Should Maths A-level be COMPULSORY

If I wanted to test whether or not one can express their thought in words I'd make them write an argumentative essay on whether or not bullfighting should be allowed or something as it's in my opinion more useful to be able to argue in life than expressing why the man's coat was blue. I had to write an argumentative essay, descriptive essay and a story for my English language and tbh it was enough to prove that my English was sufficient for a science degree, and if one wanted to take humanity essay subject at degree they'd have taken at A levels or equivalent anyway that their English would be more than sufficient by the time they get to university.

I personally believe history should be compulsory at Gcse though, it's probably the best argumentative subject out there at the moment and having basic understanding of modern history is vital in not being ashamed in this increasingly globalising world.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Don't even get me started on History haha. It's probably one of the hardest subjects out there and I find it shocking how students are ill prepared even for gcse level. I think languages are quite essential though for globalisation. I think there is a tendency for English people to expect people to speak English in foreign countries, where that isn't so the case where other Europeans come here (this is speculative of course). I feel that languages should be more widely taught, Chinese especially, so that we can become a large hub (or mostly London) on the globalised market. Languages I feel would be better utilised in the future than a large study of History.


Posted from TSR Mobile

I didnt know what citizenship gcse involved lol

I thought languages are compulsory in majority of school so I didn't bother including :P
It is true though, so many people speak English these days especially those more able people who come to foreign countries for business. Not saying foreign languages are nor important though, because they are and I know because I am a foreigner myself actually, from non EU country living in a EU countrycountry. What i felt I was lacking firstly was obviously the language. Now I speak English that I can't really be motivated for French though lol. Secondly it was world history; I left my home country before touching any of the world history so by the time I started GCSE I knew nothing and it was embarrassing. Then thirdly my own country's history and politics. I knew briefly but I've had times I had to explain those in a bit of detail as I was in an international school and people were interested. And it was embarrassing again lol. These are my fault that I'd never reached out to learn for myself but I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd never thought it before I went overseas.

So I'd make maths, language, English language, sciences, history and citizenship thing I've never done compulsory. I am still not convinced about literature being compulsory tbh but schools are free to make it compulsory I guess. I did get an A but I don't think it helped me in any way.. Maybe improving my English which is a second language..but history did a better job :P

My school kind of made geography compulsory and i actually think it's sort of logical considering global warming, population etc are world problem these days but how a river forms etc don't seem to be necessary so I don't necessarily agree with geography being compulsory.

Maybe there should be a subject which covers world problem, brief world history, brief UK history, politics etc and make it compulsory lol A bit huge subject but maybe omit tiny details and make history or geography sort of extension subjects and if students want to take them they'll be built onto the knowledge gained in the compulsory subject


Posted from TSR Mobile

Lol I got an A in my language and it seemed to be that it was always so random as to what I got in the mocks.. Sometimes an A* .. Sometimes a B .. Sometimes a D.. You had to answer the questions in such an ordered manner and tbh I don't see the relevance to real life. Obviously this can be said so in Maths too, which I'd like to see reformed to more everyday/useful maths. I did like English Lit but I do question how much we need to be teaching our children about contextual/thematic factors.


Posted from TSR Mobile

Oh great.. Which is useful how?

If that's the limit of your maths education I seriously feel bad for you. You cut yourself of from pretty much every subject apart from humanities without maths. The world would simple grind to a halt without maths. No computers, no economy


Posted from TSR Mobile

It's people like you can't grasp why the study of our own species is important that worry me.

I love the humanities, so I'm bias over here. I'm not saying don't study maths. If you're good at maths, and you can add to the world by studying maths, by all means do! However, I object the idea of compulsory study because if you're not naturally good at maths (like myself), you never really grasp a flair for the subject and I have struggled with it since starting mathematics in reception. I will never not struggle with it. So why force me to study it, when I can instead study English, which (excuse any arrogance) I have excelled at all my life? I can contribute to society by being an author or a lawyer or a teacher, as opposed to being a crappy accountant?

That's my point. Of course maths is important. But in English Literature, matter how straight-forward a story may seem, the search for something deeper within it leads to all kinds of insights that teach you more about the world and the different ways people use language. This, in combination with analysis, gives you the power of perspective that is so essential to ease in communication with people who are different from you, in a way that is unique to literature. To write you have to read, and to really read, you have to think, criticize, doubt, wonder, and stand amazed by words on the page.

Ok, I see your point, of course that's important (and I actually enjoy reading just as a side note).

However I can't accept when people use the argument that nothing you learn in maths is useful in everyday life, usually followed by an example like simultaneous equations or solving for x... But then turn round and say that being able to analyse the foreshadowing in a short story or some such thing is useful


Posted from TSR Mobile