Granddaughter is disengaged from schoolwork

How many people on here used ther GCSE or O Level grades for the next 20/40/whatever years? In the grand scheme of things is someone who scraped a bare CSE better than someone who got a top O Level or an A*? I didn't do well in teenage exams but I'm pretty happy. I discovered a love of learning later and went on to degree and Masters study as an adult, but that was for fun and doesn't define me.
I have a child in Y11 who is going through GCSE palaver at the moment and is disengaged. My priority is to support her in the evenings with anything I can, but to make sure she is healthy, happy and sleeping as reasonably as possible, not isolated, scared, worried, sleeping reasonably and can make it through lockdown.
I think supporting our family, ourselves and each other is all that we can do right now. There's no info on how they will be measured but after 5 years of high school I very much doubt any teacher is going to mark someone down because they haven't been able to cope at home alone.

It's just that with the possibility of checking online login individual non-involvement stands out.
That's a good point crazygranny and I'm not sure being checked up on so obviously in one's own home/sanctuary is entirely helpful.

Ellianne

^The cancellation of public exams makes it more important than ever that she impresses her teachers and goes along with what they ask her to do.^
My experience is mainly with teaching younger ones who are all like cute puppies and love to impress! When it comes to secondary exams growstuff could there possibly be an opening for sucking up to teachers at this stage to ensure higher assessment grades?

Not exactly sucking up, but making a good impression.

Schools haven't been given information about how to assess grades, but I would imagine it would be similar to last year. It's expected that grades will be submitted some time in April. It was hoped that pupils would be able to sit mock exams to provide evidence, but some pupils were expecting to do them at the beginning of this term and haven't. It's possible they might be able to sit them before the end of term, but not certain.

Without hard data, there is always a degree of subjectivity about assessed grades. Pupils are usually given "predicted grades" from the beginning of the GCSE course and those will be used as a basis. However, on the day when teachers are required to assess a grade, they will undoubtedly be influenced by pupils' most recent performance. If a pupil hasn't engaged, it will undoubtedly affect the prediction.

My 16 year old granddaughter doesn't like being seen on Zoom either. She does do the work with assistance and lots of encouragement from both parents. Her mum works in a primary school and dad is working from home. She does find it difficult too at times.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful input it doesn’t help when my daughter checked that she could log on when she was supposed to then got a message from someone called Emma who we have no idea who that is to say GD wasn’t logged into a class when she clearly was, a glitch probably but so annoying. They will do their best it’s all they can do.

My twin grandson aged 14 are the same. Mum keeps an eye on them but they do the minimum. They are in Year 10 which is first year G S.E’s . They say hardly any of their friends are doing any work. They are taking Art and P.E , so I do t know how that will work.

Little GD aged 5, on the other hand, can’t get enough of school ‘work’ . Loves it all.

If she doesn't pass exams this or next year, she can always go to college when it's all over. Not the help you're looking for, but mental health is the main issue just now. Keep the lines of communication open and just have nice chats. Party when it's over and address her future then. ❤❤ Good luck

Teenagers are often so frightened of not doing things 'properly / well enough, that they retreat from the challenge.

Have you thought that she may just be ashamed of her appearance or bedroom / study area compared with friends who are happy to show of their homes?

off!

tanith - I would get into a conversation with your GD and ask for her thoughts. You probably have all the answers already but nobody is consulting this girl, she's been put into a home-schooling situation when her favourite subjects all require a different type of interaction, and when she has no supervisor at home to spur her motivation. Ask her what effect she thinks the new teacher assessment of student progress will have on her at the end of the year (is she in her GCSE year?). Ask if she would be happy with that, ask what she needs to get into a sixth form or to pursue her career, ask how best she could secure that. In the first instance I would have the conversation with her - she may feel totally defeated right now. That she won't put her camera on suggests she's disengaged with school and this is something the school can and should do - create the requirement for engagement by having both camera and mic on.

I would discuss how she thinks she can move forward with her work and what measures need to be put into place to facilitate that. I can empathise with her not wanting to engage with the camera on; I hate it. It is one thing with friends and family, another if you feel the person watching is judging you in any way at all.
My second born son would have been the same. He was mildly dyslexic and disengaged at this age and, quite frankly, I despaired. The educational psychologist suggested that we encourage him gently but safely so he didn't dig his heels in and just keep him on the safe and narrow until he realised the worth of having a decent wage. With much assistance from me, he walked away from his GCSE's with straight C's in far fewer subjects than his peers but he was the one with a good job, a house and family way before them.
Sometimes it takes maturity to overcome our anxieties about learning and we are rather fortunate in this country that there is a life long learning programme for people who were behind at school.

I wanted to post this from Facebook because, although a much younger person, it is something that is quite heart warming for a parent who is in this situation. The child concerned has ASD. I quote, "My 11 year old son tried homeschooling yesterday but I knew he wasn't listening to any of the zoom lessons, wasn't writing anything in his notebooks and certainly wasn't taking anything in. It was so frustrating to see but I decided to leave him alone because he was calm and happy just rolling tiny sausages out of different coloured plasticine all day. Through a maths class he was rolling, through a Spanish class he was rolling....humming and rolling all day. Never seen him so content. Eventually, in the evening, he showed me what he'd made with the tiny sausages. He'd stuck it on my chopping board. I'm so glad I stayed back and didn't make him stop."

I know it won't help with your Grandaughter's GCSE's but maybe encourage her to work on her portfolio in the subjects she loves so she is at least achieving something.

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That's a funny picture growstuff and probably true!
Thanks for the explanation about assessments. Such a responsibility for the teachers.
It makes me think that it is actually at primary level we should be instilling more lessons in perseverance and self esteem rather than getting them all to jump through hoops from the beginning and thus destroying self esteem and enjoyment of learning.

I have a 19 y.o. neice (an only child) and I know she is having difficulty at times doing her uni work. She told me that she has enrolled on Silvercloud which is an online mental health site. I think she said you have to be referred by your GP but it might be helpful for your granddaughter to look into this. My niece finds it helpful and so does my bother's partner who also uses it.

It’s so hard for children at the min. My Son will rush his to have free time.
Could you have a reward system - takeaway or movie night if all work done.
Can she manage to use the online schooling?
I’ve had to learn TEAMS quickly.
A routine works for us, so work in the morning break then another hour or so.

She won't be the only one having problems like this so I think her parents have to accept and support. The poor girls favourite subjects have been taken away from her. She should not be punished for this...

This is a nightmare situation for pupils, parents and teachers alike. Is your DGD really understanding that it is more vital than ever that she is seen to be trying hard and that her teachers need to see her putting in the effort and the time?. Also, what is she actually doing with her time? If her mum is at work, can she be sure that your DGD is actually staying in? I live close to a park and see groups of teenagers passing our house on their way there. The online arts and drama courses seem a good idea. Could they be used as a reward for doing her expected school work? I wish you all well.

I can totally empathise. My grandson is 15 and trying to get him to do work on line is almost impossible for my son and his partner. If they leave him for one moment he has reverted back to playing on his phone and shows no interest. During the last lock down my son changed shifts to stay at home and monitor his work but he got so stressed about it I worried about his health. I don't know how you motivate children of this age, he listens to what his parents say and agrees but then, when left alone, he doesn't do the work. I don't known what the answer is but it is very stressful for everyone.

I can assure she isn’t leaving the house and her room is perfectly acceptable to be shown she just doesn’t want all her class mates seeing her online I don’t like it either. She also isn’t depressed. Just an ordinary struggling teen one among thousands, at least she talks to her Mum they are very close and her Mum worries as do I.

I can totally understand her not wanting to be seen. I hate zoom meetings for that reason, though I am happy to listen . At the other end of the childhood age scale , my DGD aged 4 at the time, goes to ballet. Last LD classes were on zoom. She would take part but only if she couldn't be seen. And, let's be honest, don't a lot of us look at the settings where so many reporters, politicians, experts , celebrities etc are in when zooming?

It could have me writing this letter,my GD is 16 next month,failing in math and driving her Mum,single parent crazy,only interested in her phone.She is a very sweet person
just got her first job at weekends and loves the money.But is missing out a huge part of life at that age,was keen and good at basketball,all cancelled.Due to COVID I never get to speak to her alone,she used to stay with us all the time and I looked after her most of her pre school life,it makes my heart ach.

This is something that her teachers should be dealing with. Perhaps she isn’t coping well with home schooling, particularly if she is at home on her own. She needs motivation.

Not all teachers are pulling their weight. My neighbour who is a teacher, is setting work, then taking her own children out for the day - she is not there for supporting her pupils.

Tanith You said she doesn't want to be 'seen' online, so could there be bullying happening during video classes or group conferences? Has she been criticised in some way either during or following a lesson, her appearance or ability perhaps? It's happening at my GDs school: nasty comments about her clothes or her home. It's cruel and hurtful, but she's developing a thick skin. Anything like that would really discourage a child wanting to do online lessons with other students. I hope you're able to help and encourage her somehow.

Same here, same age and they know it all. Not sure if school is doing all it can either. Terrible for their education.
No advice, sorry. Feel for you but glad to read about someone else in the same boat.