Easter is often a time of panic for secondary teachers here in the UK.
The GCSE exams start in about 6 weeks.
Yes, only six weeks, stop reading this and go and prepare some last minute listening questions.
Quickly!
Off you go!
Now!
They are all going to fail!!
Aaaaaarrgggghhhh!!!!!
See?
For the past few years I have been into school during the Easter break to put on a "revision session" for my GCSE students.
A morning, or afternoon, of practise exam questions, revising exam technique, vocabulary revision games, etc...
This year I've decided not to for a number of reasons:
Firstly, I know for a fact that the students who would benefit from such a session are the ones who are the least likely to attend. I have put on "voluntary extended day" lessons for an hour after school every week since January. Only one student out of 29 has attended any of these sessions.
Secondly, apart from reassuring the students, I don't see much value in putting on a session. After all, all they really need to do is learn the vocabulary and I can't do that for them. They have access via the school's VLE to all the resources they need, it has links to every past paper available, I have set 40 odd pages of listening and reading revision exercises, and I am only ever an email away from any student, or parent, with any worries or concerns.
Thirdly, I need a break. I work very hard in term time and plan my work so that holidays are not used (or at least hardly ever) for school work.
Finally, and probably most importantly, the students need a break. Ten subjects, ten revision sessions. That's at least five days in school. When will they get to rest or relax? They need to "recharge their batteries as much as their teachers.
Oh yeah, one other thing, why should I give up a day of my holiday for kids who have misbehaved and done no work for the last 18 months?
