How is everyone getting on for the sep 2010 test?
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Committed, like everyone else said with timing you have to see how your DC is progressing. I started off around sept october but fairly relaxed doing an hour each week as that was the consensous I got here. It was really to familiarise with the levels required and trying to understand what VR and NVR is.
Around the february half term after realising how slowly we were progressing and seeing how much she hadnt done in maths I then drummed it up and we are doing 45mins to an hour for VR and NVR each week and then about an hour and half in maths. I know for most people this sounds a lot but only you know your child and how much you want it.
Another reason we are doing much is I have decided to try for a few indies too and I have seen some of the sample papers which arent for the faint hearted. They arent multiple choice. We would need a bursary or some scholarship and so we are really aiming for higher scores and my first choice grammar takes on scores too.
Around the february half term after realising how slowly we were progressing and seeing how much she hadnt done in maths I then drummed it up and we are doing 45mins to an hour for VR and NVR each week and then about an hour and half in maths. I know for most people this sounds a lot but only you know your child and how much you want it.
Another reason we are doing much is I have decided to try for a few indies too and I have seen some of the sample papers which arent for the faint hearted. They arent multiple choice. We would need a bursary or some scholarship and so we are really aiming for higher scores and my first choice grammar takes on scores too.
Impossible is Nothing.
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long and winding road
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Not all children are avid readers mosemant - some love reading - others don't despite every trick in the book to encourage them. It is more of a struggle with non readers because writing follows reading and raises writing standards. Maybe sherry_b's daughter has to work harder to compensate for the fact that she doesn't read much. For children who enjoy reading - it is an escape/relaxation for them - working hard on 11plus papers wouldn't make a child who likes reading, stop. IMHO
As we seem to be on the topic of reading -mosemant wrote:I'm sorry but I feel really sorry for your daughter and find your post so over the top. You are doing all this, but crucially your daughter is not reading of her own will. I am not surprised after all this over tutoring.
I agree with LWR in that my dd2 reads everyday - it dosnt matter how busy she is. with dd1 i am lucky if i catch her reading once a week!
Actually, Long and Winding Road, I am of the opinion that doing this amount of 11 plus practising may well stop a child reading. The child already has a full school day and if there is this level of extra work going on, it may well be counter productive and make any kind of reading and writing a chore. The chalk board thing sounds quite good, but the thought of working through all those papers would be enough to put anybody off.
But hey, I am only a primary school teacher and my son has just been through all this process (and got in to St Olave's) , so what do I know?
But hey, I am only a primary school teacher and my son has just been through all this process (and got in to St Olave's) , so what do I know?
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long and winding road
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- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:36 pm
You ask what you know - well you obviously know your child and the amount of extra work he needed. I expect you want the best for him just as we all do for our children. All children are different so it stands to reason some will cope and actually enjoy more work while others wont.mosemant wrote: But hey, I am only a primary school teacher and my son has just been through all this process (and got in to St Olave's) , so what do I know?
I am sure sherry started this post as she wanted constructive advice from those of us who have been through the process and those going through it now but your post sounds a little sour.
BTW congrats to your son, i hear st o's is a great school - perhaps your ds will be friends with LWR ds
Are there any decent newpapers for kids? I am asking because she occassionally reads my newpapers but I find its only when there is a headline of something to do with kids. I am thinking any reading is better than nothing? I checked on the internet and the only one I saw was First News? I wonder if anyone has read this and how it is? What put me off a bit was on the website there were a few stuff on auditions and having a DD who thinks she will be the next Leona Lewis, this will cause me more trouble than good 
On the issue of timing spend all kids are different and reading between lines some parent say they do 1 hour a week but what they really mean is they pay go to a professional tutor for an hour and then they dont add they time they spend doing the homework which could be another hour. The same could be said for us going the diy route, some say they are not tutoring but what they really mean is they dont pay a proffessional tutor but they still help them at home.
In addition they are other variable too, if they are in a decent school and have covered most of the stuff in class esp maths then there isnt much work to be done but if they havent then its going through all this with our DC. You can only know that when you start working with them. And naturally other kids are much clever than others and with a bit of help even the mediocre ones can come out high. We have been doing roughly 3 hours in total a week since Feb and I let her off during the half terms. I really dont think thats much and she will do that for a year. In a way I hope when she starts secondary, its not going to be a shock getting that much homework as she gets very little homework from school now
I understand the importance of reading, but that alone wouldnt help in passing the 11+, it will be very useful for VR but then again even some VR questions need maths. Also worth noting last year in Kent the kids needed slightly higher marks to pass maths unlike VR and NVR and the majority of the children I know were let down by maths. I am not sure how it was the other previous years.
On the issue of timing spend all kids are different and reading between lines some parent say they do 1 hour a week but what they really mean is they pay go to a professional tutor for an hour and then they dont add they time they spend doing the homework which could be another hour. The same could be said for us going the diy route, some say they are not tutoring but what they really mean is they dont pay a proffessional tutor but they still help them at home.
In addition they are other variable too, if they are in a decent school and have covered most of the stuff in class esp maths then there isnt much work to be done but if they havent then its going through all this with our DC. You can only know that when you start working with them. And naturally other kids are much clever than others and with a bit of help even the mediocre ones can come out high. We have been doing roughly 3 hours in total a week since Feb and I let her off during the half terms. I really dont think thats much and she will do that for a year. In a way I hope when she starts secondary, its not going to be a shock getting that much homework as she gets very little homework from school now
I understand the importance of reading, but that alone wouldnt help in passing the 11+, it will be very useful for VR but then again even some VR questions need maths. Also worth noting last year in Kent the kids needed slightly higher marks to pass maths unlike VR and NVR and the majority of the children I know were let down by maths. I am not sure how it was the other previous years.
Impossible is Nothing.
Hi Sherry,
I think you are taking the most pragmatic route just working round the lack of interest in reading. I know several people who are not interested in reading of different generations who have done extremely well at school and university. It puzzles me, I don't understand it, but I don't think it is anything that went wrong with their education or too much / too little pushing etc. It's just the way they are.
Something that can supposedly make a difference is to see other family members (all ages) reading ....... making a slot in the day at the weekend when those who do like reading sit down somewhere visible and read. No pressure on the ones who don't want to read.
I've tried to do that here, but it is only me and the three year old who will participate so I'm not sure how much impact it would have on the others!
I think you are taking the most pragmatic route just working round the lack of interest in reading. I know several people who are not interested in reading of different generations who have done extremely well at school and university. It puzzles me, I don't understand it, but I don't think it is anything that went wrong with their education or too much / too little pushing etc. It's just the way they are.
Something that can supposedly make a difference is to see other family members (all ages) reading ....... making a slot in the day at the weekend when those who do like reading sit down somewhere visible and read. No pressure on the ones who don't want to read.
I've tried to do that here, but it is only me and the three year old who will participate so I'm not sure how much impact it would have on the others!
Thanks Mystery, sadly like you say its just not all kids who love reading and we have to find ways of going round it. She has stated on occassions that all those children's books are fiction and not real so she sees no point in reading them. I dont mean to blame or put it on teacher but since the school stopped the oxford books early on in Y4, she has not brought a single book to read home. She is that type who really thinks her teacher is always right (far better than mum) and if there was some encouragement from that end even to get a library book once a week to read she would probably have give one or two books a go.
I wonder if I am partly responsible for the that too? I do read quite a bit myself and but not fiction, just other stuff as I am normally doing some reasearch of one sort or the other. DH is also currently doing some post grad so reading goes a lot in our house but just sadly not reading novels and I am beginning to wonder if that explains it.
I wonder if I am partly responsible for the that too? I do read quite a bit myself and but not fiction, just other stuff as I am normally doing some reasearch of one sort or the other. DH is also currently doing some post grad so reading goes a lot in our house but just sadly not reading novels and I am beginning to wonder if that explains it.
Impossible is Nothing.