Published on 12, July, 2020
I've seen the GCSE results are in today and it's made me aware (again) of how badly we seem to teach both these subjects.
IHave we still not learned anything about learning difficulties? I wonder if problems with maths are less likely to be diagnosed and helped than those with English, particularly reading and writing, but do we understand what we're taught?
My Dad was terrified of maths, if you put a maths problem in front of him, he'd totally go to pieces and insist he couldn't do it, but if you gave him a tape measure and a pencil and paper and asked him how much wall paper you'd need to cover a room, he do fine and tell you how much paint you'd need too. It makes me wonder if we wouldn't be better off teaching maths practically, like getting a class of children in groups to design a room, work out how much of what types of materials you'd need, how to cost them, stuff like that?
I'm told that as an autistic woman I should have a love of classic literature, I don't I hate it, it annoys me and I don't relate to it at all. I was terrible at English, I could never write stories, I don't understand most poetry, it dosen't speak to me, it's just a set of disjointed images and I don't think I've ever written a poem and wouldn't know where to begin.
I can't speak about English, but part of the problem with Maths is that the teachers simply do not (most of them) know enough Maths to explain it well.
I have a Maths degree, 4 years studying at uni. Only one of my teachers in secondary school had a Maths degree, the other 6 or 7 didn't. I really struggled with Maths until I was taught by her. She could answer all my 'but why' questions, and helped me make sense of things I couldn't 'join up' in my mind. She explained to me that many Maths teachers have degrees in other science subjects, Chemistry, Physics, but they can't get a job teaching their subject. Since there are so many vacancies for Maths teachers, and it is a core subject so there are plenty of classes to teach, it is easier for them to get a job teaching Maths. In this case, the teachers don't have to be too far ahead of what they are teaching to be able to teach the class.
This is important, because it's not until you are near the completion of your studies that it all starts to make sense. After 4 years studying at uni, the reason WHY you learn stuff in secondary school makes sense. So if you only complete the first year or second year courses at uni (the minimum required to teach it) you don't have the big picture and haven't made sense of it all. So how can you explain it to others in a way that makes sense to them?
This is why, in TheCatWoman's post below, she was marked 'wrong' by doing 6 X 9 as 6 X 10 - 6. The teacher simply knew the method they were taught, or were expected to teach from the textbook. Someone with a Maths degree will know there are many ways to solve any problem in Maths, so if you manage to unlock a method sooner than the educational system 'expects' you to achieve it, you wouldn't be marked wrong, the Maths teacher would explain that your method is correct, however the rest of the class are learning a different method because it is how most people 'do' it - i.e. keep adding 9 six times. They would encourage you to try and use both in written examinations to ensure you don't lose marks. Autistic people would (I guess) find these methods quicker than NTs simply because of the difference in wiring in our brain.
I always need to know why and some NTs don't understand that. I think it helps to remember things. Just facts don't work.
I like watching Countdown. The word bit has helped me remember more words. The number bit is good because like your explanation above you can find the answer any way that gets to the result.