Parents struggle with their children’s homework – Becta
More than 80 per cent of parents struggle with their children’s homework, and more than half actually make homework worse for their children, according to research by our favourite Educational Tech organisation – Becta. Tim Muffett of BBC Breakfast interviewed students and teachers at north London’s Anson Primary School, which has a novel solution to [...]
Read the whole postPointlessly promotional maths – the equation for love and the Amatory Principle
It’s early in the year, perilously close to the “Worst Day of the Year”, and already we’ve been gifted a story in which a junior academic has earned publicity for himself with a pointlessly promotional maths paper.
Read the whole postWhat’s so great about Maths?
This isn’t a rhetorical question, but rather the title of the first programme in the new Radio 4 series ‘What’s So Great About…’, hosted by comedian and actor Lenny Henry, a self-confessed maths dunce. The Radio 4 programme, broadcast last weekend, features Lenny Henry talking to the likes of Carol Vorderman and Neurologist Brian Butterworth [...]
Read the whole postGCSE Maths A* for junior Whizzer
Xavier Gordon-Brown is clearly a very bright child, and at eight years of age has achieved a GCSE maths A*, the highest grade available.
Read the whole postAre teachers scared of numbers?
BBC News online reported yesterday that primary school teachers are: often scared of basic numeracy and should be required to study English and maths at A-level …according to a report by the moderate conservative Politeia think-tank. The report, titled ‘Teachers Matter’ focuses on entry standards for teachers. An author, David Burghes, of the University of [...]
Read the whole postAlan, Marcus and Monty learn about probabilities
Humans find probability hard, and what we tend to think of as ‘commonsense’ is often defied by the maths. For proof of this, you need only look at the multi-billion-pound gambling industry. Bookmakers and casinos profit because we find it hard to evaluate odds and probabilities. I am reminded of an intelligent friend who couldn’t [...]
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