Mathematics education
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#Hotpud
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. The basic numerical foundations should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no - not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct.
The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful. This same system leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their basic knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate the absolute basics - how much change (in cash) that someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. The basic numerical foundations should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no - not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct.
The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful. This same system leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their basic knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate the absolute basics - how much change (in cash) that someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Muttly
#Hotpud
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. The basic numerical foundations should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no - not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct.
The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful. This same system leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their basic knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate the absolute basics - how much change (in cash) that someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. The basic numerical foundations should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no - not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct.
The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful. This same system leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their basic knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate the absolute basics - how much change (in cash) that someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
Addition and subtraction to allow calculating of change is taught very early as part of maths, they are taught in primary school so happy to allay your concerns there & there are no "progressive teaching methods" which change this.
The UK ranks pretty highly in PISA tables for mathematics education - around 11th from the last ones I can see. Sure there can always be improvements made as there can in any sector but that's a pretty solid performance.
Do you have a source or link to victorian children being better at maths that today's children? Most Victorian children weren't schooled at all and reached adolescence almost completely illiterate (to the point they couldn't even sign their name) and innumerate that can't be compared to today at all.
Original post by Muttly
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. This should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct. The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful leaves. The same system that leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate how much change someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
The majority of kids are good at maths. Just like when you and I were at primary school, children still need to know all their times tables by memory up to 12. And your idea of making it fun - research shows fun is contrary to good learning because cognitive load theory shows that having to learn rules to a game overrides the learning objectives.
I think the problem we have as adults, especially if maths is a part of our lives, we compare the abilities of young people to that of ourselves, forgetting that we have so much more experience and practice than they do.
But here are a few facts:
•
Around 1/3 of students don't meet the minimum requirements for maths by 16. But when you look at the reasons behind this, it doesn't have much to do with school.
•
Around a quarter of children are persistently absent from school at the moment. Some of it is down to parents who don't value school. Some parents are working so hard getting their kids to school is low priority and other students have severe mental health disorders which are untreated.
•
Lack of basic literacy is a massive problem in schools at the moment. Reading amongst children is at its lowest point in the last 20 years despite every attempt by schools to engage children in reading. The result - kids can't do maths and science because they can't read. Odd, but very true.
In conclusion - most kids are good at maths. A significant minority are not, but lumping all young people into one and stereotyping based on the "I went to school therefore I am an expert" argument as often trotted out by the tabloid press just doesn't help anyone.
From personal experience with teachers who taught my kids, it's more to do with (some) teachers more ready to accept children aren't good/talented at maths and who tell the kids to focus on the things they are good at especially at a primary school level. I have friends who are south/south-east/far east Asian and invariably their attitude is maths is something you get good at if you do it for long enough. That would dovetail with the observation that UK kids good at maths are better at problem solving because they aren't being just drilled to do the same thing over and over again.
(edited 2 months ago)
Original post by Muttly
#Hotpud
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. The basic numerical foundations should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no - not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct.
The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful. This same system leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their basic knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate the absolute basics - how much change (in cash) that someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
This precisely why our school kids can't do maths. Because a lot of mental maths is about having the discipline to sit and learn numbers, by rote and later by channelling the fact base into applied problem solving. The basic numerical foundations should take place in primary school. Yes rote by fun methods of rhymes, singing, it does not have to be dull!! Oh no - not 'rote' learning as all those charged with perpetuating a failed education system shrink back in horror. That is a bit like showing garlic to Dracula isn't it? The Chinese came here to look at our education systems but ended up going away understanding our kids were ill disciplined and did not have fact based knowledge. They are correct.
The continual UK education mantra that 'tests' don't matter and neither do 'exams' is one of the placatory excuses put forward by many of the over paid 'elite' educationalists who defend the education system they purport to be so wonderful. This same system leaves a lot of our children with huge gaps in their basic knowledge. We are getting lower and lower in the World ranking leagues for the so called 'curriculum for excellence' - maybe that is why educationalists don't like tests. The progressive teaching methods of maths in the last 50 years have left generations unable to calculate the absolute basics - how much change (in cash) that someone needs if they haven't got an electronic till telling them so. Victorian children had a better grasp of Maths in the UK with far less money ploughed into education and far less time needed in the classroom.
Year 4 have to sit a national multiplication test ... I think your information is way out of date.
When were you last in a Primary school Maths lesson?
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