Great Ball of Fire - It is the Eleven Plus

When Jerry Lee sang the famous `Great Ball of Fire’, a whole generation rocked to the tune and the sentiments.

"You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!!"

The next time your candidate sits down to a paper try humming the tune into the `listening ear’. You could then progress to the actual sentiments of the stanza. Take, for example, the first line:

You shake my nerves and rattle my brain

This could easily be a formidable rallying call for eleven plus parents. You want to paint a picture in your child’s mind of a mother or a father in need of help and support. Your child NEEDS to understand that the eleven plus is a matter of give and take.

The third line is also highly significant in eleven plus terms. Parents do not want to break their child’s will – and children, we hope, will let up, occasionally, on the pressure on their parents. “Yes dear, the eleven plus is a matter of give and take. I am so pleased you recognise that.”

But when you come to the line dealing with `Great Balls of Fire’ you could offer a little bonding. Why not try sharing the preparation of meal before you start on the paper?

Great Balls Of Fire

455 g hot sausage meat

280 g tomatoes – chopped

2 green chillies – chopped

910 g cheese

1 fresh eleven plus paper

Brown and cook the sausages in the frying pan. Drain and place in a small slow cooker.

Stir the tomatoes and green chillies

Cut the cheese into chunks and add.

Start on a timed eleven plus paper together.

Cover and cook for one hour.

TIP: This works best if you do not add the eleven plus paper to the pot.

Server with warm hugs and lots of praise. Sing the verse again – and see how well received it is after your gentle `working togetherness’. Say with great passion: “You achieved over half marks on the paper. Goodness gracious – great ball of fire!”