Article: SA Mathematics teachers struggle with simple math problems

Mathematics teachers are battling with simple issues such as calculating percentages, according to a study using the recent Southern and East African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ III) dataset for South Africa.

"What is evident is that math performance is not very good in the broader context of what one expects from primary level. Teachers are really struggling with issues such as calculating percentages," said Stellenbosch University professor of economics, Servaas van den Berg.
 
I've always wondered whether teachers themselves are tested on a periodic basis to ensure that they are up to scratch.
 
rpm said:
...Teachers are really struggling with issues such as calculating percentages," said Stellenbosch University professor of economics, Servaas van den Berg.
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Percentages? You're f**king kidding me, that's just retarded :erm:
 
Percentages?!?! No way..

But they can do Algebra, Trigonometry, Factorisation and all that stuff fine? Cause if they cant do percentages then there's no way they can do the former.
 
And here my maths lecturer was trololing the engineering students for not knowing that the centroid divides a triangle 2:1..... Just... wow.
 
Some matriculants have difficulty spelling and writing their own names correctly on examination papers.

I can fully accept that some math teachers have difficulty with simple math.
 
So how exactly do they mark the exams if they are unable to do the maths themselves? Maybe that is why the correlation between improved teacher skills does not equate to the improvement of the learner.
 
Ws it not JM that could not do a simple subtraction calculation?
And soon he may be all our bosses :(
 
KhoisanX said:
And when the student's correct solution deviates from those on the memo?
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Then the student is wrong.
But not to worry, Amalusi will ajust the marks upward in any event, so the student (learner) will not loose out.
 
Sight, :erm:, another legacy of apartheid I presume! (see my sig) ;)
 
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They need to teach them using stuff they can understand.

For instance:
Your ANC Premier steals 1% of the total tax revenue for the province. Assuming that a new Mercedes Benz E Class with all the extras costs R1 million, how many officials can he bribe if each expects one E Class?
 
I am not surprised. The way maths was taught to us in school was more like "monkey see, monkey do" whereby you follow predetermined steps to solve a problem with very little understanding.
 
JungleBoy said:
I am not surprised. The way maths was taught to us in school was more like "monkey see, monkey do" whereby you follow predetermined steps to solve a problem with very little understanding.
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Odd, because a larger emphasis was placed on understanding for us back in 1996-2000.
 
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