Need to come up with a stress free schedule, sorry to bore! Options

[MusicalNitWit]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[tonedeafmum]

I caught Daughter trying out G6 staccato scales last night. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

She intends taking G5 theory this November so I think that means we're grade free until the Spring.

Apart from the three dance exams she's got lined up for Christmas. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

And, apparently, a singing exam which she and her teacher have now hatched between them. Deceitful Daughter promised when she started lessons - no singing exams before Grade 6!! Grr .... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

hang on, as you have to do the paying and are actually the parent in the relationship why can't you just say NO?

My mother pays for the singing lessons and all related expenses. I believe there are brave souls who have said NO to my mum - but probably never more than once. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hides.gif)

Fair enough, but as she is YOUR daughter then surely you get the final say in the matter (even if granny pays the bill) as you will know best her workload and whether it is in her best interests to take on an additional exam?

Very true - and if ever you want to come round my mum's and tell her that - I'll be right behind you.

Well - about 50 feet behind you - with a tin hat on (and possibly a false moustache.) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif)

[MusicalNitWit]

If the exam week is this week and school finishes on the 2nd July, what are the odds we'll get results before the end of this term? Zero? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

[sbhoa]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

But since you have to pay for it are they going to go ahead if you say no and don't send in the money before the closing date? And if they do after you said no I don't think they can reasonably demand you pay.

If the exam week is this week and school finishes on the 2nd July, what are the odds we'll get results before the end of this term? Zero? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

It must be so frustrating that a school or teacher will sit on a result like this.
Could you leave an SAE in school for the certificate and mark sheet to be forwarded if they are not prepared to at least phone?

[notmusimum]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

That is a generalisation I've never had any problems communicating wiht any of daughters teachers no matter where they are based. It's unfair on Peris to paint them all as uncommuinicative. They are mixed just the same as private teaching is.

The Music Service, who employs the Peris in our area couldn't have been more supportive of daughter. there are individuals who didn't work out for us as teachers but that is just part of life.

[MusicalNitWit]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

That is a generalisation I've never had any problems communicating wiht any of daughters teachers no matter where they are based. It's unfair on Peris to paint them all as uncommuinicative. They are mixed just the same as private teaching is.

The Music Service, who employs the Peris in our area couldn't have been more supportive of daughter. there are individuals who didn't work out for us as teachers but that is just part of life.

I was not painting peris in a bad light. All my other posts on this matter have put this blame on the Head of Music.

[notmusimum]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

That is a generalisation I've never had any problems communicating wiht any of daughters teachers no matter where they are based. It's unfair on Peris to paint them all as uncommuinicative. They are mixed just the same as private teaching is.

The Music Service, who employs the Peris in our area couldn't have been more supportive of daughter. there are individuals who didn't work out for us as teachers but that is just part of life.

I was not painting peris in a bad light. All my other posts on this matter have put this blame on the Head of Music.

Head of music at daughter's school is not exactly the easiest person to deal with either. We had a GCSE Music nightmare but it had no bearing at all on our relationship with the Music Service or the staff. I totally appreciate that everyone is not in our position but neither do we all find Peris difficult to communicate with.

[tonedeafmum]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

That is a generalisation I've never had any problems communicating wiht any of daughters teachers no matter where they are based. It's unfair on Peris to paint them all as uncommuinicative. They are mixed just the same as private teaching is.

The Music Service, who employs the Peris in our area couldn't have been more supportive of daughter. there are individuals who didn't work out for us as teachers but that is just part of life.

I was not painting peris in a bad light. All my other posts on this matter have put this blame on the Head of Music.

Head of music at daughter's school is not exactly the easiest person to deal with either. We had a GCSE Music nightmare but it had no bearing at all on our relationship with the Music Service or the staff. I totally appreciate that everyone is not in our position but neither do we all find Peris difficult to communicate with.

We are very fortunate and have found ways to communicate directly with the peris (both brilliant), completely by-passing the school. Fully intend to continue doing so when Daughter goes to secondary school. Certificates are a problem though. The school tend to sit on them, convinced that there is some 'right time' to hand them out. After the first exam (when we were kept waiting til school report time the following July!), peri got wise and extracted the mark sheet (the only bit that really mattered) before the Headteacher got his sticky mitts on it.

[notmusimum]

When kids have lessons at school then parents generally have no say in when an exam is done. I still have never received most of my son's flute certificates. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

That is a generalisation I've never had any problems communicating wiht any of daughters teachers no matter where they are based. It's unfair on Peris to paint them all as uncommuinicative. They are mixed just the same as private teaching is.

The Music Service, who employs the Peris in our area couldn't have been more supportive of daughter. there are individuals who didn't work out for us as teachers but that is just part of life.

I was not painting peris in a bad light. All my other posts on this matter have put this blame on the Head of Music.

Head of music at daughter's school is not exactly the easiest person to deal with either. We had a GCSE Music nightmare but it had no bearing at all on our relationship with the Music Service or the staff. I totally appreciate that everyone is not in our position but neither do we all find Peris difficult to communicate with.

We are very fortunate and have found ways to communicate directly with the peris (both brilliant), completely by-passing the school. Fully intend to continue doing so when Daughter goes to secondary school. Certificates are a problem though. The school tend to sit on them, convinced that there is some 'right time' to hand them out. After the first exam (when we were kept waiting til school report time the following July!), peri got wise and extracted the mark sheet (the only bit that really mattered) before the Headteacher got his sticky mitts on it.

Thankfully we get our certificates posted out to us directly form the Music Service. I could see daughter's school doing this. They have infact held on ot her GCSE Music certificate for two years. Hopefully she will get it along with the others in November two and a half years after taking the exam.

[Clari Nicki1]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Sat in on practice session yesterday and pieces sounded pretty ok actually....... Have signed DD up for hofnote and she spent a fair amount of time on it yesterday.
Just need to check the scales.... don't think they are so good..... 10 days to go to learn them- and she breaks up on Fri, so next week she can do lots of prac!

Maybe extreme exams suit her..... I do at least think she'll pass now.
We've just got to get the gym competition on Saturday out the way first (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[tonedeafmum]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Sat in on practice session yesterday and pieces sounded pretty ok actually....... Have signed DD up for hofnote and she spent a fair amount of time on it yesterday.
Just need to check the scales.... don't think they are so good..... 10 days to go to learn them- and she breaks up on Fri, so next week she can do lots of prac!

Maybe extreme exams suit her..... I do at least think she'll pass now.
We've just got to get the gym competition on Saturday out the way first (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

That all sounds promising. It's amazing, isn't it, when you look back over a few weeks and see just how much progress they can make in a short time?

Daughter argues with hofnote! It's hilarious as she has headphones on so we only hear her random outbursts from an otherwise silent room! Her brother has stuck a post-it note to the computer -
"Don't hassle the Hoff!" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Clari Nicki1]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Sat in on practice session yesterday and pieces sounded pretty ok actually....... Have signed DD up for hofnote and she spent a fair amount of time on it yesterday.
Just need to check the scales.... don't think they are so good..... 10 days to go to learn them- and she breaks up on Fri, so next week she can do lots of prac!

Maybe extreme exams suit her..... I do at least think she'll pass now.
We've just got to get the gym competition on Saturday out the way first (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

That all sounds promising. It's amazing, isn't it, when you look back over a few weeks and see just how much progress they can make in a short time?

Daughter argues with hofnote! It's hilarious as she has headphones on so we only hear her random outbursts from an otherwise silent room! Her brother has stuck a post-it note to the computer -
"Don't hassle the Hoff!" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Things not going quite so well the last couple of days. She is supposed to do scales before school. Yesterday she did 10 mins in morning- pieces mainly. When I told her to practice in the evening- she refused. This morning, she was organised and ready but went through and played Hallelujah on piano. Then did one scale and oh- then it's time to get ready for school.
Just had a little pep talk- basically 'You aren't working hard enough- I did 1 hour a day before my piano Grade 7 and just about passed. ! scale a day isn't enough..... You are taking a high grade exam, yet my Gr 4 candidate is doing more than you.... You have to take responsibility and realise your exam is one week away and you will be in a blind panic next week as you realise you don't know your scales, so take responsibility and crack on now whilst there is time, not next Thurs night!'. Probably all fell on deaf ears.

AARRRGGGHHHH. I don't like being a parent....
Only good thing is she breaks up today, gym comp tomorrow, then she is free to practice (!- ha in my dreams)

[MusicalNitWit]

I take it she's too old for you to force practice? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Some pocket money docking? Why should you pay for an exam if she won't practice etc...

[Capriccioso]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Sat in on practice session yesterday and pieces sounded pretty ok actually....... Have signed DD up for hofnote and she spent a fair amount of time on it yesterday.
Just need to check the scales.... don't think they are so good..... 10 days to go to learn them- and she breaks up on Fri, so next week she can do lots of prac!

Maybe extreme exams suit her..... I do at least think she'll pass now.
We've just got to get the gym competition on Saturday out the way first (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

That all sounds promising. It's amazing, isn't it, when you look back over a few weeks and see just how much progress they can make in a short time?

Daughter argues with hofnote! It's hilarious as she has headphones on so we only hear her random outbursts from an otherwise silent room! Her brother has stuck a post-it note to the computer -
"Don't hassle the Hoff!" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Things not going quite so well the last couple of days. She is supposed to do scales before school. Yesterday she did 10 mins in morning- pieces mainly. When I told her to practice in the evening- she refused. This morning, she was organised and ready but went through and played Hallelujah on piano. Then did one scale and oh- then it's time to get ready for school.
Just had a little pep talk- basically 'You aren't working hard enough- I did 1 hour a day before my piano Grade 7 and just about passed. ! scale a day isn't enough..... You are taking a high grade exam, yet my Gr 4 candidate is doing more than you.... You have to take responsibility and realise your exam is one week away and you will be in a blind panic next week as you realise you don't know your scales, so take responsibility and crack on now whilst there is time, not next Thurs night!'. Probably all fell on deaf ears.

AARRRGGGHHHH. I don't like being a parent....
Only good thing is she breaks up today, gym comp tomorrow, then she is free to practice (!- ha in my dreams)

Lots of sympathies, been there and got the T-shirt! Sounds like you are doing everything you can, and yes, sometimes being a parent is hugely over-rated, especially when exam practise is involved in my experience! Best of luck!

[tonedeafmum]

I take it she's too old for you to force practice? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Some pocket money docking? Why should you pay for an exam if she won't practice etc...

I'd probably go for the MusicalNitWit approach myself - you practice for the exam or you pay for it out of your own money.
But maybe ClariNicki1 is doing the right thing by simply pointing out how much practice she knows has to be done at this level (the great advantage of teaching and having done music exams yourself, of course) and letting her daughter make an informed choice? I imagine that the higher the grade the less effective forced practice is anyway.

Still reckon I'd probably go for the big stick with a nail in it approach myself. Just not saying it's right. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

Important thing to remember, Clari Nicki1 is that, at least, it's nearly over.
.
And then it's Pimms all round? Not quite the weather for it at the moment. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)