smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
Posts: 2,268
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Aug 21, 2014 18:48:12 GMT
Post by smallbrother on Aug 21, 2014 18:48:12 GMT
My middle son, who is 23, comes along with me to some steam events for a drive of my locos.
He has a "mild" form of ADHD and has got nowhere in life up to now. He has suffered just about every knock back in confidence you can imagine. His mother buggered off when he was 9, he was bullied all through school, failed exams, I kicked him out at 18, unable to hold a job for more than 2 weeks, on dole for 3 years, etc etc
I am therefore well chuffed to say he has passed Maths at Grade C, and has been working as a volunteer in a furniture recycling centre for over a month.
At long last he has achieved things for himself.
I know it doesn't sound much in comparison with others but at last he has achieved something through 100% his own efforts.
Pete.
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Aug 21, 2014 19:07:03 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2014 19:07:03 GMT
Well done to your son Pete.... life isn't easy but he has now taken the first step to making life better for himself.....hope he fulfils his dreams and ambitions....onwards and upwards for him.
kind regards
Pete
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Aug 21, 2014 19:12:01 GMT
Post by Roger on Aug 21, 2014 19:12:01 GMT
That's a really positive step and a great achievement, well done indeed. Hopefully he will now see that he can be successful if he pushes himself and that his future is in his hands.
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Aug 21, 2014 19:21:52 GMT
Post by taycat on Aug 21, 2014 19:21:52 GMT
good on him
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Aug 21, 2014 21:57:46 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2014 21:57:46 GMT
That's the way, matey..........up and at 'em !!PS}--- I can relate to a few of those myself..Thanks to a Royal Navy Apprenticeship etc. I didn't go any further down that particular track !!............
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smallbrother
Elder Statesman
Errors aplenty, progress slow, but progress nonetheless!
Posts: 2,268
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GCSE
Aug 22, 2014 7:24:37 GMT
Post by smallbrother on Aug 22, 2014 7:24:37 GMT
Thanks for those kind comments lads, much appreciated.
Alan - at 16 he applied to join the Army but they turned him down because he had been on medication a few years earlier. It all slid further downhill until recent events. The more disciplined/routine style of forces life would have suited him and developed him quicker I believe, but it wasn't to be.
He is definitely seeing life differently now so fingers crossed that we have "turned the corner"!
Bizarrely he has always loved steam engines so is keen to come along. He is not very good with his hands so I can't see him getting into the detailed stuff but you never know. It won't be for lack of encouragement on my part, that's for sure.
Pete.
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Aug 22, 2014 8:26:13 GMT
Post by Roger on Aug 22, 2014 8:26:13 GMT
It's good to see he has enthusiasm for something, so many young people can't extricate themselves from in front of a computer games console. Hopefully you can remain engaged with him, that's so difficult when they're young.
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Aug 22, 2014 9:03:33 GMT
via mobile
Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2014 9:03:33 GMT
Pete, That's really good news! My 11 year old son has various difficulties including discalculia, which is maths dislexia. That means the common workshop concepts we all deal with,like 1/32" is about 31 thou or 1mm is about 39 thou, and then manipulating the numbers, are beyond him. For a dad with an engineering and science background, this is sometimes sad. Your son reminds us that there can be unexpected good posibilities. Thanks, Dave
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Aug 22, 2014 9:10:36 GMT
Post by Roger on Aug 22, 2014 9:10:36 GMT
Pete, That's really good news! My 11 year old son has various difficulties including discalculia, which is maths dislexia. That means the common workshop concepts we all deal with,like 1/32" is about 31 thou or 1mm is about 39 thou, and then manipulating the numbers, are beyond him. For a dad with an engineering and science background, this is sometimes sad. Your son reminds us that there can be unexpected good posibilities. Thanks, Dave I guess we all hope that our kids will be interested in the things that we are but that's not always the case. Neither of my kids are the slightest bit interested in anything in the workshop but that's just life. I'm not sad or disappointed, they're just interested in other things. It would have been nice to be able to pass on a little of what I know in that regard but it wasn't to be..... grandchildren perhaps... Maths is a nightmare for many of us, I'm not good at it but I've learned enough to get by. Most of the time I think it's a problem because of poor teaching methods. Learning maths your own way is by far the best in my opinion.
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Aug 22, 2014 9:22:11 GMT
Post by ejparrott on Aug 22, 2014 9:22:11 GMT
The wife has discalculia...she works for a high street bank that's been in the news a lot... !!
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Aug 22, 2014 10:17:50 GMT
Post by steamlaser on Aug 22, 2014 10:17:50 GMT
It is great to hear news like this! Ignore all the rubbish you read in the popular press about child wonders getting 12 As in every subject.. The real kids I admire are those who struggle to achieve a few GCSEs and for them that is a great step forward. In my son's secondary school the top prize for achievement went to a lad who had real learning difficulties, but fought is way forward to make significant progress. My son sat at primary school and never read or wrote a word and had to be pressurised to put a line of writing on a page. He was put on the table with the less able kids to fade into obscurity. He is now at Uni. doing a degree in Mechanical Engineering and actually putting pen to paper.(and enjoying the subjects!) Never, never write anybody off as a failure. Life is full of people who turn their lives around. Most of the "real teachers " I know enjoy teaching the lower achievers and helping them to reach their true potential.
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bhk
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 458
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Post by bhk on Aug 22, 2014 10:27:52 GMT
Hi all,
I was a slower burner at school and left with very little apart from comments from teachers telling me I would make nothing of my life (yes they really told me that, one even told me that there is no money to be made in engineering)
But I got to where I am today by people putting a bit of trust in me and giving me that chance.
I'm now studying for my 2nd's class ticket in marine engineering.
The best teachers I've ever had are the ones who had to work for it when they started out, the worst are those who are gifted.
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Aug 22, 2014 14:07:48 GMT
Post by RGR 60130 on Aug 22, 2014 14:07:48 GMT
I'm now studying for my 2nd's class ticket in marine engineering. Sometimes it feels like a long road because for most people 'doing your tickets' coincides with a big mortgage, young children and no money. However, if you keep plodding away at it you will eventually wake up to find you have a 'Double Barrel (Steam & Motor) Chief's Ticket' and the world's your oyster. Reg
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Aug 22, 2014 15:15:15 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2014 15:15:15 GMT
--------- apart from some areas off the Somalian coast, that is !!
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Aug 22, 2014 15:52:05 GMT
Post by RGR 60130 on Aug 22, 2014 15:52:05 GMT
--------- apart from some areas off the Somalian coast, that is !! Or you could add the Malacca Strait, South China Sea, West Africa etc. But, you should know the rule Alan, If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined!
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Aug 22, 2014 16:23:57 GMT
Post by terry1956 on Aug 22, 2014 16:23:57 GMT
I think that children today do have it harder the I did when I was back at school in the late 60,s. back in the day teachers did just that teach. today I think that many do little real teaching, and know nothing of real life at all. There is a sort of overall drop in standards. I went to a local school night and the general knowledge was all about the X factor. I saw 15 year olds not able to write their names or subtract a percentage of a 100. I had meningitis when I was 11, and was off school for a year. I am so grateful to my teachers who spend their own time helping me out outside of school hours when I returned. anyway I think it great that your son is finding his feet, for some people its a harder road. michael
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bhk
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 458
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Post by bhk on Aug 23, 2014 4:08:07 GMT
I'm now studying for my 2nd's class ticket in marine engineering. Sometimes it feels like a long road because for most people 'doing your tickets' coincides with a big mortgage, young children and no money. However, if you keep plodding away at it you will eventually wake up to find you have a 'Double Barrel (Steam & Motor) Chief's Ticket' and the world's your oyster. Reg Cheers Reg, It does seam the long slog, but worth it! As for Somalia....I've spent a bit of time sailing the cost down there on a container ship, one of the best runs ashore I've had was in Berbera.
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Aug 23, 2014 11:12:23 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2014 11:12:23 GMT
Trouble for me having done time with the "Grey Funnel" line was we seemed to spend most of our time "just over the horizon" on stand-by or on exercise ( For ever the "Man overboard" one, which given that when closed-up for Action Stations everyone was below deck seemed odd to me!!)...........Quick story}--- I sometimes ask people to talk "Like a Pirate" and when the inevitable "Oo-arrgh, me deario" accent comes forth I'll say}--- "Oh,is that how Somalians talk then ??"...SORRY--gone off-piste again !!!
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Tony K
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,572
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GCSE
Aug 24, 2014 9:43:11 GMT
Post by Tony K on Aug 24, 2014 9:43:11 GMT
The wife has discalculia...she works for a high street bank that's been in the news a lot... !! Well done to the smallbrother family. Ed, I had to look it up - but it is obvious when I look at the word. I have no doubt she manages allright and is not totally responsible for the bank crisis. Most people just use the kit now. It shows if you go into a shop, buy something for £12.00, give them a £20 note and two pound coins, expecting a £10 note, getting rid of the coins and saving them change, win-win (I don't say that!). If the shop assistant is under 30 they usually give you a frown as if you are a confused old git, give you the £2 back and another £8 in change! Others enter £22 into the till to find out what change to give. Ho-hum, better now!
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Sept 2, 2014 7:29:44 GMT
Post by ejparrott on Sept 2, 2014 7:29:44 GMT
She has her ways to cope and they work. No good giving her a telephone number though, she'll write down all te right numbers, but not necessarily in the right order.....!!
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