The Pink Pills Are For Your Sanity

I just did my second study buddy session today, and I'm really appalled by the level of education that these children have. I'm completely aware of the fact that these kids are the ones that need help, but it's hard to explain concepts if they have no idea how to do the basics.

For example, I was teaching grade 7 math, specifically ratios. We were working on lowest common ratios, so you need to be able to find factors. When I asked them what the factors of 9 are, they just looked at me blankly, with no idea of what the answers could be. So instead of teaching them lowest common ratio, I tought them how to find factors. Instead of teaching them proportions, like I was supposed to, I tought them cross-multiplication. We got a fourth of the way through the assignment that we were supposed to get through.

I just don't understand how children like this are being put through to the next grade. They clearly have no idea how to do things, why aren't they getting more help? Why are they allowed to slip through the cracks?

Half of these kids have been diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and are given handfulls of pills to keep them calm, and all they really need to do is go run around the playground for half an hour and everything would be cool.

The substitute teacher was screaming at the kids she was supposed to be helping. I almost wanted to invite them to join my group, but the teacher probably would have thought that it was extremely inappropriate and given me some kind of negative comment. I mean, seriously, the kid was just trying to explain how he got his answer, he was not "out of line" at all. Stupid Bitch.