Kerre McIvor: Critical maths - our kids are the collateral damage after years of teaching decline 6 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM 5 minutes to read Teachers stream students into ability-based groups far more than their global counterparts do, meaning children with potential miss out. Teachers stream students into ability-based groups far more than their global counterparts do, meaning children with potential miss out. OPINION: For as long as I've been doing talkback radio, which is more than 20 years now, parents and grandparents have known something doesn't add up in the way we teach our kids maths. I couldn't count the number of phone calls I've fielded from frustrated parents trying to help confused and despondent kids get their heads around their maths homework (and it's not because I didn't learn addition in my years at school that I can't count the calls).