SATS | But I Smile Anyway...

Post SATs – #letourkidsbekids

13 May 2016 17 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Children, Friday, Relaxing, SATS, testing

Finally, Friday is here!!!

Friday the 13th may be unlucky for some, but for the vast majority of 10-11 year olds it will be a great day indeed!

The first day at school in a long time where they won’t have the weight of SATs hanging over them.

I know the staff at our school really supported the children, and they couldn’t have had better back up throughout this whole experience.

I saw one teacher at the end and said “You can breathe now!”

She replied “We were always breathing, Ritu!”

I take this to mean that though there was pressure, immense pressure, on all, not just on the kids, but on the teachers also, to perform, there was an element of belief, that our kids would be OK, no matter what. The calmness with which they have been preparing the kids means that though there were wobbles through this tough time of testing, the kids were pretty stable.

Maybe I felt it more, looking from a teachers perspective, but also as a parent. I saw the effects of these tests on one individual who is more precious to me than anything.

Yesterday there was relief, but by the evening he was quiet, so quiet. Like a deep exhaustion had set in. I asked if he was ok, anything bothering him? He couldn’t even answer. “I don’t know, mum. I don’t know how I feel…”

Today they aren’t having a pyjama day, but spending a whole day outdoors in the park, doing physical and creative activities. A world away from the tests and preparations of the last few weeks. A perfect day for my sporty Lil Man!

I truly hope they can enjoy being kids again!!!

I’m not in school today either, with a family wedding to attend.

Have a blessed Friday Peeps!

#letourkidsbekids

The End Is In Sight – SATs Day 4

12 May 2016 27 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Childhood, Children, SATS, Tests

So the first two Maths, or Numeracy, papers are done.

They were hard again, yes, but the Arithmetic paper, which now takes the place of the Mental Maths test, was pretty much in line with what the pupils had been practicing. The Reasoning one, or the word problems paper, part 1 was tough. Again it’s not just the maths skills involved, but the wording of the questions that can boggle the minds of adults, let alone the children.

I knew he’s find it hard, but you know what, at least he gave it his best.

Actually, one of his friends said to me that he whizzes through things and gets them right! Not sure of the truth in that but nice to see his mates have faith in him!

Today is the last day of tests. One more Maths Reasoning paper, so more stupidly worded maths problems.

Again that whisper will be in his ear, to do his best. That all we can ask.

I’ve already suggested to his teacher they should have a pyjama day tomorrow, to come in and be able to chill for the first time in many months!

Wishing all the SATs takers luck again for this last paper.

Please, step back after today, amd try and remember what it’s like to be kids again. Enjoy yourself, play, be merry. There is a lifetime of education ahead of you and I hope you are able to access it positively without too many scarred memories of this last few months.

#letourkidsbekids

The SATs effect #3

11 May 2016 29 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #letourkidsbekids, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Children, Humanities, Literacy, Numeracy, SATS

So, SPaG is done. That is Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar for those of you who are unfamiliar with the jargon.

Thankfully it was more or less in line with the types of work and practice papers that the children have been doing the last few months.

As before, I sent him in with that encouraging whisper.

I was away for most of the day on a course in London, so I didn’t see him until 7.30pm, and I really didn’t want to make a big deal of it, so I just asked him quickly, how he found it.

Having seen some of the teaching staff before leaving from my course, I was aware that the test hasn’t been harder than expected. Hard, yes. But hopefully not to an extent that tears were flowing.

“It was hard mummy. Harder than others. And the spelling was tough, for me, too.”

He’s like me. He is not good under pressure, tests and exams brought the worst out in me. Ask me a question in the light of day and I can be as verbose as you like… But ask me the same under the darkness of exam pressure and I clam up.

Oh well. They are half way through. For him the ‘easy’ ones are done. Now comes the toughies of Maths. Again, he is like me, maths isn’t my strongest subject, and he struggles too. But we need to keep a growth mindset with these things.

We try to encourage him, to just try his best. It’ll click one day!

And hey, if it doesn’t, there are always calculators!

I’m sitting here at 7am with my son who may or may not pass these SATs. He may be labelled as an underachiever in the eyes of some idiots up in the bubble they call government.

But right now he is watching history videos, increasing his knowledge in other ways. Now, if you people want to test him in the humanities, he migh have had a chance. On sports? His music abilities? There would have been no worries. But no. Just Literacy and Numeracy.

Oh and he loves writing, you know. (Maybe another aspect where he is like me!) I just hope that these tests don’t strip that love of reading and writing from him. If that was to happen, I would not forgive those in authority right now.

Right time to go educate the little masses! I’ll keep you up to date in the mathematical journey tomorrow morning!

#letourkidsbekids

SATs Day 2 #letourkidsbekids

10 May 2016 28 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, children in stress, Nicky Morgan, SATS, Year 6

He went to school quietly. Not necessarily confidently, but knowing he had to do what needed to be done for these tests.

I sent him with a whisper in his ear to not worry, just do his best, and remember Babaji (God) before starting the paper. We always ‘ask’ Babaji to be with us when we do things, so whatever the outcome, we know it was meant to be.

I didn’t see him at school all day.

In the evening when I came home I asked how it went. “Fine.” Stock answer for everything from a 10 year old boy.

Slowly though he began to talk about it. “Mummy, it was so hard, there was lots to,rad but the questions were really difficult. I didn’t even finish it. Lots of people didn’t finish it. Some children were even crying…”

I wasn’t sure how to take the end bit, but I knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had found it hard.

Coming home, looking at news sites and Facebook, it became apparent that he wasn’t the only one.

Parents posted about how upset or stressed their children had been.

Teachers had stated that in Classrooms across the country, the children classed as ‘more able’ were bursting into tears within minutes of starting the paper, not able to understand the vocabulary used in questions. What hope did our average or ‘nearly there’ students have?

This morning I wake to the news that today’s paper was leaked for a short while, on the suppliers website.

This happened with the younger children’s Key Stage 1 paper three weeks ago, and that has now been withdrawn.

Our kids had got pretty good at the practice Spelling Punctuation and Grammar or SPaG tests. If they say these marks will be discounted, it will dishearten the kids further.

I am even more concerned now of the mental health of these children.

Not just my own, but a whole nation of 10-11 year olds.

I came into teaching to make learning fun, to show children how much fun you can have learning about all manner of things… Thanks to the Education Ministers of the last few years, the fun of teaching and learning has been sucked out of education, instead replaced with unrealistic standards and tests.

Kids will no longer have a thirst for learning, instead they will gag at the thought of being force fed another fronted adverbial or subordinate clause…

Sort it out Government and Nicky Morgan!!

#letourkidsbekids

Can’t Get No SATs-isfaction

09 May 2016 69 Comments

by Ritu in Children, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #letourkidsbekids, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Children, SATS, Tests

Well, that day has finally arrived. The one I have been dreading, for Lil Man’s sake. You may remember I wrote an open letter to the Education secretary about this.

The Year 6 (and Year 2) students in the UK are sitting their SATs tests this week. A set of tests that have been around for a while, but this year, they have changed. The National Curriculum changed last year, and they decided to introduce new tests, with higher standards, and much tougher questions this year.

I feel for these kids. I know that Lil Man and his class have been subjected to practice test after practice test the last couple of months, in readiness for these particular ones, and I think they are all exhausted. Speaking

Speaking for his teachers, from a teacher’s perspective, they have been trying to play catch up, as the Government threw them a curve ball with regards to what children are expected to achieve midway through the year. It is not their fault, they want the children to do as well as they can, and the practice is to make sure the kids are sure of how these tests work.

From a parent’s perspective though, these excessive tests just make me feel that our children’s childhoods are being snatched away from them. I know of umpteen parents who have felt the need to tutor their kids, on top of what they do at school, determined to get their children to pass with flying colours.

Who doesn’t want their child to pass?

Of course, I would love it if Lil Man came out with top marks, but I am going to be realistic here. It ain’t gonna happen. He will do as well as he can, he will give these SATs his all, and for that, I am grateful. I shall be happy with whatever he gets.

And I want him to have a happy childhood to look back on, not one where he just saw studying everywhere he turned. He loves sports, playing the dhol, spending time with our cat.

We spent this weekend forgetting about school work. He had just had a week of mock tests.

Seriously.

He’s 10 and he’s doing MOCK TESTS! I only ever had mocks when my GCSE’s were looming, at 15!

So we enjoyed the sunshine, played in the garden, allowed him to forget school for the weekend. After all, if he doesn’t know something now, it isn’t going to sink in overnight.

We just have to get him through Thursday, then the testing will be done. He can be a child again.

GOOD LUCK LIL MAN! Mummy and Daddy are behind you 100%. These things mean nothing to us. Do your best, try your hardest, give it

Mummy and Daddy are behind you 100%. These things mean nothing to us. Do your best, try your hardest, give it your all. That is as much as we can ask, and I know that you will do this. I can’t wait for this week to be done, and I know he can’t wait either.

And here is just a little piece I wrote regarding the effects this constant testing from such a young age is having on our kids, when Lil Princess was sitting her Year 2 SATs last year.

Have a good Monday Peeps. 🙂