Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Useful tips and ideas for the 11 Plus

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by menagerie »

Sorry but frsutrated on so many counts, and need advice.

We just started our campaign proper today with 1 hour of comprehension paper plus times tables. I've had a better time at the dentist. It ended with me lecturing DC. I just couldn't stop myself. It is so frustrating to feel like you're the only one who wants this.

I know he does too really, and he is very bright and very ambitious. But the atmosphere at his current school is so anti-academic and laid back it is incredibly hard to get him to concentrate. Right now I'm tearing my hair out. (For example, he's in year 5 with two teachers sharing the week. Teacher 1 gave him homework to draw a tiger. Teacher two's homework later in the week was...draw a tiger. He also drew tigers in class with both teachers. I love art, but that's a lot of tigers when he hasn't been learning much maths!

He said he has never needed to work as hard in class as he did this morning on the comprehension (Bond papers 9-10 years) followed by some quick fire multiplication qus and testing of square roots. Even asked what a square root was. (We've done them before but clearly they are not commonly looked at in class.

I'm now feeling very frustrated at having turned into a lecturing harridan on day 1, and after the most blissful summer ever, am back at square 1 feeling deeply unsure that the school is worth attending.
Thingsbehindthesun
Posts: 463
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 11:25 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by Thingsbehindthesun »

Menagerie I can really empathise and feel I could have written your post myself.I too had planned a apparently stress free introduction lesson for my daughter and it ended with me getting very vexed and her crying. :oops: ( but all was forgiven after large amounts of chocolate).In hindsight I tend to forget that she is still only very young. I've decided it's no good following study plans that stipulate x mins but to make things more low key.

Are you planning on visiting any open days this year? I would recommend going early as the shear number of children turning up can force them to see that there are also others that want the same school and if they really want it then they're going to have to work harder.

Do you also know what levels your son is currently at ? If he's having problems on the workbook you could go down a level from there but I have also heard that the bond comprehension book is tricky.

I would also talk to his teacher if your still worried about his school work but maybe it's just to ease children into the new year.
Last edited by Thingsbehindthesun on Sat Sep 10, 2011 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
;D
Belinda
Posts: 1167
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:57 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by Belinda »

.
Last edited by Belinda on Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by menagerie »

Thanks for the replies.

TBTS - it's very comforting to know I'm not the only one. Is your daughter yr 5 as well?

Belinda, I don't mind at all that you said my perspective needs changing you're right.

But how? When? If I were confident that school was even covering the curriculum, I'd be more relaxed. But I'm not. All their friends have tutors and have had since yr 3, because the school is so complacent. He has managed to keep up with them, without a tutor, but now I'm wondering whether we should go with one...

You're right that they can't see how important it is. But we only have a year and there is sooo much to do. I think I'm feeling the added pressure of there only being super selectives in Surrey. If we were in a normal grammar catchment I'd be a lot more relaxed, but when the choice is Tiffin or Sutton, or Wilson's/Wallington if we move further in, it's scary how much competition these schools get.

Still... had a good afternoon hanging out at Games workshop.
Belinda
Posts: 1167
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 10:57 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by Belinda »

.
Last edited by Belinda on Thu Nov 01, 2012 2:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by menagerie »

Belinda, thank you! That is brilliant. It really is a fantastic starting point. It's also more than I'd planned ot do at this stage. 15 mins a day, I thought might be enough, rather than 15 mins per subject per day. Knowing my DS I think I'll step it up gradually, though he is very perky in the morning and could probably manage 15 mins maths before school without even noticing he'd been asked to do it!

The biggest hurdle for us is the shift from school's, 'Let's play all day' mentality to some concentrated effort and demands suddenly being made on him. He's up to it, and ready for it, just not used to it.

I will follow your advice. It's so well thought out. I really like your suggestion to just look at maths etc individually, rather than doing paper after paper for the entire year. I'm happy to leave the papers for a while. I bought a lovely, very straightforwards KS2-3 maths textbook aimed at teachers, so will go through the curriculum in it with him.

We were filling in the squares before summer. I was impressed today that he knew 15x15 without thinking. Must have emblazoned on his mind as the final number to fill in. Good idea to shift the order round a bit!

And thank you again, Belinda. I can't believe the trouble you've gone to. It is fantastic, and very much appreciated.
999 mum
Posts: 422
Joined: Sun Feb 14, 2010 12:02 am

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by 999 mum »

Depending on what he was doing at Games Workshop, he might have been working on his maths skills there as well! :roll: :roll:

You can be doing maths in all sorts of places :wink:

at the bus stop,
-how long will it take to get there by each bus,
-if bus x come 3 minutes after bus y should you wait for the second bus or catch the first (taking into consideration how long each journey will take).

planning a party,
-how many packs of chicken nuggets do you need to get so that each child will get x number each.
-how many packs of party bags,cakes etc are needed.

At the supermarket,
-Which pack size offers the best deal
bulu
Posts: 45
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:24 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by bulu »

Wow Belinda, what a fantastic post, thank you, I'm inspired!

I also found it helped that DS came to associate doing a bit of work with me with getting a treat! I kept a secret stash of hideous sweets and fizz to be produced without fail at the start of a session.

He responded particularly well to Lucozade Sports drinks, which are considered cool at school! It did feel a bit like puppy training at times but it really worked!
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by menagerie »

Bulu your post made me laugh. The things we resort to. And yes, you're right, it works. My two were so sweetie deprived as toddlers that they potty trained in exchange for a chocolate button! Funnily enough my son tried bartering for a sports drink the other day, so I might keep that in store for a very difficult day. Today was better.

DS was ill and came home from school mid morning, strangely much improved by being at home, so did some 'puzzles' aka NVR and scored 90% with a temperature. Then his brother brought his homework home which was stupidly easy so he did his entire week's homework from school in 15 mins and went off to play. :roll:

999 - it's true, GW can be perfect maths revision - all that measuring and geeky massive scores adding. They're off to play a marathon game next weekend.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Arrrggghhhh!!!!

Post by sherry_d »

The best advise I ever got was to buy myself hair dye. Prepare yourself for more hair raising moments. Imagine how it would feel waiting for the results and then the offer day and so on....

My reply is not helpful but all I can say is good luck. It will be a year of "fun" :lol:

You can see by the number of posts I have here how much fun I had. I am probably the least qualified to comment on 11+ stress busting tips :wink:
Impossible is Nothing.
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now