Rayse the Game Blog

‘Should we let our daughter drop to Ordinary Irish?’ I got this question last week. My response was simple: why? The Dad explained to me that his daughter got her Junior Cert mock result back recently and she only got 35%. She is disappointed and now she wants to drop to Ordinary Irish. This girl…

“I will work harder.” This of course is a quote from George Orwell’s classic novel Animal Farm. This was also my main strategy when I sat my Leaving Cert for the first time (a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away.) On Saturday, I spoke with a very determined and ambitious young…

“I have very high expectations of myself.” These are the words of one of my highly anxious students. We did a coaching session over the weekend. She is starting her mock exams today. We were discussing strategies to keep herself more settled over the week of the exams. This year’s 6th years have been given…

“GET OFF THE BUS FAT ASS!” The whole bus exploded in laughter. I was mortified. I scrambled from the bus and jumped off as quick as I could. I was so embarrassed. That night I decided something had to change. I would take control of my fitness. I would take control of my diet. I…

As we speak Storm Isha is raging. With winds gusting up to 150kmh Ireland has been battered. As I write I have no electricity. I am powerless. Many students feel they are about to be battered right now also. Many also feel powerless. With the mocks rapidly approaching the storm clouds are on the horizon.

My blood is boiling. If you are a parent you could be saying what’s the problem? You might even be saying the title of this article is provocative. Maybe it is? The problem is this: You are creating a monster. You are creating an entitled teenager. We are creating a generation of people who feel…

As the new term starts in January, many students and parents feel a sense of dread. Let’s break down what’s happening: Mock Exams: They’re just around the corner. Reluctance to Return: Many students don’t want to go back to school. Dislike for School: Some students just don’t like school. One of my 5th year students said she preferred…

The main thing Lack of focus and decision fatigue are big problems today. Consider this: We’re in a world of excessive choice and pressure to be perfect, as pushed by social media: having 6 pack abs, pearly white teeth, and top grades. But, we know reality is different. When struggling with focus, I turn to…

In this video coaching newsletter, I discuss an email from a parent who is stressed about her daughter who is sitting the Leaving Cert this year. She is concerned about the points going up and that her daughter needs to make a 90 point jump from her 5th year results to get her dream course.

Last week, I had to pleasure of doing a 1-2-1 coaching session Donal (pseudo-name). Donal is 16-years old and is doing his Leaving Certificate this year. He also has a learning difference called Dyspraxia. According to the Oxford dictionary, Dyspraxia is a ‘developmental disorder causing difficulty in activities requiring coordination and movement’. Others refer to…