GCSE's - how to handle this?

[Katymac]

Last show of the year (DD's last year at the school) there was an opportunity to do a routine as part of a group (not very easily due to GCSEs & dance classes) or a solo (funnily enough after 11 auditions DD had several solos prepared)

 

 

DD asked to do a solo, several times, on the night the teacher said "Oh sorry DD, I forgot to get back to you about that solo; it's too late now I haven't scheduled it in"

 

DD said she didn't know why she wasn't respected at her school

 

I was cross

 

She shrugged & moved on - which in some ways is even sadder

[straceydor]

My dd is no where near doing GCSE's etc but her PE department keep moaning that she is not doing after school clubs.

When would they like her to do them? In her sleep.

[Nana Lily]

Taxi4ballet, our DD's are in the same academic year and I remember our DD' going through year 7 auditions at the same time. You are a well balanced and sensible Mum. It's. Challenging year for dancers. I agree with other posters, ditch EYB, as wonderful as it is your DD won't need this as a priority for year 11 if auditions so think about removing that pressure. Depending on where your DD gets offers for 6th form if it's degree such as Central or Rambert she will need her GCSE's to get on the course let alone considerations for the future so think about a 'balance' which I am sure you will. Most DC's at vocational school will only do 8 GCSE's ... Food for thought... Best wishes you will work it out and good luck for GCSE'sand auditions, we will seed you on the circuit! X

[taxi4ballet]

Hi Nana Lily, thank you - I don't always feel all that well balanced! We thought long and hard about EYB before deciding that she could do it, and we can't really back out now. There's several reasons (which I won't bore the whole forum with so I'll PM you).

 

She is on course to get the grades she needs to do A-levels/entry to Central etc, and all her other subject teachers are really helpful and encouraging - it's the dance one who doesn't seem to 'get' it. I'm letting her head of year know about auditions and asking for time off, and he has always been very nice.

 

See you (and probably lots of others!) on the merry-go-round and best of luck to your dd

[Guest Autumn days]

Taxi, the emphasis of your posts seemed to have changed but originally you were talking about GCSEs in general and said that you weren't placing much emphasis on them - which is perhaps why there have been so many comments!!

 

Talking as the mum of a dd who did not get a place at a dance 6th form I can say that academic work is very important indeed. My dd desperately wanted to go away to school but also knew that perhaps it wasn't hat realistic so worked hard for her exams and did well enough to get into the academic school tha she wanted. If her non dancing friends are equally committed to their studies then social activities will start to drop off soon anyway.

 

I would absolutely agree that EYB is the thng to drop, almost regardless of where you are n the process. I presume your dd will have understudies and and it is not something that will be taken into consideration when applying to schools.

 

Good luck - it will be a tough year whatever happens!

[taxi4ballet]

Taxi, the emphasis of your posts seemed to have changed but originally you were talking about GCSEs in general and said that you weren't placing much emphasis on them - which is perhaps why there have been so many comments!!

 

Talking as the mum of a dd who did not get a place at a dance 6th form I can say that academic work is very important indeed. My dd desperately wanted to go away to school but also knew that perhaps it wasn't hat realistic so worked hard for her exams and did well enough to get into the academic school tha she wanted. If her non dancing friends are equally committed to their studies then social activities will start to drop off soon anyway.

 

I would absolutely agree that EYB is the thng to drop, almost regardless of where you are n the process. I presume your dd will have understudies and and it is not something that will be taken into consideration when applying to schools.

 

Good luck - it will be a tough year whatever happens!

Yes, perhaps I did come across a bit like that - I agree that academic work is important & dd is on track with all her predicted grades, so that she will be able to stay on and do A-levels. What got my goat was the dance teacher (of all people) telling her she has a lack of commitment when the reason for missing the dance homework deadline was because she was dancing. Trying to reason with her is like banging your head up against a brick wall.

 

When it comes to a social life with her friends - well, in common with a lot of other dancing dc's she doesn't have one. Just this week we've had to turn down two party invitations, and literally the only free time she has is when she's eating her lunch. It is really the only time she gets to be a normal teenager, which is important I think, as you need to have some sort of real-life normality in there somewhere, to balance things out a bit.

 

Some of the EYB rehearsals are over Oct half-term which is what makes it possible, she couldn't have done it otherwise. If she gets worn out then I agree, we will have to think again.

[Fiz]

Did or do any of the dance mums here find that friends drift away when your dcs explain that no, they cannot go to a party or sleepover because they have a rehearsal or class? We did and it upset my dd quite a lot because a number of they either said she was odd or that it didn't matter missing lesson or rehearsals!

[dramascientist]

Oh yes this used to happen a lot when my DD was younger. Non dancers/performers dont get it and be quite cruel about our DCs committment . My DD even had one friend who after arranging to meet DD after a rehearsal to go to the cinema called to say that she wouldnt be going because she had gone earlier with her other friends who "had time for her" . Funnily enough DD is no longer friends with her, in fact she very maturely told this girl that she felt that their friendship had run its course and their priorities were too different for them to continue. I was so proud of DD for not getting sucked in to the whole "you have to be there for me 24/7 if I am going to be your friend" that this girl demands. Like I said to DD that's not friendship.

[Fiz]

It is funny you should say that because my daughter is no longer friends with any of the worst offenders. One of her friendships finished when one of them spoke to me and I told her my dd was too busy with rehearsals and homework to go to a weekend long sleepover. She then texted my dd and critised me. That was it for my dd. She knew I was on her side and her "friend" was not.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Fiz

[JulieW]

Taxi - you did say this in your first post, which is why people have responded as they have:  "we as a family are putting her schoolwork and  GCSE exams fairly low on the priority list just now!"

 

It seems from what you've now said that actually she's coping pretty well with everything, but you were upset by the dance GCSE teacher's communication.  If you don't seem to be getting through to her then all your daughter can do is keep up with the homework, don't give her a reason to complain and rise above it I suppose.

 

Remember, everyone is in the same boat in year 11 auditions - coping with pressures from school and wanting to keep on top dancing form - but you can control the "extras" - hence my suggestion to drop EYB, hard as that might be if it would be her last and perhaps re-think whether all dance exams are necessary at the moment.  The upper schools don't actually care what mark/grade you've got - it's the actual audition that's important.

 

I hope I'm not coming across as unsupportive, because I do know what it's like and wish you and your daughter lots of luck getting through this stressful year.

[Legseleven]

Perhaps the GCSE dance teacher is so thoroughly 'wired' to teaching dance as a GCSE subject that she genuinely doesn't see your DD's view that dancing is a valid reason to miss a GCSE dance homework deadline? I know there have been discussions on the forum previously about whether dance GCSE is a subject from which DCs benefit and I'm sure there are perfectly valid reasons for whatever one's viewpoint on that is, but I think your DD is right, Taxi, that as 'paper' qualifications go (and as you say they don't count at all in terms of upper school ballet auditions), Adv2 is certainly preferable to GCSE dance.

 

However, as your DD is doing a GCSE in dance, I do see why her teacher would be annoyed if she didn't hand in homework on time and thought that dancing was a valid reason for this. Equally I see your DD's point that dancing is what the GCSE in dance is supposed to be about! Perhaps she would be better if she tried to regard it as just another GCSE subject and separated it from her dancing in aiming towards an upper school place? - or could she even drop dance and art GCSEs at this stage?

[Millie3]

Interesting to read.  DD opted not to take GCSE art even though she is very artistic purely because of the sheer amount of course work that needs to be completed.  Also she really didn't "warm" to her dance teacher at school, so decided not to opt for that one either.  We were lucky and never had any problems with time off school for auditions etc.  Although they did make her attend an interview for the local sixth form college even though she already had a dance place for sixth form - never quite understood that one! 

[orchidblue]

I agree with previous posts that some school dance teachers can have some very odd views, although not all of them. My DD had 3 teachers for A level Dance. 2 of them couldn't have been more supportive & waited nervously for audition results as if she were their own. The 3rd however, told my DD she was "crap at performing" and "dead behind the eyes". These crass comments were made 2 weeks before my DD's practical exam. Obviously I complained to the school but we had the last laugh. DD got an A in the practical element of her A level, 3 offers at vocational school, one with a DaDA. DD is now happily living life doing what she loves. No idea what the clueless dance teacher is up to.

All I can say is GCSEs are important but they aren't the be all & end all. Different teachers will have different opinions & think there's is the one to follow. Life is a balancing act. If ever qualifications are needed at a later date that haven't previously been gained there's always a way to get them. Night school etc.

Good luck!

[Fiz]

What an awful thing to say to your poor dd, Orchidblue! I do hope that appalling teacher knows of your dd's success.

[aileen]

I'm curious to know who school dance teachers are (my children's school doesn't have any). Are they PE teachers who do dance as an add on? I assume that GCSE dance is really contemporary or jazz dance rather than ballet and, like GCSE music, is designed to be accessible to students who have little or no dance experience before they start secondary school. The performance element of GCSE music is pitched at about Grade 4 ABRSM level and at A Level it is around Grade 6, but students who are planning to go to music colleges or conservatories at 18 are far above that level and are often playing at diploma standard years before that even if they haven't actually taken the exam.

[Beth4ballet]

We had the same problem last year with my dd 's Drama teacher, who (even though he had never seen her dance) told her that she would not get into a dance school and if she missed one of his GCSE course rehearsals for a (final) audition he would not let her continue with the course!

 

It is a very tough year for dancing children....we would not want to go through it again!

 

Best of luck!

[aileen]

I think that I might be inclined to withdraw my child from a GCSE dance or drama course if a teacher was being so difficult. One less GCSE won't matter.

[LinMM]

Why do pupils have to take so many GCSE's these days and so many A levels for that matter......surely four A levels is enough. I hate reading in the papers about pupils having nervous breakdowns or even committing suicide because of so much work pressure ......even if they are in the minority.

And presumably you don't really need more than eight GCSE's to progress on to A levels.

 

In a way I would imagine someone in a position to be really seriously able to consider Dance as a career wouldn't need Dance at GCSE level.

 

It is difficult to get some sort of balance in all this I agree but I didn't have a social life until Uni and my mother kept saying that I would have plenty of time to socialise when I'd passed my exams. I'm not really sure even now if she was right about this though.......as it took me a long time to adapt when finally left to my own devices to learn social skills(I was an only child.....which may have made a difference)

 

I also had a Saturday job which I'd had from the age of 14 and kept right until I left school so homework was always a bit of a scramble.

However...... I just cannot imagine not giving homework in on time .......I would have got it in the neck from my parents especially if a teacher rang them to say I hadn't done it!! Anyway we would have been kept after school one day to do it so no point in not really!!

 

In the end there is only so much time in each day though and I think there should be some time for relaxation and if this can only be at lunchtimes then is it wise to pack too much into even this often 45 min break!!

 

I

[taxi4ballet]

I think that I might be inclined to withdraw my child from a GCSE dance or drama course if a teacher was being so difficult. One less GCSE won't matter.

This made me chuckle - the dance teacher actually suggested to me that dd gave up one of her GCSE's to free up study time - DD says if she gives up any of them it will be the dance one!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Linn makes a very good point.

 

How many gcses is your dd doing?

 

The highly academic (best a level results in county) selective school that dd turned down a place at & that ds will be starting next year only has its pupils take 9 gcses. - maybe 10 for a select few. Exactly the same number dd will take at vocational school.

 

Homework is given to be completed over several days.

 

They emphasise quality over quantity.

[aileen]

At my children's highly selective school the pupils take 9 GCSEs if they are doing the double science award and 10 if they are doing three separate sciences. Those who are very strong at maths do an additional maths exam. Nobody does exams early and nobody does AS Levels before year 12. They get very good results without the pupils having to work excessively hard and give up all their extra-curricular activities. Nobody takes more than 3 A Levels with the possible exception of some maths students.

[taxi4ballet]

I also had a Saturday job which I'd had from the age of 14 and kept right until I left school so homework was always a bit of a scramble.

However...... I just cannot imagine not giving homework in on time .......I would have got it in the neck from my parents especially if a teacher rang them to say I hadn't done it!! Anyway we would have been kept after school one day to do it so no point in not really!!

It wasn't written homework, it was choreography, dd had done most of it already and just needed to finish off the last bit. She told me she hadn't finished it and was worried she'd get told off by the teacher - and asked me to write a note explaining that she hadn't had the time (which was true as I knew she hadn't!) because she was learning a solo for her upcoming vocational auditions. The teacher had a go at her anyway.

 

Pictures, she's doing 9.

 

Aileen, I think the GCSE dance syllabus has been designed to be suitable for all, including those with no dance experience, and a variety of physiques. 

[Nutcracker-x]

In the school I'm at we do English, Maths and at least double of single award Science (triple award is an option) and then we pick 4 other options. Depending on what science you were doing you end up with 7 or 8 GCSE's. To me this is enough and if we were to do any more there simply wouldn't be enough time in the school week.

[2dancersmum]

I think number of GCSEs can actually be misleading. AT the school my DC attend and attended students take English Language and English Literature, Maths, (and statistics if they are top set) double science award (triple if top set) These are separate GCSEs but on the timetable just English and maths but the courses overlap or help each other - so that's 7 for my DD already and a very limited choice of what to take to A level. On top of this she has 3 subjects of her choice, a language and either a 2nd language or IT. They don't take exams early. At AS level they choose 4 subjects and they drop 1 for A2 level since only 3 are needed for A level entry. Students seem to cope with the workload and still have time for stuff outside of school. I think the element of choice of subject is very important as they go through school - you learn better if you like a subject - and lets face it how many kids know what they want to do after school. There is a big jump between GCSE and AS level and having 4 rather than 3 subjects allows for changing your mind if a subject is not what you expected or too difficult. Compared to qualifications taken in other countries aswell students here take a less breadth of subjects as we seem to specialise earlier.

[Jan McNulty]

A couple of people on this thread have mentioned that school dance teachers are not always supportive of committed dance students.  I wonder if they (the teachers) feel intimidated by the level of achievement of the children in dance outside their classes?

[Amethyst]

We've just been through year 11 and it IS hard. There are highs and lows. The lows are even harder when juggling GCSE'S as well. Dd ended up with 13 GCSE's above c, took a clarinet exam and performed in two different theatres and achieved a DADA Something had to give and that was her social life but this was HER choice! Lunchtimes and holidays were spent organising art and other homework and Saturday mornings spent sleeping until lunch before associate classes. Homework was done most evenings and Sundays - often in the car. Friends were very supportive as some also did dance or drama so they understood. If I hadn't let my daughter take part in the two productions at the theatre she would have been distraught and her education probobly would have suffered as well. Some revision was done backstage!. They certainly learn organisation skills. I understand it's hard if the teachers aren't supportive - I would be inclined to contact the school and explain. Different children cope differently and what's right for one may not be right for another.

[taxi4ballet]

Quick update - shan't go into details as it was an hour-long meeting, but the upshot is that the school is offering all the support they possibly can - everything I was hoping for and more besides. They totally understand the pressures dd is under, and will do everything to help. 

 

Amazed and relieved doesn't go anywhere near how I feel at the moment

 

Thank you all so much too!

[Amethyst]

Brilliant news!

[Circe]

Brill.  Well done!

[LinMM]

That's great news Taxi very pleased for you and DD.

 

 

I didn't mean my post to be critical of you by the way!! My parents were overly strict anyway.

 

It's just that so much more seems to be expected of pupils nowadays ......we had a lot of homework back then but probably not doing so many exams and expected to pass them all with A stars etc!! ......it does seem that something's got to give though when there is such a large workload and I think people as well as pupils should be able to relax in their lunch times and at least have time to eat their lunch!

 

Or if it's all proving impossible to keep up with then may be time to drop at least one subject.

I'm sure your DD spent more time on her choreography than others on their maths!!

Art and Dance are difficult because so much is practical and more difficult to manage time wise

[Fiz]

Great news, Taxi! I am so pleased for you and your dd.

[Huddsballetmum]

A couple of people on this thread have mentioned that school dance teachers are not always supportive of committed dance students.  I wonder if they (the teachers) feel intimidated by the level of achievement of the children in dance outside their classes?

We must be lucky as my DD's  GCSE dance teacher is extremely supportive, and excellent dancer herself having studied at both Northern Ballet and Northern Contemporary and will do anything to help and encourage my daughter including burning a CD for her CAT scheme audition piece and working on it with her.

All this despite knowing that my DD cannot always turn up for rehearsals for dance pieces.  She has been so supportive that when by DD got into the CAT scheme I bought her a bouquet of flowers to say thanks.  

 

I suppose it depends on the school, teacher etc.  We are lucky that our school has a Junior Elite Athlete programme to provide mentoring and additional support for those students who achieve highly in their chosen  field outside school.  Mostly it is traditional sports but the school recognises that dance is a sport.  It means that they get additional days to do homework if they are competing, access to school facilities like the dance studio or the sports field, and a mentor who understands the demands of their sport.

 

By the way shes taking 91/2 GCSE's, Including Dance and PE - Religious Education is counted as a half GCSE.

[Lisa O`Brien]

A couple of people on this thread have mentioned that school dance teachers are not always supportive of committed dance students.  I wonder if they (the teachers) feel intimidated by the level of achievement of the children in dance outside their classes?

That`s exactly what I was thinking,Janet.