How to motivate DD??

[magentadreamer]

DD is starting High School in Sept. She did really well in her SATS level 5 in Science and English -that was even though she got a level 3 in her writing and a level 4 in Maths. Her report is erm
an intersting read. I'm not a pushy Mum far from it - I only realised that SATS were a week long affair when I went to look for some past papers for Maths DD was in a boaster group for Maths so I wanted to do a bit to help at home. As for levels I just saw them as numbers in reports and read what was being said about DD. Her report reads as if she spent the whole year asleep and only put in the min amount of effort to get her teachers off her back. Her teacher also stated the only area she made any improvement in was her Maths and had become an active participate in the maths lessons. She was classed by her teacher as someone who wasn't working to her true potential. I'm under no illusions about DD - sh's not going to get a first from Oxford IYSWIM

Now other than a boot up her backside I don't know what to do to motivate her. She coasted along last year and got reasonable results apart from the writing - that result was a bit of a shock as TA was a level 4 DD has bad spelling and her handwriting goes to pot when trying to write fast So according to DD she wrote slowly so her handwriting would be good.And when I mean slowly I mean slowly. I'm not quibbling any of her results as given her report it looks as if she did very well to get them!

DD states that YR6 was boring and she was bored

DD's High School isn't the best in the area but it has been making steady improvement over the last 3 years. Having been around the school twice I feel it is a school that actually cares for the pupils and the puils are names not just numbers unlike the other high flying school which most of her friends are going to. My worries is that DD who doesn't want to be seen as a geek will just coast along as she has been doing and obviously come unstuck. As I said before I'm under no illusions about DD - she's not a child genius. and apologises for sounding like a pushy Mum I'm more a worried Mum who just wants to see her DD do her best and not switch off when things get boring!!

[SqueakyPop]

She's not likely to be the same when she joins her new school. Year 6 can be boring, especially if the school does tedious amounts of SATs practice.

Over the summer, the best thing you can do is to make sure she reads a lot, including the newspaper if you take one. Varied reading will help her with her writing style.

Only a brave mother would tackle handwriting over the holidays though.

[magentadreamer]

Cheers Squeakypop. I hope so I suppose I just have this vision of her walking throw the High School gates at 8.30am on her first day and walking out at 3.10pm transformed into a Kevinette!

And no I'm not brave enough to tackle the handwriing if she's like me and my siblings -all lefties it will come eventually. Mine was bad till about 3rd yr in High School if I recall.

[iamdisappointedinyou]

I wish that I could reassure you, MD, but I have never found the answer for my own DD. I've had to come to the conclusion that it's her life and if she doesn't want to be motivated then there is not a lot I can do about it.
Some kids do seem to 'click' when GCSE come along - you just have to hope that yours is one of them.

[wonderstuff]

I had awful handwriting and it made written work a real trial. I was told i was lazy, but I am in fact dyslexic, only mildly, but it made school, particulary primary a real trial. It may be that your dd starts to engage more at secondary as there will be more variety of lessons and more practical work.

[BodenGroupie]

DD2 just finished year 7 - handwriting is probably the worst it's ever been but presentation generally doesn't seem to be an issue at the school, possibly because typed work is acceptable now. DD1 coasted through year 6 - very bright so doing well enough, as far as they were concerned. Both daughters enjoyed year 7 far more than 6 and were much more motivated by having different teachers for every subject. Good luck, the worrying about the new school is almost always worse than the reality!

[magentadreamer]

Thanks Bodengroupie I really hope it's just me going into ultra worried Mum mode. She's looking forward to High School, something to do with blowing up the Chemistry Labs methinks as she says she can't waiting to do real science in a lab....I did tell her science wasn't all about seeing who could get the Fire Brigade in first!

[iamdisappointedinyou]

"She's looking forward to High School, something to do with blowing up the Chemistry Labs methinks as she says she can't waiting to do real science in a lab"

Oh dear.
Do you want to let her down now, gently: Science isn't very scientific these days.
Health & Safety has seen off most experiments (if she is lucky, she might watch the teacher do it) and the rest is reduced to discussing global warming/climate change.