What the hell is happening in primary school (not blaming the teachers)?
So I teach secondary public in QLD and I've noticed something among A LOT of the student we are getting. A lot of the students I would describe as 'teachable' and respond well to boundaries, positive praise etc. have huge gaps in their learning.
These students struggle with anything from basic times tables and factorising, to handwriting or book layout!
They genuinely respond and try but what we're doing at highschool just seems like too much for them when we ask them to do it while also doing fairly basic skills like writing or reading instructions/scaffolding.
I'm even seeing a lot of 'pick a random page in the exercise and complete my work there'.
What on gods green Earth is happening in primary schools that -seemingly okay- students are coming through with 'C' grades but illiterate, innumerate or incapable of very basic essential skills?
This is not at all my placing blame on primary teachers, rather I am asking 'what is happening down there? You guys okay?'