A level disaffection

hi everyone.  My son was highly successful at GCSEs but is completely disaffected and tuned out of A level.  Finals next week.  Won’t revise.  Frequent staffing changes at college and no TA support.   No ability to discuss future.   Games all day.  Is happy and fulfilled in his on line life.  Have contacted NAS for advice but am reaching out to you to.  Best.  PP

Parents
  • "Is happy and fulfilled in his on line life."

    And there is the key. He knows what makes his happy, and don't we all want happiness for our children?

    I couldn't care less what grades my daughter gets or what she does with her future, as long as it makes her happy.

    But the point is that his interests could lead to a lot of exciting careers if he channels them properly. And I'm willing to bet that A Levels aren't channelling his own interests in any way, let alone properly. They're for certain types of learners, and they're often quite generic and not tailored towards an individual's specific interests.

    Frankly if this were my daughter, I'd just let the A Levels pass without further input. Let her get them out of the way. Then, sit with her and see if we can find a better qualification that actually works for her. Or, let her have a year or two doing what she wants and then go back to it. Truth is, we have a lifetime to learn and qualify - adult colleges ensure that you can find your path at any age.

    I know very few people that, in adulthood, are actually happy that they made the right choices at college or even university. Many are retraining years later, myself included. That's a choice we all have when the education system hasn't worked for us.

    If you don't want him at home and would like him to earn money to move out, that's fine. But he can do that in many jobs without formal qualifications, until he's ready to earn more by finding a qualification that he actually wants to do.

Reply
  • "Is happy and fulfilled in his on line life."

    And there is the key. He knows what makes his happy, and don't we all want happiness for our children?

    I couldn't care less what grades my daughter gets or what she does with her future, as long as it makes her happy.

    But the point is that his interests could lead to a lot of exciting careers if he channels them properly. And I'm willing to bet that A Levels aren't channelling his own interests in any way, let alone properly. They're for certain types of learners, and they're often quite generic and not tailored towards an individual's specific interests.

    Frankly if this were my daughter, I'd just let the A Levels pass without further input. Let her get them out of the way. Then, sit with her and see if we can find a better qualification that actually works for her. Or, let her have a year or two doing what she wants and then go back to it. Truth is, we have a lifetime to learn and qualify - adult colleges ensure that you can find your path at any age.

    I know very few people that, in adulthood, are actually happy that they made the right choices at college or even university. Many are retraining years later, myself included. That's a choice we all have when the education system hasn't worked for us.

    If you don't want him at home and would like him to earn money to move out, that's fine. But he can do that in many jobs without formal qualifications, until he's ready to earn more by finding a qualification that he actually wants to do.

Children
No Data