How to make sure my son is studying properly?

[geek84]

Good Morning Folks

I hope you're all well. My teenage son who is in year 11 seems to be getting stubborn day by day regarding his studies. He is getting below average school grades and I have offered him assistance on countless occasions to try and help him grasp the subjects taught. For example, I suggested that he learn a topic and I can ask him questions related to the topic to make sure he understands it ok. He says he doesn't want that since it would be like being in school. He says he is doing ok at school but his grades obviously don't show that.

Could someone be kind enough to give me advice/tips on how I can help my son to grasp the subject topics taught in school in a better way, thus making sure he gets above average grades?

Thanks in advance for your responses.

 

[Burnerman]

Alas the eternal problem, especially where boys are concerned!
I have found that the Collins revision guides were one of the best publications, but he needs to commit evening time to study if he wants to improve.....that would mean a couple of hours each evening, Mon to Fri.
The school may offer revision classes at the end of the school day - most do - and it could be worth a chat with his subject teachers, just to find out what's going on in reality!
Has he decided to go into the sixth form, or head towards a technical college or whatever yet?
John

 

[HawkEye244]

Put him on a part time course learning a trade so he's got something to look forward to other than fukcing homework.

 

[Nige F]

Other than paying for a private school, go with what HawkEye says. The bare fact is that some people can not learn in an academic setting. I am sad to say that I wasted a place at grammar school because I only just got in and struggled in the bottom class all through - (and did 1-1/2 hours homework each night) Whereas I would have been in the top class in Sec.Mod. and had access to much more practical work. Still, I didn't have to work as a navvy having secured an apprenticeship

 

[HawkEye244]

If I was a little chap now I'd be over the moon if my dad bought me a trade class for christmas. If you want to know what's on in your area try hotcoures.com, it shows you everything that's running in private and public colleges.

Try to elicit what he would like to do if he could through conversation, without giving the game away.

Sadly my dad was useless, taught me nothing, didn't even pay my mum child support. I won't be making the same mistakes that's for damm sure.

 

[nauseous]

Introduce him to DIYnot GD and force him to read HawkEye's comments and tell him that's what he'll end up like if he doesn't change his ways.

 

[transam]

give him a financial inducement

 

[geek84]

Thanks for your replies.

 

[HawkEye244]

Introduce him to DIYnot GD and force him to read HawkEye's comments and tell him that's what he'll end up like if he doesn't change his ways.

Sadly I actually agree with this comment

 

[DaveHerns]

What does he like to do when not at school ? Can you build on that? Has he got any problems you need to be aware of? Wish I was 11 again with the benefit of hindsight....

 

[HawkEye244]

Me too, downloading porn with a 56k modem was grim.

 

[Burnerman]

I was probably the laziest git in my whole year group.....the only thing that shook me up was my O level results. So confident was I that I could cruise them, I nearly fell through the floor when I found I didn't get enough to enter the 6th form, and I had one final chance to get it right.
My revision technique - with absolutely no parental help - was to do my class work over again, each day, super neat.
I got the other 5 subjects at the Xmas resits.
Mr. G - tell your son he has no chance of getting a teaching job unless he gets his arse into gear.
Is he genuinely struggling- or just can't be arsed to move himself?
John

 

[DaveHerns]

Is geek's son a bit young to be downloading porn? In my day you were lucky if someone lent you a copy of Health and Efficiency.

 

[Judy in the sky]

Change the wifi password daily and/ or, hide the controller for his Xbox/ PS4 and leave him a note saying , you'll tell him todays password and/ or give him his controller once, (and only once) his homework is finished. Works for me.

 

[DaveHerns]

I think that's child cruelty these days.