Let me deal with these two lies in turn!
Expected progress
My first question is, “whose expectations?” Typically, a teacher tells a parent that little Jonny is ‘making expected progress’, what they DON’T say is that little Jonny is on target to get a grade D (Level 4) in his Mathematics GCSE.
Or perhaps it’s worse.
Jonny won’t even be taking Maths GCSE as it is considered ‘too difficult’ for him. Instead, he’ll be assessed against an even more arbitrary (and hence totally useless) ‘scale’ or ‘system’ or ‘award’.
Expected progress is usually generated by a computer algorithm which typically includes; age, sex, SATs or CATs scores, and whether or not Jonny has been on free school meals at any point within the past five years.
The computer then decides on the expectations for little Jonny’s academic outcomes.
Scarily, the vast majority of teachers are not only required to use these expectations but actually do!
THAT is why “making expected progress” does NOT mean what you think it means.
Good progress
I bet you can guess my question, this time?
It is, of course: compared with WHAT?!
Yes, you are right again. Good progress is anything (even as little as one percentage point) above ‘expected progress’.
Astonishingly, ‘good progress’ can be that Julie is predicted an F (Level 2), but is currently working at a grade E (Level 3).
This is GENUINELY described as “making good progress”.
See the game?
My daughter is completing work above her age group
Is she now?
I hear this all the time from Home Educators and whilst I am pleased that parents are taking an interest in academic achievement - rather than digging the vegetable patch and singing Kumbaya - this is not necessarily a sign that your son/daughter is achieving their true potential.
In mathematics, in particular, AGE MEANS NOTHING.
We’ve all heard about child prodigies and human calculators and those who go to university early to read mathematics.
This is because making progress in maths can be exponential. It certainly isn’t linear! This goes for other subjects too; languages, music, art, drama, sport, martial arts, etc.
When I was tutoring my brightest private and grammar school students, I would often marvel at 13-year-olds who could already score an A* (Level 8/9) on a GCSE Exam paper.
I have successfully taught ‘A’ Level maths to many students well under the age of 16 years.
So, we MUST NOT grab an ‘age appropriate’ maths book and be satisfied about “working at age 9” when we are 8 years-old, as that isn’t necessarily an achievement - it is very possible that the book has been dumbed down in the first place.
All grades and levels are arbitrary and even GCSE and ‘A’ Level Exams are graded/levelled relative to the performance of the entire cohort of exam candidates.
Speaking of which…
I am a current GCSE Maths Examiner and so I will be marking GCSE EXAM papers in June and July (probably!) So, please make your very best effort and commit to attending THE LAST MATHEMATICS webinars of the academic year.
During my next two Why you SUCK at Maths webinars, I will:
Show you what exactly is going wrong in school mathematics
And why these things are being allowed to happen
Show you why all textbooks, online learning programmes and apps are garbage
Why making 'expected progress' and 'good progress' is BS
How you can put it right without having to go on a course
I've been working like a mad woman on a solution for extremely busy parents who are interested in higher-quality mathematics education... whether or not their child is in or out of school.
It's done. I've finally got a working version up and running.
Please join me on either SUNDAY or NEXT WEDNESDAY for the official unveiling of my cunning plan for fast, effective, and hassle-free Maths Ed!
This is for parents whose children are in school - either Infant, Primary or Secondary OR who are home educated.
Registration for SUNDAY 15TH MAY @ 15:30 is live here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuf-ihrTIoHtDhx-bvehxAkaOef74hRqx_
Registration (for NEXT) WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY @ 19:30 is live here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ucO6upjstGNCR_HlR7vyW3NVb4NJmqwRF
Do your very best to attend LIVE (there will be no video replays for you to ‘not watch anyway’).
I promise to bring you my 'A' game! :)
Best,
Sarah Plumley
Thinker-Teacher-Truther