A [sad] funny comment on education in America

[Ivan Seeking]

I was listening to Peter Davenport of the National UFO Reporting Center. Davenport has paid for and run his center for decades. Tonight he was complaining about the quality of UFO reports these days. Young reporters often cannot intelligently describe things like the angle above the horizon at which the object was seen, or the relative position of the object with respect to other known objects. According to Davenport this is a new problem.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Right after college, in order to make some extra money I did some tutoring for the local school district. I taught kids ranging from 6th - 12th grade. The disparity that you mention was painfully obvious. I had one 12th grader that had been in an automobile wreck, hence the private tutor, and she was a very bright, well educated, and well adjusted kid. Both the sophistication of her assignments and the work that she did were very impressive for a HS student and both also stood as a tribute to her teachers. I also saw some remedial HS English students that were so far behind the curve it was scary. In my estimation, in grade 12 they were working at about a 3rd grade level; but they were not dumb. I don’t know where the system failed here. I don’t see how there can be such a contrast between students raised in the same school system. I guess these kids were just moved along regardless of their skills. Interestingly, my star pupil did not really have the greatest home situation.

 

[tribdog]

I saw a good example the other day. There was a wreck on the highway and a cop was interviewed about it on the news. he said "the car swerved and simultaneously hit the retaining wall, it then spun around into the outer lane and was simultaneously hit by this truck."
He used the word simultaneously about 4 times to describe events happening over a length of time.

 

[tribdog]

yes, send the kids here. Let me mold their little minds.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

um, Mike?

 

[cookiemonster]

tribdog is my hero. I want to be just like him when I grow up.

cookiemonster

 

[tribdog]

If you grow up you won't be like me.

 

[FZ+]

[slightly trollish]I always thought that the appearance of recurrent and similar UFO reports was a sign of people running out of creativity. [/slightly trollish]

 

[Tsu]

"it is all baloney anyway" and they are not going to use "all that stuff" after they graduate.

Sadly, we know a TEACHER who told us this is what she tells her students when they inquire about higher math studies! (We don't hang out with her anymore.) What the h*ll's the matter with her?!

 

[jimmy p]

me speak gud Inglishe :)

Yeah, i have to admit, it's not just American education that is declining. The amount of stupid people that are in Britain nowadays, with no grasp of simple subjects. It seems like they churn out what they know at a basic level, but a lot do not have any common sense or "wordly knowledge". And sadly, the education system is declining...

(simultaneously simultaneously simultaneously simultaneously simultaneously)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

[slightly trollish]I always thought that the appearance of recurrent and similar UFO reports was a sign of people running out of creativity. [/slightly trollish]

Now now. After thirty years I would say that Davenport has seen it all. The problem here is that the kids don't know how to work with angles. [Enter squeaky old man's voice] Why in my day, not only did we walk ten miles through the snow and angry mobs of Canadians to get to school, we could give you the solid angle occupied by any UFO.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sadly, we know a TEACHER who told us this is what she tells her students when they inquire about higher math studies! (We don't hang out with her anymore.) What the h*ll's the matter with her?!

Her feeling is that math and science are just a bunch of theories anyway. They don't REALLY mean anything.

This is a teacher! I would revoke her teaching privileges today if it were my call.

When I heard this I started yelling and running naked through the streets: Eureka! They will all be selling Eureka vacuum cleaners! Eureka!

 

[Evo]

When I heard this I started yelling and running naked through the streets

I thought all aliens *were* naked. BTW, why is it when people describe aliens, they aren't wearing clothes and shoes? I don't ever recall a description of alien footwear. And no hats or coats!

 

[tribdog]

I thought all aliens *were* naked. BTW, why is it when people describe aliens, they aren't wearing clothes and shoes? I don't ever recall a description of alien footwear. And no hats or coats!

That's what you think. Aliens do wear hats coats and shoes, they just wear them on the inside.

 

[tribdog]

me speak gud Inglishe :)

Yeah, i have to admit, it's not just American education that is declining. The amount of stupid people that are in Britain nowadays, with no grasp of simple subjects. It seems like they churn out what they know at a basic level, but a lot do not have any common sense or "wordly knowledge".

yeah I noticed that as well. you wouldn't believe the percentage of the British people I know who are like that.

 

[jimmy p]

i meant "worldly" knowledge... man, way to fail to get my point across... after three, 1, 2, 3, DUMBASS!

 

[tribdog]

it was such a good point too. sucks when you kick yourself in the butt doesn't it

 

[jimmy p]

ah well, once in a while i deserve NOT to be perfect... stops the British populace from getting TOO jealous...