'s", instead think "I will revise and try my absolute hardest to get the best possible grade I can". Try to plan your revision/coursework times, stick to them, and keep going. The rest will fall into place.

 

Talk to your folks or your teachers if it gets too much as they can help you with reassurance and planning tips.

 

Best of luck.

[Cinnamon]

If you are struggling,speak t your teacher or tutor.

 

My daughter Devon is in yeay 11, & her Osmosis coursework was due in yesterday,but she lost the momeory stick with the finished piece on.

She was really worried & upset,but she spoke to the teacher who gave her an extension until Monday to get it in. The school was shut on Thursday afternoon & all day today,so she now has plenty of time to get it done to the standard she wants.

[Egluntyne]

She has learned the same lesson that my son learned a few years ago.

 

Back all coursework up.

 

He too got an extension and managed to salvage the situation.

[Cinnamon]

I know .

 

She was on her way home from her boyfriends house where they went after school with the final draft on her stick in her pocket when it fell out.

She had only completed it that afternoon, so hadn't even got home to back it up yet

 

Luckily she had the first draft on her laptop,so all was not lost

[Yorkshire Pudding]

Times have moved on... I lost a final year essay for my degree - hand-written. It got soaked in my bag during a downpour and the ink was so far run that only a few pages were readable.

 

I went in to the lecturer looking like a drowned rat and pulled this soggy pile out to hand in... you can imagine his face. I had to go back to my notes and start again.

[chickencam]

My ED is only in year 10 and is already getting stressed about coursework and her first maths module exam in November. I think the school made it worse by having a 'welcome to year 10 meeting' during which they did nothing but bang on about how important this year would be and how they musn't have any time off sick or get behind with coursework.

 

The girls know how important it is and they don't need extra stress

 

I have told her that all she can do is her best, and if she has done that we will be happy and she should be too.

[Yorkshire Pudding]

The pressure on kids to succeed is never-ending, isn't it?

 

I have a number of students who are really upset and stressed by the whole experience. Even when I help out at y2 and y3 they are being trained to improve and 'up-level' their work - there's nothing wrong with wanting to do well but there are far too many exams and assessments involved.

 

Don't forget that we teachers are also being judged on the levels our students achieve and how those compare with the forecast grades and previous levels. Hence the pressure on the students. It's all about 'progress', but that is being measured by exam results as that is all that can be quantified... it drives me

 

I agree with what others have said. If you've done your best, you can do no more and have every right to be proud of it, whatever grade or level is eventually awarded.

[Geoid]

Strangly, I don't get stressed, not about coursework or exams. People are saying im a bit too relaxed, but im getting good grades, so its no problem

Got an A in physics (just found out)

[BERTIE MCSQUIRTY]

this is where i think massage in school project would be useful - although usually for young ones - one adapted to your age group is not impossible.

[Clur]

It's very easy for me to say this (now I'm in my 30's!), but getting high grades isnot the most important things in life. I know you are under pressure to get high grades, but if you sort that in your mind as not necessarily getting A*, but ultimately trying your best, then that should help put things in perspective a little and remove some of the pressure.

 

More important is your approach/life skills that will allow you to make the most of any situation no matter what your grades.

 

Deep breath! Do what you can, to the best of your ability and don't drive yourself potty with it

 

 

 

*edited due to typo. Typing wasn't on the syllabus at my school

[Ms Marple]

Dear Kitbag,

 

I am Head of Year 11 at my school and my advice would be as follows:

You can only really complete one task successfully at a time, so if you have a backlog your problem just gets worse. Go and talk to your Head of Year (do you have one?)

If you came to see me I would help you to negogiate a 'plan of attack' so that everyone would get their coursework - but with a revised set of dates.

At the end of the day, we tend to see coursework as 'marks in the bag' and so we want you to achieve as high as possible. It is possible that you can achieve a higher grade in your coursework than you are predicted overall as in an exam situation, nerves can sometimes play a big part. Also some people can never truly demonstrate their ability under exam pressure. A high standard coursework mark frequently helps when you are on a grade borderline, as in subjects like English and Geography for example it is worth about 25% of the total grade!! Individual teachers often do not look beyond their own subject to see just what their pupils are trying to time- manage. Unless it is carefully managed, you can get situations where several subjects are all demanding completion of their coursework at the same time.

 

Sorry for the long reply. To sum up. Get your HoY onside and negogiate a compromise - you will start to feel more in control.

Let me know how you go!!

[kitbag]

hi again guys!! Thank you for all of your advice!! I will definately try all of your advice. Its good to know you guys understand how it feels! my friends feel like this too so I will tell give them some of your advice!

 

Thank you all so much!!

 

Kitbag xxxxx

 

Ps well done for your A fred! I wish I was that good at physics, or science in general lol!

[Lisa]

Hi Kitbag

 

I agree with Scrambled and Ms Marple - I am the Learning Manager for Y10 at my school and we are there to help you. Don't wait until you feel totally swamped speak to someone soon so they know what is going on. I also have a daughter in Y11 and a son in Y13, so I know what the pressure of coursework and exams is like from both sides.

 

P.S. I also teach science (and my DH is a physics teacher) so if you get really stuck with your science pm me!

 

Keep

[Ms Marple]

Hi Again Kitbag!

Make sure you act on this tomorrow!! I echo Lisa who posted after me. I should have also said I am quite up with Science coursework/ work too. I used to be Head of Science in a previous life. My specialism is chemistry( well someone has to like it !) So between the 3 of us you should have it covered.

 

Good Luck

[kitbag]

aaww thanks guys!! I struggle most with physics and chemistry!! I really could use some help soon!! Is it ok if I PM you if I get stuck with homework or coursework!? I would be sssoooo grateful if I could especially as I have got exams soon (its modular).

 

Thank you sssoooo much guys, I am so grateful!

 

Kitbag xxxxxxxxxx

[LisaP]

I think teachers put wayy too much pressure on everyone.

We constantly have them moaning at us to get A*s on all our modular exams and coursework.

At the moment I'm doing 2 pieces of English coursework, 5 essay style questions for history, 2 written exams tomorrow, and then more modules throughout the year.

And then they give us a load of fake exams just to add on top of all of that...

 

It doesn't seem to matter what people are expected either, me and all my friends are predicted different grades, and no matter what we get, they never seem to be happy

 

And even when we do manage to do well, the school somehow finds a way to mess it up-

I got an A* on all my science modules but they're still trying to make me re-sit the modules.

 

It's not fair!!!!

 

 

 

Lorna

[kitbag]

A girl in my year at school got an A* on all of her modular maths exams last year, and she got full marks on all of them except one. She wanted to retake the one that she only got one mark away fromfull marks on. I mean how pathetic is that!? Ggggggggrrrrrrr...

 

 

Kitbag xxxxxxxxxx

[ubereglu]

Now that is ridiculous-can't she just be happy?

 

Mind you, I'm so glad that I was good enough to take my Maths a year early as it's eased the pressure of exams and although I had to do the Maths coursework-unlike my friends as it's been abolished, I still got an A* overall.

 

Well done for your A in Physics Fred! What exam was it? Multiple choice or P2? You know how I didn't know what my marks meant for the results of C2 and P2, well I found out I got an A* in both-so very happy really, I even got full marks in Chemistry-still not sure how I got an A* in Physics though, as I never truly understand-but maybe I'd learnt more than I thought I had!

[Geoid]

It was the P2. hopefully will get an A or A* overall. Well done in your maths and P2 & C2!

[rachel19]

At least at GCSE's and A'levels you can still do well - if we do too well in our modules on my degree they drop everyones marks so the university doesn't look bad We did statistics last year (my 2nd year) and everyone did really well with lots getting a 1st for that course and they dropped everyones marks - mine went down by about 11% which is just ridiculous. Universties are just a scam though anyway, sadly a degree means nothing anymore

[Couperwife]

there has been a lot of good advice on here already,

 

I teach ICT (OCR Nationals if its anyuse to any y11 or 10 person ) and always suggest people focus on one thing at a time. if Maths exam is coming up, focus on Maths, you can ignore it as soon as you have finished the exam. just work hard in all other lessons, so you dont need to complete other work while Maths is at the front of the queue.

 

I would also suggest talking to your teachers if you feel things are getting too much for you. we all have targets to meet (I assume that your school works on Fischer targets) and many people feel that these are the bottom line to what you should be able to get. if your teachers think you could get an A* then your target grade must be near there - if it is too much of a leap ask your teachers to explain why you have that target grade.

 

the bottom line is just do your best - thats all anyone wants.

 

(((hugs)))

 

cathy

x

[kitbag]

I suppose, I mean all I can do is do my best, and the teachers will just have to get used to that! My mum always tells me that as long as I spell my name right on the exam paper then that's ok lol (she is kidding by the way lol!!) I didn't even manage to do that right, once!!

 

Oh well

 

Kitbag xxxxxxxxxx

 

Ps. Thanks guys you are all being so supportive of all us year 11s so a BIG thankyou!!! xxxxxxxxxx