Dispatches - kids dont count

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sherry_d
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Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Dispatches - kids dont count

Post by sherry_d »

Did anyone watch the program? It was really sad to see 11year olds struggle like that in basic maths, the goverment must really be ashamed. Couldnt even get 10x10 right. I really felt sorry for those kids.

And whats more alarming, 144 teacher were put to the test and the average score was 45% yet these are suppose to teach maths to our kids. Most admitted they hated maths yet they were teaching it. The test is here if anyone wants to give it a go http://www.channel4.com/programmes/disp ... maths-quiz
andyb
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Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:27 am
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Dispatches - kids dont count

Post by andyb »

sherry_d wrote:Did anyone watch the program? It was really sad to see 11year olds struggle like that in basic maths, the goverment must really be ashamed. Couldnt even get 10x10 right. I really felt sorry for those kids.

And whats more alarming, 144 teacher were put to the test and the average score was 45% yet these are suppose to teach maths to our kids. Most admitted they hated maths yet they were teaching it. The test is here if anyone wants to give it a go http://www.channel4.com/programmes/disp ... maths-quiz
I didn't catch the programme but I expect it is on iPlayer. It's unbelievable that teachers scored so poorly in a test for 11 year olds - how are they supposed to teach if they don't know the basics themselves - frightening :shock: I would have scored full marks if I had read the question properly :oops:
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

144 teachers is not a very big sample to produce statistics..

but then how can I be sure I am only a teacher??


:wink:
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

I have witnessed appalling maths teaching and all from younger teachers (below 30). We have had jotters home where my sons work was all marked correct when half of it was wrong and this, unfortunately, has also been the case with many of my friends whose kids were/are in state primaries. We have never had problems with the standard of teaching in state schools with teachers over the age of 30.
Snowdrops
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Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Post by Snowdrops »

I also have to a word of caution with regards to teaching assistants (above the age of 30 :shock: ) who mark pupils' work.

My dd had her work marked by a teaching assistant who marked a word as being spelt incorrectly. She came home and showed it to me as she was convinced she was right (as she ALWAYS is :lol: ) and she was!! The TA had gotten it wrong. I then had the task of trying to explain to a y5 why an adult might mark her work incorrectly. :(
Image
heartmum
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Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:35 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by heartmum »

yoyo123 wrote:144 teachers is not a very big sample to produce statistics ...
I agree that only 144 teachers is not representative of all teachers in the primary school system ... however if these teachers are actually teaching our DCs the basic concept of mathematics - then it is frightening :shock: No-one should go into a profession where they themselves are unable to understand the work!!!

The definition of a teacher is someone who ... "is able to tell/show someone how to do something, to give instructions or lessons in a subject, to help individual/s to learn/understand"

If the teachers are unable to understand a particular subject then how are they to teach it!!!

... Rant over :evil: feel better now :)
Heartmum x x x
Ed's mum
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Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Warwickshire.

Post by Ed's mum »

It's an extremely difficult job - teaching SO many different subjects.
My thoughts:
The sample was far too small.

Maybe it is time to have specialist teachers for each subject? At my school I teach the French and music, another specialist teaches most of the PE. Maybe this is what should be happening in each subject from KS2?
Midget Man
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Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:28 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by Midget Man »

I watched it and felt mortified! Cannot believe just how poor some teaching is and no wonder kids will then find it difficult to learn if the teacher's don't even know how to correctly teach it!

Only one of those teacher's got every question right, I wonder how Ed Balls actually got on in the test, bet he won't share with us his result's but will be interesting to see what they do(if anything) about it now.
Cats12
Posts: 341
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:51 pm

Post by Cats12 »

Didn't see the programme but will watch on catch-up. Poor reults for teachers doesn't surprise me though. As for Ed Balls - he's economics graduate from Oxbridge so I think he'd probably do quite well in the maths test...
Midget Man
Posts: 950
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2009 8:28 pm
Location: Bucks

Post by Midget Man »

Well hopefully he'll realise just how poor the teaching is then and actually get something done about this as not all children will get the education that he was lucky to have.
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