Transcript GCSE’s - Madeley High School

GCSE’s
What can a Parent/Carer do?
Acknowledgement
GCSE’s
What can a parent do?
By Julie Casey M.Ed., C.Psychol.
www.futurelinkpublishing.co.uk
Some parents think that their role could include
some or all of the following…
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Attendance Officer
Partner with School (meetings, etc)
Provider of tools
Banker
Study Buddy
Entertainments Officer – a balanced programme
Sounding board, adviser
Project Manager
Go-between
Information provider and interpreter
What could I do?
Parent ideas for Attendance Officer
• Being at every lesson really counts!
• Each option subject has about 9.5 (8 hour)
days
• Each core subject has about 28 (8 hour) days
What could I do?
Parent ideas for Provider, Banker & Partner
• Attend all the meetings for information about
your child’s progress so that you are informed
and know what they know
• Pay for activities that support their learning
• Provide a toolbox of useful equipment and
stationary
What could I do?
Parent ideas for Study Buddy, entertainments officer
and adviser
• Be able to advise and discuss ways of completing work
• Study with them where they will let you and talk
through work
• Ensure a balance between work and play to maintain
their momentum and drive
What could I do?
Parent ideas for Project Manager, Interpreter and GoBetween
• Consider ways of improving your child’s
workload
• Interpret what pupils have been told by
knowing date and times of deadlines, exams,
controlled tests
• Make representations to the School to help
your child be understood if things go wrong
Have you heard these?
• ‘my work’s on the computer at school’
• ‘I’m doing that with a friend and she’s got the book’
• ‘It doesn’t have to be in for ages- I’ve got loads of
time’
• ‘We didn’t get homework’
• ‘I need to be in the library at school, I’ll do it
tomorrow’
• ‘Mr X never gives us homework’
What could I do?
Parent ideas for countering homework excuses……
• Keep track of excuses (they won’t be able to) and
write them down with the date and the subject
• Agree or suggest a solution
• Follow it up!
• Explain your concern to your child and say you will
contact the school
• Let your child save face as long as the work gets done
What could I do?
Parent ideas on not working at target
• Use the planner to find out when deadlines
are and note them yourself
• Contact the School
• Keep revisiting the issue both with the child
and the teacher until you are satisfied that the
work is back on track
• Encourage your child to talk about the specific
issue. ‘I hate this subject/teacher’ is not
enough of a clue
What could I do?
Parent ideas on keeping positive
• ‘All or nothing’ thinking is a symptom of this
age. Discuss issues until they are specific
• Accept that they feel the issues are real and
try not to minimise them
• Explain that their difficulties are soluble with
support and temporary
• Rewards are not ‘bribes’ and do not be afraid
to use them!
What could I do when the going gets
tough..?
• www.bbc.co.uk offers an A-Z of life with
advice on issues that may worry your child
with stress from the educational demands on
them
• www.childline.org.uk/ offers tips and advice
on beating exam stress, with online text and
video clips
Madeley High Website
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Dates
Examinations
Revision ideas
Subject information
This presentation
What the School is doing over and above
lesson contact
Using other sources of help
• www.sparknotes.com free downloadable
information and study guides for many areas
• www.essaybank.com useful for frameworks of
essays and examples of work
Other sources of help for parents
• www.connexions-direct.com/parentcarer
• www.familylives.org.uk and a confidential
helpline for parents on 0808 800 2222
• www.coursework.info (a marked by teachers
website)
• www.studentcentral.co.uk
General help
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www.gcseguide.co.uk
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize
www.gcse.com
www.hotcourses.com
www.s-cool.co.uk
www.edulinks.co.uk
www.schoolsnet.com
Your turn….
What are the common
problems?
Solutions…..
What works for your family?
Thank you
Please fill in the feedback sheet
before you leave