So much spare time…

Schools are closed and grades for GCSE and A-level students are to be awarded on what’s already been done, such as “mock exams and coursework” (Coursework in maths???) So aside from offering sympathies to teachers who must now come up with these grades on less evidence than they would have liked, and then defend them in an appeals process, let’s turn our attention to our 18- and 16-year olds. I’ve written before about the dangers of their spending too much time on Netflix and computer games, but what should they do? I can’t see any benefit from losing motivation at this stage. Coronavirus will pass, we hope, and then we all start again. Those who have used their time well will have sharpened their skills. B and C grade candidates will have worked hard to reach A or A* grade standard. Those who have not completed their courses will have done so on their own initiative, or with help from schools that are sufficiently organised. Some of my tutees have said they’d like to go on to the next stage, 16-year olds starting A-level courses now, 18-year olds starting Further Maths topics they’ll be sure to meet when they eventually start STEM subjects at university, such as complex numbers, differential equations. Of course we need to relax and recover from the strains of current living, but there are ways of being constructive.