I despair of the education system.

shaun_from_Africa

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Strange that, back in the late 60s, and early 70s, nobody ever seemed to have dyscalculia :huh:

And after the 1st and 2nd world war, nobody ever seemed to have PTSD yet today it is a widely recognised and accepted mental disorder.
Just because something wasn't accepted as a valid condition in the past doesn't mean that it never existed, simply that at the time it hadn't been recognised or investigated.

carlislelass

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

If it's not down to the teaching methods, how is it that every single pupil in my class (all 33 of them), left school, knowing their times tables?



My brother went to see my nephew's English teacher, to ask how he got 10/10 for his essay, when it was full of spelling mistakes.

The answer?

"We don't concern ourselves with spelling. We're only interested in ideas and content".



This happened to me over 50yrs ago in junior school, my mum was given the same answer. Won`t repeat what hers was.

mumps

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

And after the 1st and 2nd world war, nobody ever seemed to have PTSD yet today it is a widely recognised and accepted mental disorder.
Just because something wasn't accepted as a valid condition in the past doesn't mean that it never existed, simply that at the time it hadn't been recognised or investigated.

Plenty had shell shock which I think might have been a different name for the same thing? Or at least a very similar thing.

hollydays

mumps wrote: »

Plenty had shell shock which I think might have been a different name for the same thing? Or at least a very similar thing.

It's not quite the same.

shaun_from_Africa

mumps wrote: »

Plenty had shell shock which I think might have been a different name for the same thing? Or at least a very similar thing.

But they were generally just told to "get over it". As far as I'm aware (and I may be wrong on this), I don't think that there was much psychiatric help available and many civilians (and quite a few soldiers) at the time were adamant that shell shock never existed.

'Go 'ide yerself, you bloody little coward!', cursed one Tommy at a frightened soldier. When the shell shocked men returned home, things were not much better. Men arriving at Netley Hospital (for servicemen suffering shell shock) were greeted with silence: people were described as hanging their heads in 'inexplicable shame'.

and there are many reports of solders in WW1 being executed because of what is now known to be PTSD.

http://bullyonline.org/old/stress/ww1.htm

shaun_from_Africa

Anyway, to lighten the mood a bit and to get away from shell shock etc.
One of my favourite exam papers:

Haylescom

As a primary school teacher of 10 years it has long been national expectation that all children will leave KS2 knowing all times tables up to 12x12. Encouraging some parents of its importance and supporting this learning at home is an entirely different battle though.
Have no fear though! In 10 years time our children will know all of these number facts and every grammatical term in the English language, but without any idea of how to use any of them in context!

[Deleted User]

shaun_from_Africa wrote: »

Just because something wasn't accepted as a valid condition in the past doesn't mean that it never existed, simply that at the time it hadn't been recognised or investigated.

I was being sarcastic.

My point wasn't that it wasn't recognised. It's that every person in my class could recite their times tables, and perform mental arithmetic.

missbiggles1

marliepanda wrote: »

It is very unusual for an essay to be marked in such a way. Usually they are levelled or marked against specific success criteria. A 'out of ten' mark quite frankly isn't useful in an essay situation.

I imagine you don't have any more information on why this particular essay was marked 'out of 10' though.

You're right, they are. The question is, perhaps, whether they should be.

Ectophile

Haylescom wrote: »

As a primary school teacher of 10 years it has long been national expectation that all children will leave KS2 knowing all times tables up to 12x12. Encouraging some parents of its importance and supporting this learning at home is an entirely different battle though.
Have no fear though! In 10 years time our children will know all of these number facts and every grammatical term in the English language, but without any idea of how to use any of them in context!

We went metric years ago. So no feet and inches any more. We don't use pennies and shillings either.

So why do kids still need to learn the 11 and 12 times tables? Why not the 13 and 14 times tables?

We seem to be stuck in the 19th century here.