Monday, January 9, 2012

Report card

Here's a cartoon a friend sent.

11 comments:

  1. Sad but so true!! Two of our Daughters are teachers, the things they have to deal with are like a sifi movie some days.

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  2. My father retired early from teaching in 1984 because he could no longer tolerate the lack of support from the administration, the disrespect of the students and the crazy parents. It has not gotten better.

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  3. Oh Patrice! You hit this one on the head! I am on the verge of retiring and this is why. When a kid gets in trouble and is disciplined, the parents come in and give me grief. When the student refuses to do work, parents want to know why *I* am not presenting the lesson in such a way that their child is captivated by my every word, and when a kid gets a poor grade it is because my standards are unreasonable.

    I know that folks on this blog are generally conservative and blame the liberal for the state of education today. Sorry folks, this is an across the board kind of problem.

    Maybe the further away we have gotten to multi-generational households, the more clueless folks are about raising their children because Grandma and Grandpa aren't there to say, "Oh no, you're not going to be THOSE kind of parents, are you?" Or maybe with the state of the economy being such that both parents (when there are two) decide to work, they don't have time or energy to stay on top of things.

    My parents were NOT my friends. They knew their job was to raise me right, not be my buddy. If I didn't love a teacher, they told me I had to get along with all kinds of folks in life and that I might have a boss I didn't like someday, so get used to it and do the work!

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  4. True, so true, unfortunately for the kids.

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  5. I have behaved like the '61 parents more than once, only to find out that I should have had my kids back the whole time. Society has bred lousy teachers just as it has lousy parents.

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  6. Our country is witnessing The Perfect Storm of decadence. Parents, if at all possible home school your children and keep them away from government schools. Montana Guy

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  7. Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $ 2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s.



    1. Teaching Math In 1950s

    A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?



    2. Teaching Math In 1960s

    A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?



    3. Teaching Math In 1970s

    A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?



    4. Teaching Math In 1980s

    A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.



    5. Teaching Math In 1990s

    A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok.)



    6. Teaching Math In 2011

    Un hachero vende una carretada de madera para $100. El costo de la producciones es $80. Cuanto dinero ha hecho

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  8. Maybe I am the exception, but when my teenaged boys bring home bad grades, they don't see their gaming systems until the grades are better. And if the struggles continue, we work with the teacher(s) on a game plan to get it fixed.

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  9. Oh, and this is probably why I could never be a teacher. If any parnet came to me like and asked me why Johnny's grade are poor, I'd flat out tell them that Johnny is lazy and doesn't do his work. I don't think I'd even make through the first school year; my butt would be fired.

    I have seen what schools teach these days and there is NO WAY any student should ever fail school any longer, the programs have been dumbed down so much.

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  10. Indeed: what's the meaning of those marks?

    On that topic, see The Bartleby Project: http://bartlebyproject.com/gatto.html

    "Some teachers know, and most all teachers feel it in their bones, that the testing rituals cause damage. But human nature being what it is, only a few dare resist, and these are always eventually discovered and punished."

    Btw, is Dad on the 2011 picture the same person as that poor boy from 1961 picture?

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