[Amelia]

But then, it really is hard to call them educators.

CW, I really wish you'd stop painting all of us with the same broad brush. (Yes, there are several of your fellow FReepers who are educators or spouses of educators.)

The curriculum for elementary education majors really needs to be strengthened, however. The course I took on 'teaching math in the elementary school' didn't go much (if any) beyond 6th grade math skills, and some of the prospective teachers had a hard time with it.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I'm sorry to bunch you all together but I do believe you a propping up a terrible public school system and the union that feeds on our children.

[FLAUSA]

Boys do better in math than girls. Most teachers are girls. What did we expect?

[mathluv]

I am a retired Math teacher. While getting my masters, I had one class on learning how to teach math - elementary. I had no classes on true teaching while getting my BS. I had already taught secondary math several years, and I learned some things about math and about teaching in that class. Most of the other students were elementary teachers, and had a hard time with it.

While working on my PhD in math ed, I had NO classes on truly how to teach - just more "theory". 2 classes were beneficial. while there, the curriculum for elementary majors was changed. Now they had to have fewer methods classes, and had to take Calculus. True methods classes are what is needed. not higher level math - to teach K-1.