The Tiffin Journey 2010

[JaysDarlin]

Woah, I don't think I'm able to give as much wise words of wisdom as SVE, but thanks for the high opinion folks.

Supermum2, On the day this years results came out I had a serious panic attack! LOL. I was so pleased to hear I'm not the only one fretting so early.

I remember when we were prepping ds1, i phoned Susan Daughtery up and asked her if she offered a crash course (this was the September before the exam, yes we did start really late). She told me something along the lines of...

"Yes I do offer a crash course, but that was in March, I'm afraid your son is too late to fit in with my group, my children are totally ready"

I half died that day!!!!

Well seeing as the results came in March, on results day I announced to my son he was going to do a four month crash course, and after that it would be July and he could have a nice summer break, with minimal studying. This is too much temptation for my ds2 so he agreed, God bless him!

So we have a timetable up on our fridge which reads:

Weekly Plan:
Category Cards = 3
First Aid Pages = 2
Similar Words Sheet = 1 ½
Flash Cards = 14

Kumon for speed
Times Tables, once a week
Verbal, once a week
Non Verbal, once a week
Reading, twice a week


These are all the resources I used with ds1, and I am happy with them.
(If anyone would like the flash cards or worksheets I have prepared, please email me)

We do an hour a day, and three hours on Weekends (Kumon, 1/2 hour flash cards, 1/2 hour first aid, 1 hr VR/NVR, and 1 hr reading with Mum)

We have already completed Volume one Tutors VR CD, and have started IPS VR, and we are on Further Fourth Bonds assessment papers NVR.

So there: that's how much I panicked.

[Shaftsbury1]

Hello jd,
Your planning is amazingly organized! .

And calling S Daughtry herself wow.Where does she have her courses btw,does she prepare for Tiffin?
But i have to admit the amount of time you are spending is about the same as i did with my ds,ie an hour a day and more on the weekend.

I suppose it was because we started in april and it felt like a race to get ready before the summer and then just maintaining practice.Time seems to fly by.


Oh i am so glad it is over (sorry all 2010 parents)


Good luck all!
Sh1

[supermum2]

Hello and thank you for the advice, its very useful.

I have been doing Bond non verbal with DS but to be honest have not really focussed on this area as originally this was his strong area.. I think I have now left it and it has become his weaker area.

The problem I have is that I find it difficult to explain why one answer is correct and another isn't. The answer soon becomes obvious when I use the how to do non verbal reasoning book. Is there something else I should do so that the answer is more obvious or will practise practise practise ensure that this becomes more obvious.

I have bought the first aid in English which is good all round for general knowledge and English. But is there a systematic way in which to work through this book? Your help on this would be greatly appreciated.

I will send you an email shortly for information on the flash cards.

By the way I am glad that I am not the only early person panicking. I ty to be organised as last minute rush and stress does not sit well with me so I prefer to do the stressing when there is not pressure and relax(where possible) nearer the time. I didn't know Susan D did crash courses,this is interesting, do you have information on when these are?

Ill stop asking questions now before I end up writing an essay!

[JaysDarlin]

Here are the chapters we did in The First Aid of English:

Gender
Families
Traditional Homes
Group Terms
Occupations
Sounds and Motions
Classification
Gradation
Association
Analogies
Antonyms
Synonyms
Homonyms and Homophones
Adverbs
Compound Words
The Right Word in the Right Place
Different Type of Walks page 97
Diminutives
Small Quantities
For Reference
General Knowledge Tests
Fastenings

Hope it helps!

[Shaftsbury1]

Supermum,
Have you tried the Ae tuition guide to Nvr.It comes in 2 books.

I found it late in the day but found it really useful as although it can feel basic in the beginning it builds up and actually gives names to all those wierd shapes.

It helped clear my ds's mind,as he would also argue over possible answers.

[supermum2]

Thanks Jays D

This is really useful.I have started to panic again.

My ds has clarinet exam today and LAMDA exam on Saturday, once this is finished it will be time to really knuckle down. I haven't been doing weekend but I now see the importance of doing this work more regularly.

How is every one else and their preparation going?

[newhome]

Just followed this thread and want to get help with the books using for preparation to Tiffin Girl School.

I bought a set of Bond "how to do for 11+.. "along with the "advanced 5 assessment paper" for DD recently. After searching this forum and found so many suggestions on books for tiffin girls, and the Bond set weren't on the best choice list, so could anyone tell me should i use these materials or not.

Also, i am wondering how many papers should be went through in terms of a good preparation to pass the exam? There are obviously endless books, papers, materials out there online, and street stores.


Thanks.

[Shaftsbury1]

Hello newhome,


First of all the Bond books are great and i also began with them.i think the only issue is that not all the types off vr and nvr in them are relevant to the Tiffin test,such as nets!

After i did Bond with ds,i loved the Susan Daughtry guides which explains the various types well,but again not all the types are relevant and it is not multi-choice.

The Ips book has the 21 types of vr that are relevant for tiffin.

The tiffin test is set by Nfer and if you buy their papers you will get a clearer idea of the differing types of questions in vr and nvr.

You will also find that come January there actually aren't really that many papers relevant available!

hope that helps!

[newhome]

Shaftsbury1, thanks so much for the promptly reply.

So would it be good for me to use bond paper for time being, we scale the present time as the middle stage of preparation. Then will start Susan's after that. I am doing DIY with DD, started formally April, not sure how other families are getting on towards the time scale. Do u think it is enough time for us to cover all these two papers by the middle of June?

Also, did u get the Susan's off this web shop or anywhere? How about the Nfer paper? In terms of difficulty, which order are they, among bond, Susan, Nfer?

thanks.

[Shaftsbury1]

Newhome,

I wouldn't like to comment on timescale as i believe every child works at there own pace.I also started with my ds in April but his first exam was in september and he had to cover all 4 subjects english,maths ,vr and nvr.so it was pretty intense until exams began!You have plenty of time until January and if this is the only exam then there is no need to worry at all!

Opinions differ on the difficulty of the various papers and i think there is a helpful post by patricia (check on the vr section) somewhere rating them.
She even gives a timescale as to when to cover which papers.

One set i forgot to mention is the walsh papers (animal print).They are the toughest apparently and should be left to much later in the prep.

You can buy the resources anywhere,here on this site or on the high street.