(25 May 2014, 10:19 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news...tw-and-1.8

We were just chatting about this!

I did Of mice and men in my G.C.S.E's many years ago, the book is really good.

But maybe it's time for the kids to do some British classic books for their exams in a couple of years time.

(25 May 2014, 10:31 am)Michael wrote I did Of mice and men in my G.C.S.E's many years ago, the book is really good.

But maybe it's time for the kids to do some British classic books for their exams in a couple of years time.

It has been part of the syllabus for at least 20 years and obviously meets the curriculum criteria.

No idea about you, but I am not sure the pupils reading and studying, pay much attention as to whether the book is English, American or Japanese.
In fact when I did it, I had no idea the author was American, having read other stories by British authors set in various parts of the world previous to that (and since).

(25 May 2014, 11:01 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote It has been part of the syllabus for at least 20 years and obviously meets the curriculum criteria.

No idea about you, but I am not sure the pupils reading and studying, pay much attention as to whether the book is English, American or Japanese.
In fact when I did it, I had no idea the author was American, having read other stories by British authors set in various parts of the world previous to that (and since).

I didn't know it was an american book, untill it was mentioned on here, it shouldn't matter though, as like you said its part of the G.C.S.E's.

Not think its time to change the books though?

(25 May 2014, 11:03 am)Michael wrote I didn't know it was an american book, untill it was mentioned on here, it shouldn't matter though, as like you said its part of the G.C.S.E's.

Not think its time to change the books though?

No idea to be honest.
Genuinely don't know whether changing them would achieve anything or make the students/pupils achieve anything other than what they would do with books on the current syllabus.

Gove wants us to study books by English authors, Shakespeare was English and although George Orwell was English (born in India or Africa), the classic used as part of the GCSE syllabus, is based on events in Russia.

What can a pupil learn in a book by an English author, that they cant from an American one like Steinbeck?

I wonder how many of the authors in the new list approved by Gove and his Tory colleagues have leftist leanings... As both JB Preistley (An Inspector Calls) Steinbeck and Orwell are both known to have had leftist views at various stages of their lives.

(25 May 2014, 11:21 am)Andreos Constantopolous wrote No idea to be honest.
Genuinely don't know whether changing them would achieve anything or make the students/pupils achieve anything other than what they would do with books on the current syllabus.

Gove wants us to study books by English authors, Shakespeare was English and although George Orwell was English (born in India or Africa), the classic used as part of the GCSE syllabus, is based on events in Russia.

What can a pupil learn in a book by an English author, that they cant from an American one like Steinbeck?

I wonder how many of the authors in the new list approved by Gove and his Tory colleagues have leftist leanings... As both JB Preistley (An Inspector Calls) Steinbeck and Orwell are both known to have had leftist views at various stages of their lives.

Would be interesting in what books they would read for their G.C.S.E's.

Made me watch clips of mice and men now!

I did not realize that John Malkovich was Lennie in it (1992 movie)

Got my first exam tomorrow morning.... a wonderful 2 and a half hour English Language

(02 Jun 2014, 6:42 pm)Adam wrote Got my first exam tomorrow morning.... a wonderful 2 and a half hour English Language

My Business went okay today, thankfully.

I've got AQA GCSE English Language tomorrow morning - two and a quarter hours in length.

(02 Jun 2014, 6:50 pm)Dan wrote My Business went okay today, thankfully.

I've got AQA GCSE English Language tomorrow morning - two and a quarter hours in length.

Yeah not looking forward to tomorrow to be honest got the English then Psychology in the afternoon for another hour and a half wrist is going to die....

English went alright today. Think I did alright on the first essay but I think I've done a heck of a lot better on the second one.

Next exam for me is Philosophy next Wednesday (11th).

(03 Jun 2014, 8:35 pm)Adam wrote English went alright today. Think I did alright on the first essay but I think I've done a heck of a lot better on the second one.

Next exam for me is Philosophy next Wednesday (11th).

Out of interest, is Marxism heavily covered in Philosophy?

(03 Jun 2014, 8:41 pm)aureolin wrote Out of interest, is Marxism heavily covered in Philosophy?

Short answer is no. He pops up commenting on something, but only has a four lined paragraph and that's it.

At AS, the likes of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Judeo-Christian concepts, the Problem of Evil, the Ontological, Teleological, Cosmological and a couple of other "ological" arguments are covered.

A2 meanwhile is split into five sections, but they are quite a bit longer and quite a bit more complicated. The topics are Religious Language, Religious Experience, Miracles, Attributes of God and Life, Death & the Soul.

(03 Jun 2014, 8:35 pm)Adam wrote English went alright today. Think I did alright on the first essay but I think I've done a heck of a lot better on the second one.

Next exam for me is Philosophy next Wednesday (11th).

Did you have Philosophy today too? Some guy came in (not a student at our school) and was seemingly taking an A Level Philosophy exam today... Looked like he finished with plenty of time to spare.

(03 Jun 2014, 8:58 pm)Dan wrote Did you have Philosophy today too? Some guy came in (not a student at our school) and was seemingly taking an A Level Philosophy exam today... Looked like he finished with plenty of time to spare.

No, just English today. The course I do comes under the name of Religious Studies or Theology, but in it we have a Philosophy and an Ethics exam.

The student in your school may be doing Philosophy but with a different exam board. My couse is OCR, so chances are that today's was either AQA or Edexcel.

Was really happy with how my exams were going - especially after the Biology Module 1 exam on Friday.

...and then we received the AQA Maths paper today. A girl came out of the exam hall in tears, whilst many others looked incredibly upset - telling others how many questions they missed out. Ridiculously hard paper.

(09 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)AIG20 wrote Was this Maths Exam a Modular paper, or a Linear Paper? As I did three units for GCSE Maths over 2½ years which were: Unit 1 = Data and Number, Unit 2 = Number and Algebra, and Unit 3 = Algebra and Shape. Some of the Algebra and Shape questions were literally impossible! It's annoying how the Education Secretary Michael Gove is saying how the GCSE's are "too easy".

My year was the last year at my school to do the Modular exam, as the other years were working towards the linear paper, which is the 100% non-calculator and 100% calculator paper done at the end of year 11.

In bold that is all - its the most pointless thing to learn, iv'e being left school 7 years now and i haven't used it once!

(09 Jun 2014, 5:46 pm)AIG20 wrote Was this Maths Exam a Modular paper, or a Linear Paper? As I did three units for GCSE Maths over 2½ years which were: Unit 1 = Data and Number, Unit 2 = Number and Algebra, and Unit 3 = Algebra and Shape. Some of the Algebra and Shape questions were literally impossible! It's annoying how the Education Secretary Michael Gove is saying how the GCSE's are "too easy".

My year was the last year at my school to do the Modular exam, as the other years were working towards the linear paper, which is the 100% non-calculator and 100% calculator paper done at the end of year 11.

Yes, all linear now. It's the reason why I have 21 exams in total at the end of Year 11 spread across a five-week period. Would have much preferred a modular fashion, and I'm glad I don't have to do A-Levels in a linear fashion.

I had the non-calculator paper today (1hr 30m) and will have the calculator paper on Friday (2hrs).

(09 Jun 2014, 5:51 pm)Dan wrote Yes, all linear now. It's the reason why I have 21 exams in total at the end of Year 11 spread across a five-week period. Would have much preferred a modular fashion, and I'm glad I don't have to do A-Levels in a linear fashion.

I had the non-calculator paper today (1hr 30m) and will have the calculator paper on Friday (2hrs).

When i did mine, the longest one for me was my Graphics one which was 2 hours, which was VERY long, was about 30 pages.

Got bored after a hour in most of my exams haha

(09 Jun 2014, 5:54 pm)AIG20 wrote Good Luck! I hope it goes well.

Cheers - just got five more to do now!

Dreading Chemistry tomorrow, both Media Studies exams should be fine (just pushed for time with the Unit 1 exam), I'm a bit iffy on Physics and I don't know what to think about the Maths exam on Friday after the one today!

(09 Jun 2014, 5:55 pm)Michael wrote When i did mine, the longest one for me was my Graphics one which was 2 hours, which was VERY long, was about 30 pages.

Got bored after a hour in most of my exams haha

The bees amuse you in mine. Massive one the size of a marshmallow flying about next to me and this girl at the back of the exam hall today - distracted for a good 20 minutes while the teacher tried to let it out the window.

(09 Jun 2014, 5:56 pm)Dan wrote Cheers - just got five more to do now!

Dreading Chemistry tomorrow, both Media Studies exams should be fine (just pushed for time with the Unit 1 exam), I'm a bit iffy on Physics and I don't know what to think about the Maths exam on Friday after the one today!


The bees amuse you in mine. Massive one the size of a marshmallow flying about next to me and this girl at the back of the exam hall today - distracted for a good 20 minutes while the teacher tried to let it out the window.

lmao!

Nothing like abit of entertainment when your bored in exams

Did my Philosophy exam today. Think it went quite well. I've had a stupid grin on my face since coming out if the exam hall.

first exam tomorrow and it's science

Did my first Business exam today (not the Greggs one). Went alright. I ran out of time but I was on the last question.

3 down, 2 to go. Got the Greggs exam on Wednesday, with Ethics on Thursday and then I'm done

(09 Jun 2014, 7:04 pm)Michael wrote lmao!

Nothing like abit of entertainment when your bored in exams

Statistically - belive it or not - catching a few minutes sleep in the middle of an exam can help the brain revise and as a result boost test scores!

The Head of Humanities at my school also told me that striking a little bit of fear into a class from the teacher can make the students more cautious in the class and in turn get higher grades.

Getting sick of revision now. I feel like an athlete limping over the finishing line.

Got my Business exam about Greggs tomorrow, with Ethics on Thursday and then I'm done

(17 Jun 2014, 4:45 pm)Adam wrote Getting sick of revision now. I feel like an athlete limping over the finishing line.

Got my Business exam about Greggs tomorrow, with Ethics on Thursday and then I'm done

Just hope I can be a little bit more motivated when it comes to revision next year because it didn't half kill me this year.

Although I celebrated leaving school on Friday (simply because 90% of GCSE students do leave after their final Maths exam), I went back in for my final exam today - an additional Media Studies exam which is essentially a Business exam. Think it went well!

Now just two months to wait until results day.

(17 Jun 2014, 5:24 pm)Dan wrote Just hope I can be a little bit more motivated when it comes to revision next year because it didn't half kill me this year.

Although I celebrated leaving school on Friday (simply because 90% of GCSE students do leave after their final Maths exam), I went back in for my final exam today - an additional Media Studies exam which is essentially a Business exam. Think it went well!

Now just two months to wait until results day.

A-levels are hard, there's no denying that. You have to remember though, you're reducing the number of subjects being studied from around 10 or so down to 4, with the option of dropping one either during Year 12 or on results day of Year 12.

There's a philosophical motto that I go by to help motivate myself to keep going: "Short term pain equals long term gain".

I hope you (and indeed everyone else taking exams at the minute) get the results you want. Out of curiosity Dan, or just tell me to mind my own business if you want, what are you thinking about studying at A-level?

(17 Jun 2014, 9:23 pm)Adam wrote A-levels are hard, there's no denying that. You have to remember though, you're reducing the number of subjects being studied from around 10 or so down to 4, with the option of dropping one either during Year 12 or on results day of Year 12.

There's a philosophical motto that I go by to help motivate myself to keep going: "Short term pain equals long term gain".

I hope you (and indeed everyone else taking exams at the minute) get the results you want. Out of curiosity Dan, or just tell me to mind my own business if you want, what are you thinking about studying at A-level?

ICT, Media Studies, Business Studies and English - primarily because they're the ones I'm predicted A*s in at GCSE and (most of the time) I enjoy them.

The ICT, Media and Business go quite well as a triplet, and Media/English go well together too.

Some teachers have been really supportive of my choices given that they all link together and complement each other... Others less so supportive on the grounds that they believe I should be doing all three sciences and maths. Not my cup of tea.

(17 Jun 2014, 9:28 pm)Dan wrote ICT, Media Studies, Business Studies and English - primarily because they're the ones I'm predicted A*s in at GCSE and (most of the time) I enjoy them.

The ICT, Media and Business go quite well as a triplet, and Media/English go well together too.

Some teachers have been really supportive of my choices given that they all link together and complement each other... Others less so supportive on the grounds that they believe I should be doing all three sciences and maths. Not my cup of tea.

I love Business, hence why I'm doing a Business course at uni. My school do the Edexcel scheme and it is very interesting. It more or less builds on the knowledge gained through the GCSE qualification.

I did English Language as well. Also quite an interesting subject. Can be difficult in places, but once.you get to grips with the different theories, then it's a doddle.

I can't link my other subject, Theology, into your choices but never mind.

Your choices do seem to be quite broad, leaving many doors open. My choices did the same thing.

I'm also not really a maths or science kind of person, even though I was good at them at GCSE.

I'm sorry but I really need to go to bed now. I want/need to be fully fresh in the morning for my exam.

(17 Jun 2014, 9:52 pm)Adam wrote I love Business, hence why I'm doing a Business course at uni. My school do the Edexcel schemenand it is very interesting. It more or less builds on the knowledge gained through the GCSE qualification.

I did English Language as well. Also quite an interesting subject. Can be difficult in places, but once.you get to grips with the different theories, then it's a doddle.

I can't link my other subject, Theology, into your choices but never mind.

Your choices do seem to be quite broad, leaving many doors open. My choices did the same thing.

I'm also not really a maths or science kind of person, even though I was good at them at GCSE.

That was my general idea too, given that I still have no idea what I want to do in two years time..!

Out of the sciences, Biology is my favourite. Although I did like it because I found parts of the syllabus interesting, I think the main reason it was my favourite out of the sciences was because I understood it - and that's thanks to the teacher we had. I did originally think about taking Biology instead of English, but because the annual rumours set off around the school that the teacher was leaving (he's ancient), I decided I wasn't going to risk it.

We've had a different Chemistry teacher every year since Year 7. We've been really messed around in that respect, and I think that's primarily why I found Chemistry the hardest of the three. Obviously different teachers have different methods, and their teaching is really what helps students understand. I found that the only students in my year group who were really good at Chemistry were the ones who had family who were actually scientists and involved in the subject.

We had the same Physics teacher between Years 7 and 9, and he doubled up as the D.T teacher. He was only qualified to teach the latter - which is why I suspect a number of our Physics lessons were substitued for additional D.T lessons - but he literally taught anything they threw at him (Maths and ICT to name but a few). In Years 10 and 11, we had a different teacher - absolutely useless. Although he has quite a creative aspect to his teaching and has a lot of visual demonstrations, he was always off 'sick'. He has quite the reputation between staff and pupils for pulling a sicky. I suspect that's the reason why we only finished the syllabus three days before the Module 2/3 exams - during a two hour revision session held after school on a Friday night!

The Greggs exam went alright yesterday. I know I haven't done spectacularly well but I don't think I'm completely fluffed it, but I am reasonably happy with it.

The Ethics exam today meanwhile was absolutely fantastic. The way it works is that you've got four questions, and you have to answer two of them (a quite long essay each). It so happened to be that my two strongest topics (Business Ethics and Conscience) were two of the questions on today's paper, so I was dead happy.

And with that, my exams, and my days as a school boy, are over. It's quite sad really. Only 56 days until results day!