4 days to go! Best approach?

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HoldenCaufield
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2017 3:31 pm

4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by HoldenCaufield »

DS will be sitting the Kent test on Thursday and has been moody over the past few weeks.
I think the pressure is building.

Not sure how to play it as I don't want him to go down the " I don't care" route.

I suggested doing a little bit of prep today and he wasn't impressed ( his football team did lose their match this morning too!)

We, and his tutor, think he is on track to pass........

Shall I just back off?

Top tips welcome!
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by Guest55 »

Talk about what you plan to do together at the weekend as a reward for working so hard :)

Play down the test - it's not the be all and end all ...
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by mystery »

Yes I agree with Guest 55. Don't talk about it if he doesn't want to. Really enjoy the last few days of hols and have something great to look forward to this weekend. Make him feel great for having worked for it and if you do say anything else make it really clear that it's the working for it that is the good thing not whether he passes or not but you know he has the ability to pass and has worked enough too and you are confident that he will etc etc.
bellabelly
Posts: 185
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:01 am

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by bellabelly »

My twins are getting a bit fed up of practice papers, vocabulary building, etc. We decided not to go down the tutoring route but I have been getting them to practise with CGP books and Bond Tests over the summer so that they won't be completely unfamiliar with the types of questions that they might be facing.

I've said to them that tomorrow will be the last day of doing any practice - they're back to school on Wednesday and likely to be tired on Weds evening. And we've also promised to take them out for a nice dinner on Saturday evening as a special treat for trying their hardest. Want to make it about rewarding that, regardless of the actual results.

Can't wait for Thursday to be over and done with!
salsa
Posts: 2686
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:59 am

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by salsa »

bellabelly wrote:My twins are getting a bit fed up of practice papers, vocabulary building, etc. We decided not to go down the tutoring route but I have been getting them to practise with CGP books and Bond Tests over the summer so that they won't be completely unfamiliar with the types of questions that they might be facing.

I've said to them that tomorrow will be the last day of doing any practice - they're back to school on Wednesday and likely to be tired on Weds evening. And we've also promised to take them out for a nice dinner on Saturday evening as a special treat for trying their hardest. Want to make it about rewarding that, regardless of the actual results.

Can't wait for Thursday to be over and done with!
Hi, I do hope you have used the GL papers as they are the ones who provide the tests. If not, please do at least one of each to get them familiar with the format.

About stress before the exam and the last days. I agree with the advice above.
Not long now, good luck!

Salsa
bellabelly
Posts: 185
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:01 am

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by bellabelly »

Thanks, Salsa - we've had a look at the free ones on the GL site, great tip. This evening I have let them go to the park with their mates and play on the xbox (and had to suppress my natural urge to ask brightly if they'd like to do one last practice!) - and then sent them up to bed for an early night. One son asked me to explain again the difference between mode, median and mean... sigh...

Oh well, they'll hopefully give it a good shot tomorrow morning and then we can forget all about it until the results come out in October. My nightmare scenario is Twin 1 passing and Twin 2 not passing. Twin 1 quite wants to go to the local grammar but isn't too bothered - he REALLY likes one of the comps we've looked at. Twin 2 is desperate to get in at the grammar and really has his heart set on it. Guess which twin consistently scores the highest scores? :roll:
salsa
Posts: 2686
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2013 10:59 am

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by salsa »

Best of luck, I hope all goes well.
Salsa
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by doodles »

Best of luck to everyone's DC today xx
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
watbogs
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Aug 18, 2013 9:01 am

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by watbogs »

Hi bellabelly,
I have twins also, but we're OOC, so getting into a grammar is even harder, but am in the same position as you. The one who REALLY wants to go to a Kent grammar is very diligent and hardworking; the one who really couldn't be bothered consistently scores higher in NVR and maths. When we started out they were both neck and neck, otherwise there's no way I would have started, but twin 2 has surged ahead. My only hope is that they get the same result, either way. I'd honestly advise anyone with twins to think very carefully about doing it - especially if OOC!

bellabelly wrote:Thanks, Salsa - we've had a look at the free ones on the GL site, great tip. This evening I have let them go to the park with their mates and play on the xbox (and had to suppress my natural urge to ask brightly if they'd like to do one last practice!) - and then sent them up to bed for an early night. One son asked me to explain again the difference between mode, median and mean... sigh...

Oh well, they'll hopefully give it a good shot tomorrow morning and then we can forget all about it until the results come out in October. My nightmare scenario is Twin 1 passing and Twin 2 not passing. Twin 1 quite wants to go to the local grammar but isn't too bothered - he REALLY likes one of the comps we've looked at. Twin 2 is desperate to get in at the grammar and really has his heart set on it. Guess which twin consistently scores the highest scores? :roll:
bellabelly
Posts: 185
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:01 am

Re: 4 days to go! Best approach?

Post by bellabelly »

Hi watbogs - it makes it all even more of a minefield, doesn't it? I'd say that my two are academically neck and neck (always get same grades in school reports, always in the same sets) it's just that one was better able to focus in the tests and was more careful in his answers - less likely to rush through and make stupid mistakes.

I'm seriously thinking, if one passes and one doesn't, of putting our local grammar school as first choice for both and trying to get in on appeal. Haven't thought this through properly yet but that's my worst-case scenario plan b at the moment. If neither of them pass then I think we'd all find that much easier to deal with!

I need to stop overthinking this, don't I? :lol: :roll: :lol:
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