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Moreover, the standard of comprehension of the English Language amongst students nowadays is very lacking! On another occasion, I asked another student from MLC College in Melbourne: "What is a RATIONAL number?" She just looked blankly at me as if I had spoken in GERMAN to her!
Then I asked her : "Do you understand the meaning of RATIONAL?".
She answered "NOPE".
If this is the case with most of our students nowadays, how can they cope with questions in paragraph form which appear in paper 2 and requires a good understanding of the English Language to interpret what the question wants?
Moreover, Cambridge IGCSE examination in Mathematics has lowered their standard at the beginning of 2010 because most students in UK cannot pass their Mathematics! With the help of calculators and other equipments, the students are still struggling! Students are not taught to learn how to estimate an answer so that when they use their calculators , they can know whether what they have punched in and the answer they get is correct! Now most students cannot live without a calculator! Their brain cannot function anymore!
In the old days, the grades were very distinct: A, B, C ,D, E and so on.....When you get an "A", you really deserved that "A" and it was a solid "A". Nowadays, there are A*, A, A-, etc....but all "HOLLOW" A's. I have tested a few top scoring students from my old School that I taught before and guessed what? Very disappointing to learn that these so-called "A*" students cannot answered a simple question that I put forward to them! Why are parents paying so much money for a better education system at a private school and not getting their money worth?
I sincerely hope that teachers will go back to the BASICS and teach their students the basic foundations in their respective subjects so that when they progress to the upper forms and Universities, they are well-equip and able to cope at that level! Teachers must sacrifice more of their time and be more dedicated in their profession and ensure that the students under their care are well taken care of!
My heart is very heavy looking at the present situation of the Education systems and standards throughout the World!
I rest my case.
-written by Patrick T.-
Bunny maths was a subject i disliked when i was in school. this dislike continued till i was in my thirties. in my forties i started to understand a bit of it. my fifties saw me being totally indifferent to maths.
in my sixties now i still do not see why this subject was forced onto students who had no liking for numbers.
my daughter who is now in her thirties had absolutely no affinity to maths. however she was composing music at the age of six and has perfect pitch.
if parents and teachers could be trained to recognise abilities instead of inabilities the world would be a better place.