Havn't reading all posts here (short on time right now), I'll just put in a quick word or two from a "successful" SDD student of 2004.
Just a quick background: My SDD teacher I will blatantly say was probably the best out there to teach SDD. Awesome champ deserved the class present he got from us all at the end. Thats how good he was =)
Anyway.. I'm not gonna be bitching about someones teacher, or anything like that. I'll just tell you how to get a good mark.
Youve got the Excel book, Youve got the Heinemann book. Personally I wouldnt recommend some of Heinemann as its wrong, nethertheless, thats enough to get a band 3/4.
Then you've got past papers. PAST PAPERS PEOPLE! BOS here supplies you students with many many PAST PAPERS. They will get you band 5/6.
If your teachers are setting your half-yearly tests, and your getting about 50-80%, take a look at other schools half yearly papers (or even the CSSA ones if they do them?), most likely what happens is that if teachers write half-yearlies, they tend to concentrate on specific areas, sometimes even quite non-syllabus areas. Its not a big problem if your mark is lower than what you would like at this stage, however, ranking is the big kahoo (as in all subjects), so if your not ranked no. 1, you have to start right now. Put in EFFORT right now. Extra syllabus study, even some non-syllabus study so you just have a greater general knowledge of the course.
If you go to class, and find it a waste of time, then it bloody well is!
You may as well not go to class.
Its up to the student on how much they want to succeed, not the teacher.
About 85% of work is done at home/studying. 15% being in class.
To the person with the teacher that didnt want to give the 3/3 marks or whatever it was I read:
I seriously think you should make a complaint about your SDD teacher if his attitude is like that. Someone with that attitude should not be teaching. Take it up with the head teacher of your tech. department, or the principle, etc.
Happy Studying!