Maths Results Crisis 2008

regarding the maths problem set there - that was for the lowest standard which is almost a mockery. My standard of primary school maths would have attained a D grade in it - doesn't say much for 3 years of study then.

All the area and volume formula is going into log books now and i disagree with this because its so basic that a person needs to know this as a basic level of knowledge in my opinion. The education system has dumbed down so much that you have children coming out of primary not able to do simple mental maths like tables etc - sure i hated learning them but they stood to me in exams when time was precious.
 
MrMan said:
maybe instead of learning off formulae they could just provide it with the exam paper and let students decide which formula suits which answer. One of the gripes was always learning off formula when in real life people would consult books etc before completing a difficult calculation.
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Agreed. Knowing how to clearly define a problem and apply a solution from possible alternatives is more 'real-life' than learning formulae by rote.

Regarding being too young to make the mature choice, the optional subjects are chosen then so why not maths?
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Why are the optional subjects optional ?
Maths is seen as a core area of learning and therefore not optional. Teenagers may not fully appreciate that - I know I didn't. If maths was optional, the temptation is to choose a less demanding subject. I know I would have done so at the time, especially as it would have made homework easier. I thought most of maths was irrelevant.
Later, I became an electronics engineer. That would not have happened if I dropped maths.
Choosing, say, Spanish over Italian is probably not going to impact a student in later life compared to dropping maths (in my humble opinion).
 
pennypitstop said:
The education system has dumbed down so much that you have children coming out of primary not able to do simple mental maths like tables etc
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Can you please tell me what you are basing that comment on. Maybe you are basing that on yourself but don't speak for the majority. I work in a primary school and myself and my colleagues are all hardworking , forward thinking and absolutely dedicated to ensuring each child gets the best education possible using as many methodologies as possible to appeal to the different intelligences and learning styles we are faced with. It drives me batty to read such drivel about how teachers at primary level are to blame! The majority of primary teachers are well educated, bright and motivated people who are providing a rich and varied education to the children in their classes.

In my own class, we start each maths lesson with ten minutes of mental maths activities before we look at a topic- which is taught using as many resources as possible for children to manipulate which is then followed by either individual or, depending on the topic, group work. When we've done all that we revise, conclude and reflect. Brighter children are challenged with extra activities, teasers and problems whilst children with difficulty receive support. And that's just maths.

Pennypitstop and anyone else who thinks we aren't doing a good enough job- I'd like to know what we are doing wrong. The education system has dumbed down.....hilarious!
 
Last Updated: Friday, August 15, 2008, 06:48
Girls outperform boys in key Leaving Cert subjects

Girls came top of the class in most of the key subjects in this year’s Leaving Certificate, except in honours maths, figures out today reveal.
Of the 1,222 pupils who were awarded an A grade in higher mathematics, 720 were male and 502 were female.

In applied maths a higher percentage of males also scored an A1 in both the higher and ordinary exams.

But in the pass paper, girls fared better when it came to A, B, and C grades.

The official statistics, released by the State Examinations Commission, showed girls secured more As and Bs in higher level Irish.

They were also awarded a greater number of A1s in the ordinary level exam.

Elsewhere boys got more A2s while the girls got the majority of Bs.

The figures were similar in both the higher and ordinary level English papers, with girls gaining more As and Bs then their counterparts.

And when it came to foreign languages, the girls also took more points, taking the top marks in both higher and ordinary level French and German.

In the science subjects, the female students again did better in higher physics and biology, while the boys came tops in higher chemistry.

Surprisingly, more female pupils got As in higher engineering, and made the top grades in accounting, business and economics.

In the ordinary level equivalents, the male students secured the most points in both engineering and economics.
PA
© 2008 irishtimes.com
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Just looking at this year's points and see that primary teaching requires 470 points in Limerick as opposed to Arts 335 in Cork. Quite a difference.
 
The reason education is so important is because if you do well in exams then it proves to employers and yourself how well you can learn stuff.

Lets face facts anybody who has an interest in a particular football team or could quote you chapter and verse about a match last year, or about certain players or managers or bad tackles.

ie a huge amount of information.

Its all to do with taking an interest.

The one person who perks that interest is a teacher.

If you have a bad teacher then the chances of you and your class mates doing badly are higher because you don't have any interest in the subject.

I don't believe that just because a teacher does well in lots of exams means that they can teach.

Personally I never did well in exams and I could never understand how 5 years worth of info was going to be tested in 2 or 3 hours.

I've always thought course work would be the best way to really test someones abilities, done over the course of 5 years you'd get a real idea of peoples potential.
 
S.L.F said:
Personally I never did well in exams and I could never understand how 5 years worth of info was going to be tested in 2 or 3 hours.

I've always thought course work would be the best way to really test someones abilities, done over the course of 5 years you'd get a real idea of peoples potential.
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Yes its hard to know what other system to use as you say all your info tested in a few hours. Then if you have a day where a student may not be feeling well its hard for her/him to perform to the best of his ability in an exam. Assessments at the end of each school year should give a more accurate account of the pupil.
 
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