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Hows your numeracy skills
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Seventeen million adults – nearly half the working population – have the maths skills of a child at primary school, a report revealed yesterday.
Their grasp of numbers is so poor that they struggle to work out deductions on their pay slips or calculate change.
The number who struggle with basic numeracy has grown by two million over the past decade, even though billions of pounds has been poured into schemes to improve standards.
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I find this number frightening as a nation of engineers or that was a nation of engineers. Mathematics is at the heart of most things that we do, is the education scheme failing. I spend a great deal of time with my daughter doing basic mathematics, surely I am not the exception to the rule but the norm |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Was watching loose woman and Carol Vorderman says it starts with primary children and teachers saying teachers leave school at 16 with basic maths and go into A levels and teaching degrees without the basic knowledge of how to teach maths. So if children are not being taught it then how are they supposed to learn. |
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"Was watching loose woman and Carol Vorderman says it starts with primary children and teachers saying teachers leave school at 16 with basic maths and go into A levels and teaching degrees without the basic knowledge of how to teach maths. So if children are not being taught it then how are they supposed to learn."
I know my six year old has been lacking at school with the way Math's is being taught. The teacher recons times tables are not taught yet. She now has poster on her bedroom door and we recite them so it is drilled in, and yes I believe in them and yes that was the way I was taught them. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Must admit numeracy is not my strong point, but then very rarely have to use it in my line of work.
I think that instead of the gov looking at schools as failing to teach numeracy they have to take into account the high level of children who's brains are just not set up to concur with the education system. Often children who have literacy issues are very adept at numeracy and children with poor numeracy skills are good at literacy.
Its not unusual for a school to have at least 25% of their students have some form of learning disability and despite a massive support for learning drive the school curriculum is based on academic acheivment and results.
Now whos spell checking this? |
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"Must admit numeracy is not my strong point, but then very rarely have to use it in my line of work.
I think that instead of the gov looking at schools as failing to teach numeracy they have to take into account the high level of children who's brains are just not set up to concur with the education system. Often children who have literacy issues are very adept at numeracy and children with poor numeracy skills are good at literacy.
Its not unusual for a school to have at least 25% of their students have some form of learning disability and despite a massive support for learning drive the school curriculum is based on academic acheivment and results.
Now whos spell checking this?"
Not me that's for sure. I have noticed my daughter was always trying to use calculator and spell check. Surely schools need to do the basics first |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
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"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
"
I know a head teacher that takes her dog into school for kids that have trouble reading the chance to read too, she says it is amazing how much they improve. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
"
i have always been enthusiastic about both children and reading my youngest has always struggled both reading and writing all they said was her concentration levels are poor and plus she being youngest in the class. Her new teacher in year 5 picked up that she may need glasses had her tested and option mentioned getting her tested for dyslexia. So since she has been diagnosed she has her new glasses and she is working with the coloured overlays and after all the years of me going in she is now getting the extra help that she needs. |
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"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
i have always been enthusiastic about both children and reading my youngest has always struggled both reading and writing all they said was her concentration levels are poor and plus she being youngest in the class. Her new teacher in year 5 picked up that she may need glasses had her tested and option mentioned getting her tested for dyslexia. So since she has been diagnosed she has her new glasses and she is working with the coloured overlays and after all the years of me going in she is now getting the extra help that she needs."
At times it does seem like some school are slow to react to different children. |
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"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
"
Those parents who expect that all learning happens at school are somewhat limited in their scope for developing their children. Where kids get used to using their skills in different environments - little and often being the better approach - they will get a more robust understanding of what they're learning. School can be a hot bed for learning, standardising what's taught etc, but it is better to have learning enabled by families etc, imo.
My maths is pretty good, and I try to do everything in my head, as using it helps retain/improve skills. Calculators are great, especially for some equations, and stretching ourselves into unfamiliar or difficult territory is a great thing, in an era when computing is so dominant. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
"
it's amazing what a bit of direct support can achieve. A few years ago i was a reading volunteer at a local primary school. I was allocated one boy who was extremely disruptive in class effectively just to give the teacher and other students a break from his behaviour. I was really anxious about what i'd let myself in for but over the course of a few months his reading skills improved and because of this he could understand more in class.. .and in turn his attention span and performance improved.
We continued our sessions for approx 2 years. He's now 14 and a really nice lad, though still a bit rough at the edges for some, but if we see each other in the street he always comes over for a chat.
I feel quite proud to have seen him change and be a part of that.
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"Was watching loose woman and Carol Vorderman says it starts with primary children and teachers saying teachers leave school at 16 with basic maths and go into A levels and teaching degrees without the basic knowledge of how to teach maths. So if children are not being taught it then how are they supposed to learn."
Not sure i understand that. I know when i did A level socialogy i had to have o level equivalent of maths to cover the economics and politics side of things |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I have to say mine isn't brilliant and had to work hard to get grade 5 in CSE as it was when I was in school, I find English a whole lot easier but I think a lot of people are like that; both my kids find maths easy but English harder.
I do find that figure terrible though |
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By *orestersCouple
over a year ago
The Forest |
The kids all seem to be well educated about their legal rights, racial harmony and how to play conkers safely. Maybe the maths won't be so important - the till at the McDonald's they'll inevitably end up working at can do the sums for them.  |
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I dont know why schools seem to be the ones soley to blame for "basic" education. Surely as a parent its your job to teach your children the basic principles about everything. My mum still tells me the story how i through a paddy in a sweet shop when i was three because the woman had given me the wrong change for my pocket money. We where only allowed sweets once a week and i knew then what i could and couldnt get for my threpenny bit and i didnt start school until two years later |
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"my son is doing really well in maths he's taking his gcse exams 3 years early but he is home taught as the school couldn't cater for his advanced needs"
That just seems so wrong that they do not allow for the advanced and the eduactionary challenged. Seems everyone needs to be average to get education. But on a positive well done you for giving your child every help to help them find there goals. |
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A Schools football coach walked into the changing room before a big game, looked over to his star player and said, "I'm not supposed to let you play since you failed maths, but we really need you in there. So, what I have to do is ask you a math question, and if you get it right, you can play."
The player agreed, so the coach looked into his eyes intently and asked, - "Okay, now concentrate hard and tell me the answer to this: What is two plus two?"
The player thought for a moment and then answered, "4?"
"Did you say 4?" the coach exclaimed, excited that he had given the right answer.
Suddenly, all the other players on the team began screaming, "Come on coach, give him another chance!"
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"A Schools football coach walked into the changing room before a big game, looked over to his star player and said, "I'm not supposed to let you play since you failed maths, but we really need you in there. So, what I have to do is ask you a math question, and if you get it right, you can play."
The player agreed, so the coach looked into his eyes intently and asked, - "Okay, now concentrate hard and tell me the answer to this: What is two plus two?"
The player thought for a moment and then answered, "4?"
"Did you say 4?" the coach exclaimed, excited that he had given the right answer.
Suddenly, all the other players on the team began screaming, "Come on coach, give him another chance!"
"
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Indeed it seems maths has gone downhill, in a group of 100 people; 30% can't add up, 30% can't subtract, 30% can't do multiplication and 40% can't do percentages.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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My numeracy skills are quite good. My maths teacher was my favourite teacher at school. He was so patient with everyone and constantly made up games to help things stick. If someone in the class didn't get something then he would go through every different method until he saw the lightbulb come on. It's such a pity more teachers aren't like that.
The skills he taught came in handy when I was 18 and used to manage a bookies. Back in the day when there were no computers to work things out for you. Half the bets were just settled in my head, and the more complicated ones done by calculator. Giving the correct change was an automatic thing. To work in a bookies these days is a data inputting job, no skills required, you don't even have to know how to break a bet down. That's the change in society, we've become too reliant on machines to do our work for us.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I wish I had MrsSexton as my teacher maths at school...fuck he was hot too!
I love science,right from quantum mechanics to biology etc... I understand the concepts,terminologies etc...but when it comes to mathematics I'm thick as fuck |
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By *abioMan
over a year ago
Newcastle and Gateshead |
I have a degree in maths so I suppose I am fairly good at it.. But what I think needs to happen is split the technical maths from the maths that we use in real life...
People would have a better grasp of stuff like debt, bank charges and budgeting... And 99% of the population will never need the applied or statistical stuff |
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"I have a degree in maths so I suppose I am fairly good at it.. But what I think needs to happen is split the technical maths from the maths that we use in real life...
People would have a better grasp of stuff like debt, bank charges and budgeting... And 99% of the population will never need the applied or statistical stuff"
 |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Indeed it seems maths has gone downhill, in a group of 100 people; 30% can't add up, 30% can't subtract, 30% can't do multiplication and 40% can't do percentages.
"
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I was ok at maths in school, but a bit slow to get the right answers with the basic stuff, so to help, my dad made me play darts and (card game) with him, it was practice for him, and he made me do tha scoring, so I quckly learned to do mental maths lol!
We were also quizzed every morning on our multiplication tables when I was in primary school, and I made our kids learn them too when I found that the school didnt any more. |
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By *phroditeWoman
over a year ago
(She/ her) in Sensualityland |
I am curious why it seems more aceptable to admit having trouble with maths than struggling with literacy. So many people say that they are no good at maths yet it seems socially less acceptable to be struggling with reading and writing. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"People would have a better grasp of stuff like debt, bank charges and budgeting... And 99% of the population will never need the applied or statistical stuff"
excellent point and reminded me that Martin the Money Saving expert bloke has a financial education for schools campaign running via his website to try and address this deficiency in our childrens everyday knowledge.
i think its a really good idea.
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By *adcowWoman
over a year ago
kirkcaldy |
"I dont know why schools seem to be the ones soley to blame for "basic" education. Surely as a parent its your job to teach your children the basic principles about everything. My mum still tells me the story how i through a paddy in a sweet shop when i was three because the woman had given me the wrong change for my pocket money. We where only allowed sweets once a week and i knew then what i could and couldnt get for my threpenny bit and i didnt start school until two years later"
I was similar to you Diamondsmiles my Grandad worked with the council tip and often brought me books he had found at the side of the road - one was to do with maths and aritmetic. I could add, substract,divide and multiply before I started school- my main problem was when it became the decimal system as I started school lol boy was I confused! |
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"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
I know a head teacher that takes her dog into school for kids that have trouble reading the chance to read too, she says it is amazing how much they improve."
There ya go .......every school should have a dog  |
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By *adcowWoman
over a year ago
kirkcaldy |
Also being a mature student doing business studies I am amazed at how many of my younger classmates struggle to do simple addition and subtraction sums yet are whizzes with the computer side of the course. My own daughters are the same - I spent many an evening trying to help with their homework only to confuse them even more as the method I'd been taught was completely different, but they found my teaching easier to do so why change what wasn't broken?
Now one of my daughters is training to be a teacher herself and hopes to be able to help the kids of the future. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I know of a brilliant musician who had her heart set out to be a music teacher.
However, she repeatedly failed her GCSE maths, and could not be trained as a teacher.
Shame.  |
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"I have a degree in maths so I suppose I am fairly good at it.. But what I think needs to happen is split the technical maths from the maths that we use in real life...
People would have a better grasp of stuff like debt, bank charges and budgeting... And 99% of the population will never need the applied or statistical stuff"
Absolutely agree with Fabio. Basic maths is only 4 things Add Subtract multiply and divide. If you can get a grip on this you can do all the maths you are likely to need in your life. My maths teacher told me this at a very young age and I (Mr) ended up at university studying maths so he must have been right. |
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By *aucy3Couple
over a year ago
glasgow |
"I have been voluteering as parent a helper in a year 3 class age 7-8 year olds for the last year. I have been astounded at the lack of support from a lot of parents regarding the basics. Like the practicing of times tables and spelling and reading at home. The frustration levels of the teachers and the speeds they are expected to get through the curriculum is crazy.
Reading is the worst. How can anyone expect a child to be able to do other subjects when their reading is poor.
As a parent myself I discovered my son was falling behind. Although he didn't want to read to me (it caused arguments) I found a family friend to come and read with him three times a week. His reading has improved so have his other subjects right across.
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
I know a head teacher that takes her dog into school for kids that have trouble reading the chance to read too, she says it is amazing how much they improve.
There ya go .......every school should have a dog "
simple solutions,solve many problems. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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The education system is a failure. I know someone who is about to graduate from a well known teacher training Uni. and she does not know her times table.
she says that knowing and teaching are two different things.
But how do you get to a Uni. without knowing your times tables and if you start teaching having domne that what is the motivation to make sure that your pupils know them?
To me, no child should leave primary school witthout knowing times table, addition and basic division. To think that people teaching primary school children can't even do that is horrific. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
I think it is time to go back to basics in the infants. Concentrate on reading and writing. For the first couple of years. Plenty of time to do other subjects once the basics are mastered.
"
I couldn't agree more.
The basics are so important and if they don't grasp the basics then it will effect them for the rest of there school life. After all you wouldn't build a building on a dodgy foundation!
My daughter's first year at school was abysmal, The children that found things easy where given alot of the teachers time where the kids that struggled where ignored, I moved her school's because of it but she struggled for years and after a number of assessments in school and private tuition they told me it was because she had not got the basics from an early age!...Which is what i had been telling them all along.
She is now in her first year at high school and is now at a level where she should be for her age and above average in some subjects.
Most schools run workshops that teach parents the ways things are taught in school and how to carry on the processes at home, i found these invaluable, I think too many parents think school is the sole way to teach your child, teaching should carry on at home and be a major part of a child's education.
Kat x x |
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"The education system is a failure. I know someone who is about to graduate from a well known teacher training Uni. and she does not know her times table.
she says that knowing and teaching are two different things.
But how do you get to a Uni. without knowing your times tables and if you start teaching having domne that what is the motivation to make sure that your pupils know them?
To me, no child should leave primary school witthout knowing times table, addition and basic division. To think that people teaching primary school children can't even do that is horrific."
The saying those that can do and those that can't teach comes to mind. Do not get me wrong there are some dam fine teachers out there, my sister being one of them. I think the problem with some is no life skills or experience.
Reminds me of story of school that was having problems in girls toilets with girls kissing mirror and leaving lipstick on them. Head teacher told girls it needed to stop but it continued. One of the cleaners went in one day whilst a bunch of girls were in there chatting. She saw the lipstick on mirrors, she goes into stall and dips her cleaning mop in toilet and proceeds to clean mirrors. There are teachers and educators in life |
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