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I hate and am failing History (GCSE) so much... !!!

I am currently failing my history GCSE and I struggle with the subject as a whole and the workload. It takes up so much of my time and I don't even like the subject. In the lessons I have been sat right at the front and I do not talk to the boy I sit next to. There is no one else around me so I just sit there all lesson staring at the textbook/ whatever we are meant to be doing. When everyone else is talking I just sit/stand there waiting for the bell to go.
I skipped my mock exam because I panicked and decided that there was no point in me going because I could not remember anything.
After this my teacher told me that she did not think I was struggling in class.
But I do just feel like I cant handle it . I don't want to make a big fuss In school because I don't like the spotlight being on me but I don't know what to do because I don't want to fail the real exam.???
Original post by anonomon
I am currently failing my history GCSE and I struggle with the subject as a whole and the workload. It takes up so much of my time and I don't even like the subject. In the lessons I have been sat right at the front and I do not talk to the boy I sit next to. There is no one else around me so I just sit there all lesson staring at the textbook/ whatever we are meant to be doing. When everyone else is talking I just sit/stand there waiting for the bell to go.
I skipped my mock exam because I panicked and decided that there was no point in me going because I could not remember anything.
After this my teacher told me that she did not think I was struggling in class.
But I do just feel like I cant handle it . I don't want to make a big fuss In school because I don't like the spotlight being on me but I don't know what to do because I don't want to fail the real exam.???


Firstly, calm down :smile:. Its better that you feel this now instead of the day of the exam.

Why do you think you are failing? Are you getting bad grades constantly on your past exam questions? The key with History especially at GCSE is to learn how to structure your answers for all the different types of questions. So ask your teacher, even ask for a sheet saying all of this. After that you have content left.

Best thing is to always read your class notes,make mindmaps/flashcards :smile:

P.s. Also say hello the the boy sitting next to you in History, im sure he doesn't bite
Original post by anonomon
I am currently failing my history GCSE and I struggle with the subject as a whole and the workload. It takes up so much of my time and I don't even like the subject. In the lessons I have been sat right at the front and I do not talk to the boy I sit next to. There is no one else around me so I just sit there all lesson staring at the textbook/ whatever we are meant to be doing. When everyone else is talking I just sit/stand there waiting for the bell to go.
I skipped my mock exam because I panicked and decided that there was no point in me going because I could not remember anything.
After this my teacher told me that she did not think I was struggling in class.
But I do just feel like I cant handle it . I don't want to make a big fuss In school because I don't like the spotlight being on me but I don't know what to do because I don't want to fail the real exam.???


Just calm down and keep up with your work. Revise for it and try finding parts of it that are interesting for you. Trust me you'd rather pass History than get a bad grade and regret it.
You sound exactly like my sister did. Will come back to help tomorrow..in the meantime, chill and relax.
X
Reply 4
??? x
Reply 5
i was exactly in the same position as you. i was failing in history and by the end of the day i got B ( i dont know how) it may bebecause i revised the notes over and did alor of past paper. i encourage u not to give up now. do some past paper and tell urteacher to mark or go over the notes with ur teacher and see how u can imrove ur tecnique. do variety of methods and see if that help. mabey u could revise on secific topic and takes notes to see how much u know. it worked on me :smile:
Sorry for late reply.
When my sister was dealing with her anxiety, especially during exam season...

We started with calming techniques..
- tell yourself you can and you will be able to do it. Repeat it like a mantra if it helps.
-keep a motivational board where you pin quotes etc
- deep breaths
- try to imagine having walked out the exam and receiving the best grades
- don't pressure yourself to do the best though. And never compare to others
- loven up your lessons by having a bit of talking time :biggrin:

When trying to understand history... the first thing she did was explain to the teacher that she felt she didn't understand the lessons. The teacher arranged extra help

At home...she would act like she was teaching me. She would act out what she could of the history... watch youtube videos on it
And practiced exam papers at home (like under exam conditions)

At the end of the day, it will be 1 extra gcse. What board do you follow?

Tbh, you'll be surprised how much will just come to you in the exam. It's all in there somewhere

It always helps to talk about your problems and how you feel..is there anyone at school or home you can tell? personally i feel its better to let the school know so they can help you accordingly.
Original post by anonomon
I am currently failing my history GCSE and I struggle with the subject as a whole and the workload. It takes up so much of my time and I don't even like the subject. In the lessons I have been sat right at the front and I do not talk to the boy I sit next to. There is no one else around me so I just sit there all lesson staring at the textbook/ whatever we are meant to be doing. When everyone else is talking I just sit/stand there waiting for the bell to go.
I skipped my mock exam because I panicked and decided that there was no point in me going because I could not remember anything.
After this my teacher told me that she did not think I was struggling in class.
But I do just feel like I cant handle it . I don't want to make a big fuss In school because I don't like the spotlight being on me but I don't know what to do because I don't want to fail the real exam.???


I think history is pretty straightforward and you shoul be able to get a reasonable mark, but you need to get organised and not panic.

It is basically a collection of stories/ soap operas.

You need to know what happens, when to who and why.

That means a timeline and who the major characters are. What happens and how do these characters react?

Make a good set of notes and theres pleny of online help or get a good revision book.

Then you are simply given questions based on this.
Practice answering these questions and you shuld get a good mark.

That's about all there is to it.
Reply 8
kk thank you and yeah i sort of tell my friends but i dont really want to tell the school or my parents xx
Original post by anonomon
kk thank you and yeah i sort of tell my friends but i dont really want to tell the school or my parents xx


Btw what periods are you studying History is a really great subject imo because you get to find out and appreciate incredible things that really happened.

Youtube was mentioned above, which is a great idea. Rather than see it as a drag, then you do have to show a bit of commitment towards getting to know what happened, but its usuall all life and death importance. Exciting.

So thats three tasks you have.

1. General research on the area. You cna watch filsm and documentaries- that is easy. It will give you a feel for the period.

2. Make notes- a revision book will give you some condensed notes as a start. the emphasis is understanding the order of events and how they connect then what each person does, why and the outcomes.

3. Pracice exam questions and get them marked.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by anonomon
kk thank you and yeah i sort of tell my friends but i dont really want to tell the school or my parents xx


Do tell school -well at least your history teacher. Or brothers or sisters?
What board do you follow and what topics? Lets see if i have anything on them.
Reply 11
Original post by 999tigger
Btw what periods are you studying History is a really great subject imo because you get to find out and appreciate incredible things that really happened.

Youtube was mentioned above, which is a great idea. Rather than see it as a drag, then you do have to show a bit of commitment towards getting to know what happened, but its usuall all life and death importance. Exciting.


kk thank you x
Reply 12
Germany 1918-1939
Cold War 1943-1991

p.s. thank you
Original post by anonomon
I am currently failing my history GCSE and I struggle with the subject as a whole and the workload. It takes up so much of my time and I don't even like the subject. In the lessons I have been sat right at the front and I do not talk to the boy I sit next to. There is no one else around me so I just sit there all lesson staring at the textbook/ whatever we are meant to be doing. When everyone else is talking I just sit/stand there waiting for the bell to go.
I skipped my mock exam because I panicked and decided that there was no point in me going because I could not remember anything.
After this my teacher told me that she did not think I was struggling in class.
But I do just feel like I cant handle it . I don't want to make a big fuss In school because I don't like the spotlight being on me but I don't know what to do because I don't want to fail the real exam.???


Hi I did gcse history last year and i got an a*, tell me what is it your struggling with and maybe i could help? Also what exam board do you do? I do aqa, if you do aqa i would recommend getting the textbook and reading it, its what really helped me get those grades, i just read the textbook over and over again and memorised the bullet points. My tip to getting a good grade is memorising all the notes and regurgitating them in your exam and remembering the statistics, I remembered the statistics by thinking fo the numbers (statistics) as patterns, its hard to describe how i do ti but it works for me e.g, first atomic bomb usa1945 russias first atomic bomb 1949 ( 4 years later), 1952 hydrogen bomb usa ( 3 years later), 1953 ussr hydrogen bomb ( 1 year alter) so the pattern i remembered was 1945 (end of ww2) then add 4, then add 3 and then its 1 and i always remembered the usa always came first, i dont know this is my strategy, sorry fi ti sound kind of complex weird its hard to explain. personally i found gcse history really easy.
Reply 14
Original post by Anonymous
Hi I did gcse history last year and i got an a*, tell me what is it your struggling with and maybe i could help? Also what exam board do you do? I do aqa, if you do aqa i would recommend getting the textbook and reading it, its what really helped me get those grades, i just read the textbook over and over again and memorised the bullet points. My tip to getting a good grade is memorising all the notes and regurgitating them in your exam and remembering the statistics, I remembered the statistics by thinking fo the numbers (statistics) as patterns, its hard to describe how i do ti but it works for me e.g, first atomic bomb usa1945 russias first atomic bomb 1949 ( 4 years later), 1952 hydrogen bomb usa ( 3 years later), 1953 ussr hydrogen bomb ( 1 year alter) so the pattern i remembered was 1945 (end of ww2) then add 4, then add 3 and then its 1 and i always remembered the usa always came first, i dont know this is my strategy, sorry fi ti sound kind of complex weird its hard to explain. personally i found gcse history really easy.


I do edexcel and its just all the content & facts that i cant remember. x
Original post by anonomon
Germany 1918-1939
Cold War 1943-1991

p.s. thank you


I haven't got anything on them...:frown:
But if you copy and paste these topics in google you will find useful stuff. I just checked it out

Also, have you tried revising in groups or with someone else? It might be an idea to make it interesting.

Maybe make a thread on these topics so people can post useful things on there regarding these topics... and share notes and revision tactics?
Original post by anonomon
I do edexcel and its just all the content & facts that i cant remember. x


Trust me if you read over the facts and content enough times and re write your notes you will remember the most important thing is repetition maybe you should make posters or mind maps including the information which might help., also another thing that helps is if you get practice exam questions and you write bullet points of what information and facts and statistics you would include in the answer, without writing the full answer just writing key points. Or e.g. write key things you have to know about e.g. cold war yalta meeting. If you re write notes enough times you will remember it, in my school i went to many revision sessions where i would write information on a piece of paper quickly that i went to so many revision sessions where i probably wrote some piece of information a couple times that it was stuck in my head. Also whenever trying to remember something try saying it out loud to yourself and try regurgitate the information out loud as many times as you can then maybe later on in day check if you remember the information by writing it out on a piece of paper or maybe try teaching someone the information to someone else. Hope this helps.
You definitely do not need to like a subject to achieve a reasonable grade in it! I have 3 A's at A level and 2 of them are, personally, in unbelievably boring subjects.
Just work towards the end goal (an A/A*) and use that to motivate you more than passion for the content.
I need help with my GCSE history :frown: my predicated grade is a 2. It’s so stressful. Can anyone help me .. I do -Crime and Punishment - Elizabeth (don’t know the correct naming for the topic) - American West - Weimar Republic (Germany)It’s so hard I’m clueless in the exams like I need serious help 😣

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