"We did not do it like this in my day!"

“We don’t do it like that at school!”

This statement is sometimes stated rather grumpily by some children – who do really do not wish to listen to your explanation.

““We don’t do it like that at school!”

Here we have a triumphant statement – made to try to keep the parent from being involved. (A type of power struggle!)

““We don’t do it like that at school!”

This is quite simply the truth. Events have moved on in education – and children are taught some topics in a very different manner. (Long multiplication is a good example.)

Parents can be bludgeoned into giving up being involved in the parts of the Eleven Plus experience. This sometimes comes about when their much loved child demonstrates a complete inability to recognise that there is more than one way of solving a problem. Parents find this improper inflexibility highly frustrating and, sometimes, quite time consuming.

Some parents also feel that their authority is being undermined when they are not confident of being able to teach and apply the `modern’ methods. When doing Eleven Plus mathematics, for example, a parent could consider purchasing a Foundation GCSE mathematics text book – with clear examples. The right book will offer the correct setting out of examples to parents and their children.

Parents who are enthusiastic and involved in the learning processes can overcome much prejudice on the part of their children. “I am sure you are right, dear, let’s try to find out how solve this together.” (Any parent who then utters the words: “In my day!” is simply riding for a fall!)

Children will often respect the wishes of a parent who insists on neat and careful work. Parents should mark any work done together neatly and respectfully.