to believe that some children in the classroom are acting as if they are three or four years younger than their actual age.

[Coldcaller]

DD 2 is a science teacher in ordinary Comprehensive school where grade 5 in English and Math's hovers around 40% and about 25% of pupils are in receipt of FSM. Therefore, in all probability it is a very average Secondary School. DD 2 is very reticent about continuing to teach at the school or possibly to give up teaching totally. This is down to the behavior of many of the children and DD was continually given the bottom sets to teach in year 7, 8 and 9. because she appeared to the SLT to be the teacher who could mostly engage with them. The behavior never mind any interest in the subject from many of the kids is horrific, swearing fighting refusal to sit down and general anarchy being regular. Despite the appearance DD was getting depressed teaching these groups and was using all her efforts on classroom management and not teaching. A lack of interest in handling the difficult and disengaged kids is shown by members of the SLT. This, means classroom teachers are asked to continue teaching even if swearing is heard as long if it is not aimed at the teacher. There is no point sending a child out, for swearing because SLT will just re admit the child to the class . Isolation is the last resort and would probably require a physical assault to have taken place for it to be in-acted.

DD went to the head of Science and the Headteacher 4 weeks ago saying that she was not enjoying teaching and was thinking of quitting teaching. The truth was she had an interview for a Chemistry teacher for a Co-ed Independent, where the benchmark for GCSE grades are 8 and 9's . Despite having the interview, the head of Science talked her round, convincing her that she would be putting the department in a huge hole if she left. Because DD 2 is nice but naive, she agreed to stay at least until the end of July 2024. This, was on the proviso she would be teaching the top sets in years 9, 10 and 11. The behavior of her current year 10 top set Double Science is currently causing her concern for their immaturity . The kids don't swear or fight but act like 11 year old's. 15 year old girls putting their hands up and telling silly tales, boys laughing at very immature behavior reminiscent of year 6 boys. These kids are expected to get between grades 5 -8 in Double Science in June 2025 and DD says her top pupil is currently in line for a 4 if lucky ! DD is expected to plug the gaps left by the ex teacher in year 10 and these kids are the schools 'Cream'..

This. I taught abroad and the tales I hear from my teacher friends are absolutely mad compared to what it was like there. Literally a different planet. But in that country, the government wasn't responsible for looking after all parents and kids in the way that's expected here.

The termed was only coined in 2017 I believe. It used to come under various umbrellas but now it's recognised as a standalone disorder, not a leaning difficulty.

It affects about 8% of kids so approx 1 million in the UK apparently which is far more than common than autism and yet far less well known. I'm certain it's often misdiagnosed and people jump to autism when there can be other explanations.

I think the bulk of the increase is simply greater awareness of it being a diagnosis in its own right.

I want to hear more from you @iloveeverykindofcat

I've been saying to anyone who listens over the past 10 years that social media, the need for instantaneous responses and the addiction to screens have somehow played with our brain make up, and children are now being born with these changes.

Sorry yes obviously not all severe asd is fasd.
however there is no talk about fasd. And the only kids diagnosed seem to be adopted.

with a dc with likely asd i know its not that as i didnt drink at all in pregnancy. (I do have pcos though..).
If it turnedcout to be high blood sugar or thyroid etc that would be somewhat good news as that would be hopefully treatable.
There are links out there saying a link to higher asd in pcos. (Not enough to cause this increase though. And increase from hacing GD early in pregnancy.
i saw a chart showing higher adhd in younger parents and higher asd in older bascially a sweet spot. Although the adhd could easily be increased genetic likelihood of having kids young through impulsive behaviour.

That’s interesting as a relative has PCOS and a child with ASD and a speech delay.

Exactly. Parental involvement, then parental involvement then some more parental involvement is key. I work in educational data but never been a teacher so I hope I'm not being dismissed as biased in what I say. The trust I work for currently has 8 schools all with quite different profiles but the results absolutely follow the IDACI/PP "stereotype/profile". If kids don't feel they have to learn they won't.

I really do think that, as another poster up thread mentioned, the immaturity from children is mainly a product of over-coddling parents. Even the OP is starting a thread about their ADULT daughters profession on behalf of their ADULT daughter. Mumsnet wasn't around when I was in my 20s but if it was, I can guarantee my mum would not be posting on there worried about my career choices. At work, the number of clients whose parents call on their behalf is increasing. Adult babies we call them. OP let your children be adults and make their own decisions. And then hopefully when they have children, they'll be out of nappies in time for school.

@Inthebathagain Here's a readable article that summarises some of the recent research: https://theweek.com/health-and-wellness/1025836/tiktok-brain-and-attention-spans
What particularly concerns me is that the TikTok model is incredibly successful. Other platforms are now imitating it - hence YouTube shorts, Instagram Reels, etc. I'm a huge advocate of critical media literacy - I teach university, so no idea how this would work for children, but I find that young people are much more likely to be selective in their media usage once they better understand how they are being exploited and monetized via these platforms. I'm not saying its impossible for people to use sites like TikTok in healthy ways, I'm sure some do, particularly adults whose attention span and critical thinking skills are already well developed. But its designed to be addictive, and its business model depends on addiction, just like the gambling industry.

LOL.

I've done that, you would not believe how some adults behave.

Not doing home work, complaining that they have not been taught something they have.

I think the best was a complaint that I was, "trying to get us to do your job", that was because I'd asked a class, "What do you already know about X?"

Second to that was I'd marked a piece of work done for another teacher who had left. It wasn't very good so it didn't achieve a pass grade, apparently I'd marked her down because I'm racist!

I realise some names are more common in some communities but this student had a name like, "Mary Smith".

@sashh I've only ever taught adults (18+). Its not that they're disruptive, but I agree with previous posters that there's a huge gap in maturity, responsibility and self-discipline from where they need to be at university. Not all students - by no means. Plenty are ready, and are an absolute pleasure to work with. But something has changed in the past few years, and its getting worse.

Can I just say, teaching does wear you down, but there are a lot of good kids out there? And they are the majority, not the minority.

Curriculums may be outdated, but it’s still good to be able to evaluate data or interpret a graph. Critical thinking, if you like. I tell my students a GCSE in Science is a thing to have and they always agree (with the odd exception). We give them a lot of love, and they, for the most part, respond.

There’s always an argument for reform, but it’s helpful if people are not bringing us down and fighting against us. We’re doing our best and I feel as though the parents of the students I teach understand that and are supportive of us as well.

Idk about the rise in kids with special needs like ASD or ADHD. I suspect they’ve always been there but have previously slipped between the cracks and ended up up not coming to school at all. I also suspect some kids are mis diagnosed by some parents pushing for a diagnosis for a kid that’s perfectly normal, just not achieving as the parent might hope. And some kids with poor behaviour - speak to their parents and they are at a loss too. They often don’t know what to do and ask for help from us.

Screens are partly to blame, it’s true, but they are the new reality so we have to advocate their creative use, else miss out on a huge opportunity. I get my students to watch short revision videos on YouTube, download podcasts, video practicals and use clickable quizzes online. It’s much easier than slogging through a revision guide! How I wish this had been available when I was studying.

Finally, although covid is now behind us, it has had an impact. My own children rarely go out! I wish they would but they are too comfortable at home. But this impact can’t last forever - I think 100 years ago they were dealing with worse (WW1 and ‘flu). But then they didn’t have smartphones, did they? Much of the social commentary from that time is now lost, but it might be interesting to know what was being said of ‘the youth of today’ back then.