HELP WITH MATHEMATICS

Hi Clanners
I am currently preparing a report, on how we can improve the pass rate in Mathematics in KZN, which will go to the office of the Minister of Basic Education in Pretoria.If you have a child or grandchild in school (any grade) and want to contribute to the discussion feel free to state the good, bad and ugly about things that are wrong and give suggestions on how we can improve them.
Postive, negative and interesting comments will help. If you have any collegues in school management I can interview please pm me their email contact and I will follow up.

Personally I think the DoE needs to take responsibility for the poor results.

BTW I have no children in school.

Thank you for making that difference.

I was fortunate to have my son change from Maths to Maths Lit. With the problem of teachers being changed and on leave etc.the learners were battling with the intracies of Pure Maths so it is better to rather let the less than brilliant ones go with Maths Lit.rather than fail the Matrix Exam.

Do they still keep Arithmatic seperate from Mathematics at school ?

It is so sad that you had to do that. Math Lit is not used for university entrance points.From my experience with mathematics the foundations are built during the early years of learning. It would be interesting to know how they performed at primary school. We need to demand that our children be taught by qualified teachers. I will share my findings with you.

Teachers cant teach any more. All your A students take extra classes outside their school esp maths and science. They are not interested to go the extra mile for better students or to put in more hours with weak students.
K, my youngest is now in matric and the other two at varsity, all completed their schooling in top schools. They all had and have extra classes. My wife and myself never had one extra class at school in our days. Why, because of the quality of teachers and the education system.
The standard has dropped to an unacceptable, worrying level which will lead to a very backward generation for years to come.
This has become the accepted norm now days what with leaders who don't even have a basic education. Sad
Solution, change the system ! Educate the educator !
Being a teacher is a "calling" not just a job.
In my opinion, the best would be to recruit maths teachers from top schools and ask them for all the info you need, but make sure they are over 50.

The key topics include Trigonometry, Euclidean Geometry, Transformation Geometry and Algebra (Arithmetic is done here in the formative years of study)
These may sound Greek to parents (and those that left mathematics for the "brilliant"). Many did not choose mathematics because teachers were not motivating us enough to learn this lovely subject.
Just like doctors and engineers have to belong to a council. Teachers belong to SACE. Mathematics teachers must produce a licence to teach. In many schools teachers without qualifications in mathematics are supervising our children and then we blame the children for poor performance.

Well said Neigh. I have two sons too both produced distinctions in Mathematics with no private tuition. I owe this to their primary school educators that were dedicated, hard working and motivating. My younger son had a mathematics teacher who absented himself from school due to a drinking problem. In the current climate a teacher can be absent up to 29 days before a substitute teacher can be appointed.
What do parents who can not afford private tuition do?

Was a long time ago

But in the UK Maths = Aritmatic until you go to high school ( 12 )

Then the rest is introduced at different levels

If any one of the three R's is poor then they will all be poor. (Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic)

neigh wrote: Teachers cant teach any more. All your A students take extra classes outside their school esp maths and science. They are not interested to go the extra mile for better students or to put in more hours with weak students.
K, my youngest is now in matric and the other two at varsity, all completed their schooling in top schools. They all had and have extra classes. My wife and myself never had one extra class at school in our days. Why, because of the quality of teachers and the education system.
The standard has dropped to an unacceptable, worrying level which will lead to a very backward generation for years to come.
This has become the accepted norm now days what with leaders who don't even have a basic education. Sad
Solution, change the system ! Educate the educator !
Being a teacher is a "calling" not just a job.
In my opinion, the best would be to recruit maths teachers from top schools and ask them for all the info you need, but make sure they are over 50.

To be fair - I matriculated in 1986 from a good school (Jeppe Boys)
We had Extra Maths and Science classes at Wits with William Smith on Saturdays- All students from the weakest to the strongest attended if they and their parents saw fit - We also had Winter School in Matric for Maths And Science where kids from all schools would attend during the prescribed Winter Holidays.

I do think that the work load and social (extramural activities) that I experienced almost 30 years ago are nothing compared to what children today have to contend with.

I don't know why the kids are doing so badly but what I can say is that I think parenting skills have dropped as it seems the new trend is to give responsibility to the Teachers and School while the parents do their own thing and expect a well rounded and educated adult to emerge 12 years later.

I also think children should take more responsibility for their actions - I know with complete honesty that I could have improved my grades by at least 10% in Matric if I was more interested in the Curriculum and less interested in Girls, Horses, Sport, and Parties. I do blame myself as I should have known better.

I think many schools are poor but there are many others that are good - Kids just need to learn that education is the base of all life as we know it. Parents, unless wealthy, have very little options I suppose if they can't afford a good school - I only wish Internet exposure could become the norm in every school. You could have recordings made by the very best teachers for every subject and each kid could watch those on a Tablet... soon I suppose but if you cannot read or comprehend then the Tablet just becomes a Playstation~!~!

Do the kids still get free school milk?

I have 2 kids in primary school and most of the children that do well in maths go to Kumon. I am fortunate that both my kids are good at maths so don't take them to Kumon. I believe that playing sport is important at their age so I rather let them play sport in the afternoon's so they can keep fit as this helps their concentration as well.

I must say we are very fortunate to have an excellent Primary School with great teachers who are always willing to go the extra mile for their students.