How about teaching them how to read, write and speak properly first... then learn about other stuff?
How about teaching them how to read, write and speak properly first... then learn about other stuff?
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There's 17,000 sub standard teachers in England and Wales according to an expert on TV last week.When I was a kid at school in Hampshire,we were taught to read and write,history,geography,music etc etc,not all this other PC rubbish that is rammed down throats nowadays,and we had discipline if we mis-behaved.Teachers then were given great respect,and thanks to them,and parents who were also figures of respect and authority,the vast majority of us "kids" turned out to be ok.
Roughcaster.
Roughcaster.
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I totally agree, bring back the basics in early learning + discipline; the slipper, the kick up the arse & the articulately aimed chalk (or blackboard duster if it was really serious!) that hit you on the head when you were least expecting it. If teachers did that now they would probably get 12 months!
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The kids I teach are a mixed bag...but one thing that unites nearly all of them, really poor hand writing (except the girls strangely)
Their basic maths skills are atrocious too
However the most freightening thing is when they are assessed....something like 40% of the 16-18 year olds have a reading age of..7!!! (I will amend this once ive found the correct figure)
These kids, are as able as any kid, if they are given the right opportunity, sure most come from hard background..broken homes etc..and I guess that doesnt help.
By why are they learning French in School when they have such a poor grasp of basic English??
Half the problem IMO is the range of subjects now...textiles, resistant materials, child care, etc etc.
Then theres the good old cop out subjects like Drama for the kids who are struggling with other subjects to jump on to.
The government and education people have made a massive wrick...and now they are trying to make amends by raising the leaving age (thats not quite as it seems either)
Kids now have to cover 'key Skills' as part of their NVQ training...why?..because successive Governments and their Education advisors have let them down by not teaching the basics.
The powers that be cant even get that right...even if you have a degree you have to do your Key Skills exam...they justify it by saying 'the key skills exam is for life'..
So a degree obviously isnt then?...riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!!!
Their basic maths skills are atrocious too
However the most freightening thing is when they are assessed....something like 40% of the 16-18 year olds have a reading age of..7!!! (I will amend this once ive found the correct figure)
These kids, are as able as any kid, if they are given the right opportunity, sure most come from hard background..broken homes etc..and I guess that doesnt help.
By why are they learning French in School when they have such a poor grasp of basic English??
Half the problem IMO is the range of subjects now...textiles, resistant materials, child care, etc etc.
Then theres the good old cop out subjects like Drama for the kids who are struggling with other subjects to jump on to.
The government and education people have made a massive wrick...and now they are trying to make amends by raising the leaving age (thats not quite as it seems either)
Kids now have to cover 'key Skills' as part of their NVQ training...why?..because successive Governments and their Education advisors have let them down by not teaching the basics.
The powers that be cant even get that right...even if you have a degree you have to do your Key Skills exam...they justify it by saying 'the key skills exam is for life'..
So a degree obviously isnt then?...riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!!!
zampa, if they are learning french and you feel it's wrong, get in there, get them told!
i agree with that, they might call you for being wrong. you are right, in five yrs time, they will know that, can you change things?
Or are you scared?
no disrespect whatsoever.
i agree with that, they might call you for being wrong. you are right, in five yrs time, they will know that, can you change things?
Or are you scared?
no disrespect whatsoever.
In my day (6-7 years ago) it was "GCSE in design and technology with resistant materials"
The resistant materials bit was an optional module, there were 4 to choose from IIRC, the school chose resistant materials for us.
Sounds like another handle on recycling; but if they are resilient can they be?
S
Shutpa
Zampa, you didn't say which country you were teaching in - I take it that it's not the UK. Although I don't like using the term, the kids I teach, are also a 'mixed bag'. That is to say that I work in comprehensive schools where many of the children come from council estates and many come from privately owned homes. They are also a 'mixed bag' in terms of ability.
Yes, their handwriting may be poor but so to is mine and that of many of my friends. The real difference nowadays is the way the students hold the pens and pencils. At one time we were forced to write with the index finger on the back of the pen. Today, the pens and pencils are held in all sorts of grips and all sorts of angles.
Three months ago my 12 yar old son transferred from the local primary to the local comprehensive. In that time, the powers that be in the school have decided that he and another 20+ pupils are to be fast-tracked in maths. Neither he, nor they ( to the best of my knowledge) have any maths tuition other than the normal classroom teaching at primary. And of those not being fast-tracked only a few, perhaps 5 or 6, will require learning support in maths.
As for the 40% with a reading age of 7, I am flabbergasted. I taught up to 12 classes last week of all ages and not one child needed my help as far as reading is concerned. Of those that did have learning support, as far as I can recall only one required a reader.
At my sons secondary school, even in the first year they have a very wide range of subjects: English, maths, history, geography, science, RE, home economics, PE, technical subjects, computing, the list goes on. My son also takes drama and music!
Tomorrow I teach in another city school and the pupils will be little different from those I taught yesterday. They will have the same wide range of subjects to choose from and will not require my help to read the questions or textbook.
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I take you point about the variety of shapes and sizes of pens,,but I always think back to the beautiful hangwriting of our parents and grand parents...and the contraptions they had to use.
Its said that illiteracy levels were far higher in the begining of the last century than they are now...but how many 'olduns' do you know who cannot write and write with very neat handwriting?
(my own handwriting is none too spicy either I might add )
Why dont they teach handwriting skills though?..In these days of everything being done on computer handwriting is becoming a dying art.
Regards literacy and numeracy standards...I teach in a F.E centre in the U.K (and obviously judging by my standard on here..I dont teach English!!)...I teach and assess NVQ levels 1,2,3 Painting and Decorating and general building studies.
We take a lot of trainees and the lower end of the scale edcuation wise, but all trainees are assessed on entry.
53% of the intake average the reading and numeracy level of 7-11 year olds and less...very worrying
Girls average slightly better than boys.
Dont get me wrong, I dont beleive the current ciriculum taught in Schools is solely to blame...other factors such as the ICT generation have an impact.
I dont know what the total solution is...but I do beleive that the basics must be taught first..
They are changes ahead as you probably know..lets hope the powers that be have got it right this time.
Its said that illiteracy levels were far higher in the begining of the last century than they are now...but how many 'olduns' do you know who cannot write and write with very neat handwriting?
(my own handwriting is none too spicy either I might add
)Why dont they teach handwriting skills though?..In these days of everything being done on computer handwriting is becoming a dying art.
Regards literacy and numeracy standards...I teach in a F.E centre in the U.K (and obviously judging by my standard on here..I dont teach English!!)...I teach and assess NVQ levels 1,2,3 Painting and Decorating and general building studies.
We take a lot of trainees and the lower end of the scale edcuation wise, but all trainees are assessed on entry.
53% of the intake average the reading and numeracy level of 7-11 year olds and less...very worrying
Girls average slightly better than boys.
Dont get me wrong, I dont beleive the current ciriculum taught in Schools is solely to blame...other factors such as the ICT generation have an impact.
I dont know what the total solution is...but I do beleive that the basics must be taught first..
They are changes ahead as you probably know..lets hope the powers that be have got it right this time.
Maybe because people didnt rush things and took their tme over doing things to get them right, todays pressures mean people rush things too much not taking care and therefore the qualty shows.
I know my kids are rushed from one lesson to another wth little chance to ask questions on something they dont understand, so what hope for good handwriting etc.
I know my kids are rushed from one lesson to another wth little chance to ask questions on something they dont understand, so what hope for good handwriting etc.
S
Shutpa
My kids have 50 minute lessons...and only do games if it isnt raining!
Zampa, you said that you taught in an FE establishment but refer to your students as kids. Assuming that they all over 16 years of age, can I take it that, excluding those who have learning difficulties, your intake is made up of the very poorest students in terms of ability. If this is the case, and I am not saying that it is, was it fair to lump all students into the 'reading age of 7' category as you did in your original posting?
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