OT: What are our schools learning

[HeyBub]

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[J. Clarke]

I'm reminded of a test question in grad school. I don't recall the question or the answer, but I do recall that the technique that we were shown in class gave an incorrect answer. I called the TA on it and he wouldn't back down. I went by his office in an Armani suit with a briefcase later and had a discussion with him in which he recognized the error of his ways. Next class he told everybody that that question had two answers that he would accept, the _right_ answer and the one that the erroneous method he had taught yielded.

[Bill]

Ok, here is a variation: John could paint a wall in 3 hours and Tom could paint the same wall in 4 hours. How long should it take them to paint the wall together?

This is a standard College Algebra question--a type most of the students find particularly difficult.

Bill

[Ed Pawlowski]

Not enough info. How much beer is involved?

[Bill]

Gosh, I thought you'd ask, "What if they only had one brush?"! : )

I think if I expressed one time as 3 hours and the other as 4 hours and

15 minutes, then the problem would be regarded as "totally unsolvable"! : )

Bill

[Larry Jaques]

There's more than enough info there regarding the union possibility. I.E., there is no union affiliation whatsoever. It takes union guys more time than specified just to get to the site and unpack their tools. Work wouldn't even have _started_ in under 4 hours.

-- Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. -- Howard Thurman

[willshak]

1 hour 45 minutes?

[Bill]

That's within 3.6 minutes of the mathematically correct answer, 12/7 hours, so I'd call that correct--couldn't assign full credit without seeing the "work" though.. : )

Bill (In Indianapolis, IN).

[Hoosierpopi]

Wait a second, just who is calling the kettle black?

Shouldn't that read "teaching?"

[HeyBub]

Mea culpa. You're right. It should have read: "What are our skools teaching?"

Thanks for the correction.

[Robatoy]

I thought that was intentional...coming from you.

"We don't need no education."

[Dave in Texas]

You mean they ain't learnin' us much of nuthin ?

Dave in Houston

[Leon]

Wait a second, just who is calling the kettle black?

Shouldn't that read "teaching?"

No I believe he has it right, the schools are learning nothing and as a result failing miserably with our kids.

Trying to stay up with the Jones' IMHO is most of the problem. The average family is taking on too much and both parents have to work to keep afloat. The baby sitter becomes the school but the parents don't want the schools to provide any discipline. So instead of dealing with the child as they should or turning them over to the parent and holding the parent responsible, they have no one to go to. No hablan ingles.

[HeyBub]

Interesting. If the government can hold the parents liable for a child's truancy, why can't they hold the parents culpable for the child's lack of learning.

"Your kid gets at least "C"s or YOU go to jail!"

[RicodJour]

His is actually a special (as in education) case - intentional and unintentional are the same for him.

R

[Leon]

No, there are going to be kids that fail, that is a fact of life and not all of the kids have the aptitude to be financially successful. The biddest advantage any one can give their child is more parent child time and to insure that the child is not being a disruptive problem at school. If the school has the backing of the parents the kids will naturally do better. Dumbing down the system to make sure all kids get the same grades dumbs down the country. Other countries don't dumb down the system to pass the kids and third world countries are beginning to whip our asses.

[J. Clarke]

C is supposed to be average. On a proper grading curve 60 percent of the class is supposed to get C or above, and 40 percent D or below.

So that's a _really_ good plan you have.

On the other hand if you got it implemented I suspect that when enough people were jailed you would see the plug pulled on "public education".

[Ed Pawlowski]

"Leon" wrote

Yes, lets spend even more money. We'll show them. First in spending, tenth in learning.

[J. Clarke]

I'm curious as to the manner in which "third world countries are beginning to whip our asses".

[HeyBub]

Just yesterday the Wall Street Journal and the Heritage Foundation released their annual "Economic Freedom" rankings.

Since last year, Canada moved ahead of the U.S. (mainly on the weakness of the U.S. economy rather than the strength of Canada). The United States DOES remain slightly ahead of Chile.