Hazelwood Tutoring

To anyone waking up with a teen in the house who didn’t get the grades they were expecting yesterday…..

Right now, low grades and not getting their first choice of uni/college will feel like the end of the world. As adults, we know that there are other routes, that there are plan Bs, Cs, Ds and so on, but right now the teen probably can’t see that. So, what do we do?

We need to find a balance between sitting with them in their darkness and letting them feel, and also gently showing them other things that are out there. There are still lots of places in clearing, but not everyone wants to go to an unknown uni or college. They might be able to retake their exams, if they want to. They can take a year out (my year out lasted 8 years!), or they can just pause and breathe and take time to think about what happens next.

The most important thing for us as parents (or carers or grandparents) is to validate their feelings, and keep giving them unconditional love and support. They need to know that low grades haven’t stopped us loving them. They are still the wonderful person they were on Wednesday. They are so much more than their grades, their uni place, their college place.

They are an amazing individual on the cusp of adulthood who has lived through a global pandemic - the world really is their oyster, and sometimes detours become the most exciting journeys. We just need to sit with them until they are ready to take that first step.

With GCSE & A-level results done, and my last two learners through their exams & onto bigger, exciting things, it’s time for Hazelwood to close - for now at least! Who knows what the future holds? You can still find me at Skware Peg Rownd Hole so please follow if you haven’t already!

Last post (maybe) on results day for a while.

While it’s lovely to celebrate results & share them on social media, it can be really hard if you’re on the other side of this - which I have been as a parent, and also with my own A-level results which were, thankfully, in the days before social media.

It’s true that in the big scheme of things, GCSEs, A-levels and vocational quals are just a stepping stone, and there are lots of us who have done well despite low grades. However, right now it feels like the end of the world. Right now, it feels like all those hopes, dreams and plans have disappeared. Right now our teens will be feeling pretty crappy. They don’t need platitudes and ‘look at Uncle Bob and how well he’s done with 2 GCSEs and a BTEC First in care’. They need us to sit with them in their darkness, and let them know that we still think they are the most important humans on the planet. They need to know that we will support them whatever they decide to do next, and we have opinions and advice that we want to share with them - but only when they’re ready.

This year’s cohorts have had it tough. If the last 7 days have not brought the grades they wanted, they are allowed to be angry, pi**ed off and are allowed to feel that it’s just not fair - because it isn’t. Education is struggling anyway, and add to that a pandemic, missed terms of education & strikes, and everything has been pretty s**t, really.

If they’ve done well, celebrate & share away, and do whatever you want to do. If they haven’t, just be there for them, and try to celebrate how proud you are of them, for getting this far, for reaching the finish line.

Class of 2023, cohorts of 2023, I am in awe of your resilience. I am in awe of your determination. I am in awe of every single one of you.

Whatever comes next, you’ve got this.

Class of 2023, you are all magnificent.

And I’m done. Wow, so, so emotional. A huge thank you to all the parents for letting me be a part of their children’s lives. As a very wise man once told me as I started my teaching journey, teaching is a privilege, and it’s been an absolute privilege to teach so many amazing teens over the last 3 years.

After an amazing 3 years of offering tutoring, my last lesson is tomorrow evening. I’m now teaching in a small special school, so I haven’t taken on any new students since last summer and Hazelwood will close at the weekend. Thank you to all of my learners for making the last 3 years so much fun, and good luck in everything you do. Go and make the world a little more sparkly, and do whatever makes your souls sing!

Emma xx

Amazon are increasing their printing costs next month, which means the print book price will increase too (Kindle will stay the same) so if you want a copy, save some money & buy today!!

Square Pegs and Round Holes: Surviving the Rollercoaster of SEN Parenting and Enjoying the Ride! This is the book I needed to read 15 years ago. It is an informative memoir of my experience of parenting children with additional needs – the good, the bad and the painful. I hope it will let people know that they’re not the only ones going through hard and incredibly tough times, and some hint...

And, just in case you missed it, my book about parenting SEN (& parenting in general) was published on Amazon back in Feb - link below.

Square Pegs and Round Holes: Surviving the Rollercoaster of SEN Parenting and Enjoying the Ride! This is the book I needed to read 15 years ago. It is an informative memoir of my experience of parenting children with additional needs – the good, the bad and the painful. I hope it will let people know that they’re not the only ones going through hard and incredibly tough times, and some hint...

After a fabulous 3 years tutoring, it's almost time for Hazelwood to close. The learners I have had the pleasure to teach and tutor have been amazing, and now that I'm back in the classroom, I have two learners left who will be leaving me in the next month or so. I will be closing this page at the end of May, but my SEN page, Skware Peg Rownd Hole will carry on!

Home Education... do you home educate your children? Are you part of a home education network?

We're looking at how we can develop our livestreamed online education sessions for all home educated families located throughout the country and beyond!

We have a few questions we'd like to ask, so if you're interested in giving us your views, please send us a direct message!

🛡As you prepare your child to go back to school, college or university, remember to pass on this message......
✨ ️ADHD IS REAL✨️

🔽 For tips to ensure a smoother transition, download my FREE guide
Click here 👉🏼 www.yellow-sun.com/new-term

Every school should expect drop in GCSE and A-level grades, warns Ofqual head