how much work are you doing at this stage?

[dunemigrating]

Hi, I just wondered what amount of work everyone is doing with their children at the moment.I know you shouldn't compare, but it's just out of interest really. I try to be aware of the fact that I have a son who is very 'young' and playful and enjoys playing with his younger brother and doing sport. I don't want to inundate him with too much and burn him out before we even start. There is evidence that boys work less effectively than girls if they are with pen and paper too much. I think this is especially true with mine. (Why didn't I have a girl?)
At the moment we have a tutor 1 hour a week and I give my son about10 mins maths to do per morning.We do a page of bonds when we can (we're at the end of bonds third maths bk). However, he has so much homework (every day and double at weekends) that I find it hard to do anything else!
What is everyone else doing and what stage are you at with certain books? If anybody who did this last year, can remember, please feel free to answer too. Thanks everyone, in advance.

[scarlett]

I take it your son is in year 5 ? My son took the 11 plus last year ( and passed ) and I had just started doing 11 plus work in Jan. It sounds as if your son is doing a lot all ready and seems to be on track.I started off with the basics with my son just to make sure he was where he should be.Have you had feedback from your tutor ?

I think boys do prefer doing any work etc online....it's less time consuming then writing things down...and little and often.....but that could just be my lazy boy !! We worked through the books and then only started on the practice papers in the summer. I was worried my son would reach a peak too early...if you know what I mean !! You can pm if you want

[rubyhettybetty]

We are doing Medway test, and not doing much yet - I know we need to but time is such a problem. DD has been going to a group class at a tutor for all of yr 4, and we are keeping this going, but I don't think this is going to be enough so we are in the process of trying to find a 1-2-1 tutor as well, for an hour a week. Things ramp up quite quickly with the group tutor from Easter with mock exams etc. DH was supposed to be sorting out a programme to do at home in the evenings but it's hard to do that with 4 kids around after school, as well as cubs, swimming etc.

I am getting her to read a chapter of her book to me every night as well as her reading is quite poor.

[U400JB9]

My daughter will sit the Kent test in 2012....I`m wondering whether to start doing something with her now. Perhaps once a month. Her NVR and VR are really good, we seem to have a maths weak spot again

DD1 sat it in 2009 and we started in the Jan and I think she was under prepared......but every child is different....both of mine included

[Villagedad]

Our DS1 will also sit the exam in 2012

Does anyone whose DC has sat the exam or who is doing it this year, have a schedule of what they do through the year leading upto the exam?

For example has someone broken it down and put some project management into developing a schedule of activity to ensure everything is covered during the time, e.g. activities for Q1 (Sept-Nov), Q2 (Dec-Feb), Q3 (March-May), and Q4 (June-Aug), with time spent:

*with a tutor
*on workbooks / corrections
*on practice papers etc..
*on timed papers

This could be broken down by hours per week spent on particular activities etc..

Thanks in advance

[bustwinks]

OMG you lot are really starting to worry me now.....year 4 and you are already panicking! what are you like.....they are kids let them play and have fun...surely worry about it more when they are in year 5,

Ok so I might be totally wrong. We are lucky here in the New Forest that we have fantastic Comp schools, with kids getting into Oxbridge. It just so happens that there is one Grammer school left in the area, so in the Summer holidays before the 11+ my daughter did a handfull of past papers, then in November took the test, she came out very confident, results out in March. If she gets in, then that will be fab...if she dosen't I'm sure it wont be the end of world.

Well lets hope I didn't get it completely wrong, and that I should of started preparing her when she 9...God forbid!!

What will be ...will be !

[U400JB9]

Not panicking....just considering a gentle shove Or at least getting myself organised for when I think she`s ready to start. Hothousing -no, familiarising -yes.

We don`t have good Comprehensives.......with an abundance of Grammar schools in the area the Comps. suffer. Having moved from a non selective area I hate this process.......but am participating all the same...

I agree what will be will be, in part. DD1 failed by 1 point and I didn`t want to appeal, OH did, and now she has been at Grammar for 4 months she is thriving.

[tweetie pie]

I understand now why people say you should not compare!! My DD is in yr 5 (will sit one exam in Sept this year and Dec for the other school) and though she is keen to get a place at one of the two possible GS I know if we do too much too soon she will get a bit fed up, she likes school and is strong on maths recently being judged a 4A also she has a reading age of 14 + and spelling ability to match,She does a lot of stuff-piano,flute, riding and swimming so fitting in tuition on that basis she looks a good candidate to do well at 11 plus. Her tuition has started-just yesterday - with a local tutor- ex head of maths and used to mark 11 plus papers. When I told the tutor what her strengths were she felt that seeing her every fortnight with some work to do on the week off would be satisfactory. I feel ambivalent about the tutoring, but took the view that having none, would disadvantage DD against kids who have had a year or more of tutoring and doing work at home as well. Now that little voice in the back of my head is saying should we be doing more..........

[Villagedad]

OMG you lot are really starting to worry me now.....year 4 and you are already panicking! what are you like.....they are kids let them play and have fun...surely worry about it more when they are in year 5,

Oops sorry maybe I should have clarified things a bit more

Am just doing the ground work so when we are in year 5 we are informed and can hit the ground running

[scarlett]

Villagedad....I think you sound like the best person to devise a planner.....and then you can share it with the rest of us !

You do need to do some preparation or it would be putting your child at an unfair disadvantage, but I did all the tutoring myself for my son...and spent a lot of time doing general maths/english, such as he would be doing at school. I think otherwise there is a danger your child is so well practised at NV/V etc that they pass solely on that and maybe will then find grammar a struggle.

I also want my children to love learning and want to find out about how things work etc.....you don't want to put them off !!

I think as re to a planner, actually now I'm thinking about it, it is going to be individual.......so if you feel your child isn't quite " there " yet do lots of mental maths, times tables, reading all kinds ...fiction/ non fiction...writing skills...letters to Grandma...that sort of thing ! Then prob. from between now and Easter start on the books and little tests.Then maybe do the timed longer papers from May onwards......but that was just how I did it ...everyone will have to do it differently, and my dc don't get homework and just have 2 days a week at clubs...so it was easier to fit it in on certain days as a routine which stopped all the huffing !

My 2nd son who will be taking it in 2012, I am doing a bit of work with him now, but only because he has had lots of supply/ crappy/ depressed teachers and I think he is a bit behind...but my 1st son was the same and he ended up with 412 in his 11 plus.He thinks he is dim so I want him to get into a routine of doing a little bit here and there to build up his confidence really, before we do anything too "11 plussy " next year!