Thursday, February 27, 2014

Where should my child be around about now?

One of the most common questions at the moment is, where should we be, in terms of percentage marks, with the practice test papers? And my answer in each case is, exactly where they have achieved at the moment. It sounds an odd response but when pupils first do some of these practice tests and experience the questions, the timing of the test papers and the sheer expectation of knowledge from the questions, many will find the experience daunting and a little bit frightening.
For some, it is the first time they realise how much they have to do and to learn. This will effect them in one of two ways, they will either rise up and go for it or they will shrink back and get tearful and worried.
In an article I wrote some time ago I referred to the time when they will go through 'the crisis of confidence' because reality of what the 11+ entails has dawned on them; it is only after this that we can re-build and then watch the grades increase as their self reliance, self belief and acceptance improves and carries them through.
Stressful for parents, because they want to support and nurture.
The best way to support them is to allow them space to have the crisis and tell me so we can then move the learning to the next stage.
They are not 'frightened' or 'terrified' or any of the words they may use to express how they feel; they are just shocked and worried you may feel they are letting you down - often their only true fear. The best way to support and nurture is to let them know you love them regardless and wont 'tell them off' in the way they feel you might. Its a strange time for them but they have to go through this stress to realise your love and support is as you say unconditional and that their marks wont mean you will 'send them away', 'shout and scream' or 'hate them' all of which I have heard over the years from children terrified of their parent's reactions to things.
They could use their tears to manipulate you into helping them do the test and again this is something to resist. A crying child tugs at the heart strings and you are so desperate to make them feel better, you end up 'taking the stress away', that is, by doing the test with them/for them. Resist!
This is hard love that will give them the independence they will need.
So, they are all in the right place right now, and after the crisis the levels they are at present will become a distant memory and they will improve each time they do a test.
Where should they be in the end? as a rough bench mark;
Skinners and TGGS would equate to 95% in all four areas
Weald and TBG would equate to 75% and above in all four areas
top sets at secondary 65% to 75% in all four areas

Monday, February 10, 2014

Retrieving all I know



When starting a story, it is so easy just to write, to produce the stream of unconsciousness that I have already talked about. The number of children who say, “I’m ok, I can do this without planning,” or, “I find it easier without planning it first.”
What they are really saying is, ‘I have got in the habit of just writing and got away with it up until now and no-one has stopped me, so why should I change a habit I have developed? What is the incentive for me?’
The incentive is better stories, better writing and better grades, but that is something the child may not appreciate until others in their class is doing just that and they are being left behind. What I am hoping is they will start to see the standards of writing I am showing here and realise others ARE planning and creating pieces of work of higher levels.
So here is one of just such a story, written after working with Dad on thinking through the process of ‘all I know’. The piece was from the comprehension, A Japanese Family, and is the ‘ideas for writing section’.
His Dad and he went for a walk and thought about all he knew about the country, Japan, being poor and having little food or belongings; having to work all the hours of sunlight and how this would change his life if he had to live it. He was thinking about the situation and creating a set of images which he could relate to and utilised everything he knew. After planning, he then produced this piece. Not only will you hear his knowledge coming through but you will also see he has used the comprehension itself to lead him and give him ideas.
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Hello, my name is Akikro and I am the eldest child in my Japanese family. I hate my life, but I have to do all this hard work. My dream is to make more money and to do whatever I want. I have hobbies, such as sport, but I never get to do any of that and I feel sad about it. This is my life and I have to deal with it.
In the morning, at 6.30am my entire family have to get up, burdened with completing the household chores. At 7.30am I have to take my sister to school, but we don’t look forward to it because its just one classroom full of dust. Even the paint is peeling off the walls. It is very hard to concentrate. No playtime, just maths and literacy. After five hours of hard school work, I take my sister home. I feel sorry for her; she is so young and does so much work.
When we get home I ask my Grandma if she has improved the land for better crops, but all she says is, “I have made some wholesome food for you, but that’s all.”
After I have put on my wellies, I go outside to help my Dad fishing. All I like about fishing is throwing the line, I don’t like taking the hook out of the fish’s mouth, but I am determined to get over it. We don’t have any companions or allies to help us fish, so it’s just me and Dad.
When I go to bed, I dream about becoming a better fisherman, ‘to improve the quality of my life’.
So that’s my day, and guess
What the next day, I just do it
All over again!

Monday, February 3, 2014

The Results are In




6 Winners

5 Runners Up

Tempting Fate has been read, reviewed and judged and there are five clear winners, all creating not only a well written piece, but also took the title into account and made it the focus of their short story.
Well done to all the winners, and equally well done to those who were a close second. Prizes await, but who will be claiming them, only by attending will you find that out.
To all of you who took part, well done, all of you are getting much higher levels in your writing now, and that is always a pleasure to see.