Posted on 09/06/2006 7:04:57 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat
A BRAINY 14-year-old boy has fought back against the odds to get top grades despite not going to school. David Berrington scored an A in GCSE maths and a B in GCSE chemistry – two years earlier than most. That success comes despite the youngster suffering from the disability dyspraxia – a movement disorder which can also affect language and thought – and not going to school for two years after he struggled to make progress. He was also suffering at the hands of bullies, making his life almost intolerable.
The National Union of Teachers states that children belong in school because parents cannot teach up to 13 subjects. But David's mother, Lisa, 39, of Cambridge Green in Titchfield Common, Fareham, said: 'I'd rather him have As in a few subjects than Ds and Es in 10. I can't see him coping with the amount of work required. He's very bright but he needs extra time. 'We go swimming and do activities with other home-schooled children so he does interact socially. In fact being out of school and not having to conform to his peers has helped him get a sense of self.' His next challenge is to take on an AS course in higher maths at South Downs College in Waterlooville and this year he will do GCSEs in ICT, and International English and Open University short courses in astronomy and maths.
David is one of about 100 children who are part of FareGos, a home-schooling group of parents established seven years ago who provide mutual support from Gosport and Portsmouth through to Petersfield.
Ping
The article is from a British newspaper. Just their way of saying "math."
It's this internets thing with all those tubes. Oftentimes, you'll be reading about something going on in another country, in this case Britain, wondering why they talk so funny. Al Gore has still got some bugs to work out if it. In the meantime, just do your best.
Well, I think they're talking about higher "maths." Granted it's all math, but at least in my son's college experience they seem to break it down into College Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus w/Analytical Geometry (I, II, and III), Differential Equations, and then there's also courses in Statistics I and II (which I think are also considered to be math courses.)
It is not just here. It is in tan NEA publication my wife gets, too.
It is all MATH. It has only acquired the 's' in the last year or so though I am advised that that has been the English rendition.
The Brits are also "in hospital" rather than in the hospital. The same with "university".
WHAT???? I have homeschooled for 15 years and I've NEVER wanted to "watch what public school teachers did and learn" Why would I? Ha, they should watch US and do what we do. They are taught crowd control in college. They are usually great people, but I don't want crowd control or generic educations for our boys!
Fortunately we have not yet seen fit to adopt those terms on this side, not yet anyway.
See post 15.
I'm not insulting teacher's personalities. Most homeschool parents who have been teachers will tell you, they learned crowd control. It's just the way it is.
It's a Briticism, a reduction of the term "mathetmatics."
Americans say "math", no "s". It may sound better to us, or be more trouble than it's worth ("ths" is a hard blend to perform).
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