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Maths GCSE's

TheCatWoman

More people have passed thier GCSE's this year than last, well done them. But I was anazed at how many students are doing resits, maybe three or more times and still not passing the required grade. Apparently the more times you try the less likely you are to pass, this says to me that theres something wrong with the way these students are being taught, or they have an undiagnosed learning difficulty? I couldn't pass a GCSE at grade C which was the pass mark then I think they've changed from 1 -5 or something now.

How we all at maths?

How do you think it could be taught differently or better?

Are to many children not being picked up with learning difficulties and do we expect maths to be difficult and allow some children to fail? It seems that difficulties with reading and writing are picked up quite young, why not with maths?

Parents

  • I got a grade 2 CSE in maths at school, which is equivalent to a grade D GCSE - no idea what its equivalent is now they've changed the system again. However, later in life I gained an AAT qualification which is equivalent to two A Levels in accounting. The AAT qualification was based on real world stuff, things I did at work, which made it relevant and much easier to understand.

    I have also worked as a teaching assistant, and during that time I helped a pupil with maths on a one to one basis, following a special maths programme which used real objects - such as small wooden bricks - for counting, adding, subtracting, etc.

    I believe that relating maths to real world problems can assist learning. Some people think algebra is pointless, they can't understand why letters have suddenly appeared in with the numbers. But if you take a simple problem such as 5 + X = 12, a real world problem to explain how to find what X means could be to say "I have 5 apples, but I need 12 to make some pies. How many more apples do I need to buy?" The answer is what X represents.

    I personally feel that maths at secondary level should relate to real world problems and should include the basics of things like understanding budgeting, VAT, savings & credit card interest, mortgages.and pensions.

    If students wish to pursue mathematics or science degrees, they could then take A level maths which could be structured to give them the more advanced knowledge they'll need.

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  • I got a grade 2 CSE in maths at school, which is equivalent to a grade D GCSE - no idea what its equivalent is now they've changed the system again. However, later in life I gained an AAT qualification which is equivalent to two A Levels in accounting. The AAT qualification was based on real world stuff, things I did at work, which made it relevant and much easier to understand.

    I have also worked as a teaching assistant, and during that time I helped a pupil with maths on a one to one basis, following a special maths programme which used real objects - such as small wooden bricks - for counting, adding, subtracting, etc.

    I believe that relating maths to real world problems can assist learning. Some people think algebra is pointless, they can't understand why letters have suddenly appeared in with the numbers. But if you take a simple problem such as 5 + X = 12, a real world problem to explain how to find what X means could be to say "I have 5 apples, but I need 12 to make some pies. How many more apples do I need to buy?" The answer is what X represents.

    I personally feel that maths at secondary level should relate to real world problems and should include the basics of things like understanding budgeting, VAT, savings & credit card interest, mortgages.and pensions.

    If students wish to pursue mathematics or science degrees, they could then take A level maths which could be structured to give them the more advanced knowledge they'll need.

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