A third grade teacher has sparked alarm after sharing a frank revelation about her students.
Patrice Edwards took to TikTok to admit that she was left stunned when several of her young pupils couldn’t recall basic information – such as their parents names – or complete straightforward tasks that she believed should come as second nature.
The clip, which has been viewed more than 5.8 million times, had a caption that read: ‘What’s happening to our kids? I need answers!’
In it, she began breaking down all the ‘things students no longer know how to do.’
The educator started off the list by identifying struggles to ‘read a clock with confidence,’ claiming that kids instead rely on teachers to relay the time to them.
Next, she said youngsters are unable to write in script.
‘Whatever happened to writing in script? I love writing in script. I wish more of them knew how to do this, it is like a lost art.
‘They don’t teach it in schools anymore. We need to bring that back,’ Patrice shared.
Patrice Edwards took to TikTok to admit that she was left stunned when several of her young pupils couldn’t recall basic information – such as their parents names – or complete straightforward tasks that she believed should come as second nature (stock image)
She continued: ‘Number three, memorize phone numbers. They don’t know their parents numbers. They don’t even know what apartment they live in. They don’t know what street they live on.
‘That brings me into number four, they don’t know their address.’
Next, Patrice claimed that her pupils – who are aged eight and nine – do not know how to count money.
‘If you give them a few coins, they don’t know the names of the coins, they don’t know the values of the coins, they can’t add it all together. What is happening?’
The teacher then claimed the kids have not learned how to tie their shoes, remember their parents’ names or know what year they were born.
But Patrice was not done there as she claimed ‘they don’t know how to use a dictionary’ and instead simply rely on their phones.
‘Last but not least, how to follow multi-step directions… you’re not listening at all and it is a problem,’ she said.
The content creator finished with a direct plea to parents as she concluded: ‘If y’all can help us out, we need to go back to basics, can you please help these kids out because they are coming to the classroom lacking the basics and it is a problem.
The clip, which has been viewed more than 5.8 million times, had a caption that read: ‘What’s happening to our kids? I need answers!’ (stock image)
‘We are going to do our part as teachers but we just need a little extra help at home. Please? Let’s set our kids up for success.’
Education experts say that these problems may be symptomatic of wider changes in society.
According to a study done in Canada, since technology use increased, the average attention span has decreased from 12 seconds to eight seconds.
As a result, children with multiple guardians, shifting households, less stable early year routines, reliance on technology have fewer opportunities to practice this development prior to entering the education system.
