Last week I purchased a burger 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?

Please read more about the "history of teaching math":

Teaching Math In 1950

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

Teaching Math In 1960

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?

Teaching Math In 1970

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

Teaching Math In 1980

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.

Teaching Math In 1990

By cutting down beautiful forest trees, the logger makes $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the forest birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down the trees. (There are no wrong answers.)

Teaching Math In 2005

El hachero vende un camion carga por $100. La cuesta de production es.............

And we wonder why jobs requiring intelligence are being outsourced??

Bingo!!!

Lee L.

It shows the sad state of affairs that our country and youth are at. It's funny and sad at the same time. If a machine does'nt give them the change they can't figure it out.

Sad but true, I remember when students actually learned to read, write and count in school.
Seems so long ago!

Folks in my part of the world understand that senario completely!!! :D

I'm not very old, but things have changed a GREAT deal since I was in school. I have a 14 year old step daughter who could not tell you the answer to a basic mathematic question without first consulting a calculator. It seems it's more inportant to teach about "alternative" lifestyles, condom application, and the like, than it is to give students a good foundation in the basic skills required to learn anything that will further their knowledge. Ask your average recent high school graduate about anything pertaining to personal finance and you will find absolute ignorance and apathy. Not to mention government or history.

Uh, how about the recent college grad that was interviewed on one of the local radio stations and didn't know who Rumsfeld is? Or Cheney? She knew they did "something in the government...i think maybe they work with the President".....i wonder what this person's degree was??

Uh, how about the recent college grad that was interviewed on one of the local radio stations and didn't know who Rumsfeld is? Or Cheney? She knew they did "something in the government...i think maybe they work with the President".....i wonder what this person's degree was??

Probably Political Science (now there's an oxymoran if I ever heard one)

Uh, how about the recent college grad that was interviewed on one of the local radio stations and didn't know who Rumsfeld is? Or Cheney? She knew they did "something in the government...i think maybe they work with the President".....i wonder what this person's degree was??

That was on Hanity's show, and the one before her didn't know who ran against Bush, but he knew he didn't like Bush. He also didn't know who the Vice President was or who Rumsfield was as well. :rolleyes:

Lee L.

Well, i didn't catch whose show it was because i normally don't listen to the radio...but what's just as scary is that i work for a trucking company, and some of the people here don't know where the individual states are. Had one recently ask me if Ohio wasn't "somewhere around Texas???"....this person was in their 40's, glad they're not routing our trucks...

Yup. East Texas!!! :D

Ok - sorry about that!

Yup. East Texas!!! :D

Ok - sorry about that!

The heck you are :D :D

Dan

I had a 4377 of a time teaching my kids how to read a tape measure. That's how i taught them fractions because we home school

I learned fractions and money in the 1st grade for &*&# sake. I hate to go to a fast food place and have the poor kid try to give me change. :o :rolleyes:

Whoa dude, it's like, you know, gross to accually like learn stuff in school. Totally, like , you know. Whatever

I heard about a guy who hired an office assistant, and one day he told her to book him on an airline flight to Alaska, where he had to look at a job site.
A couple days later, the ticket comes, and in looking at it, he discovers she has routed him thru Mexico City. He asked her why in tarnation she sent him to Mexico City to get to Alaska. and she showed him, on the map, how it was the best route. She had a map of the United States with Mexico below it, and off to the left, west of Mexico, was an inset map, showing Alaska, right out there in the ocean!

DOK,
Around here,it's not uncommon to meet people just like he young lady in your post.
I blame the Education Department.They teach a lot of "stuff"that has no real value.
Frank

A fellow who my Dad worked with, and later went on to prominence in Canadian financial circles, could add a 6 digit column of numbers at a glance.

An Ag. Economics prof of mine could do the same, multiply just as fast, and write down the answer to a long division problem after staring at the numbers for 3 seconds.

When Homer Powley didn't have his ballistics tables at the range, he did his Siacci calculations on the back of a target.

Nowadays, we look just as smart as those gents to the younger generation. :D

Bye
Jack

Nowadays, we look just as smart as those gents to the younger generation. :D

Jack

True, but while we were impressed, amazed, excited, unfortunately, these kids don't care. What we need to do is be more caring and politically correct:

"A teachers' union in the U.K. says the word "fail" should be banned from use in classrooms and replaced with the phrase "deferred success" to avoid demoralizing pupils, according to The Times."

True, but while we were impressed, amazed, excited, unfortunately, these kids don't care. What we need to do is be more caring and politically correct:

"A teachers' union in the U.K. says the word "fail" should be banned from use in classrooms and replaced with the phrase "deferred success" to avoid demoralizing pupils, according to The Times."



But just think...if we removed the word "like", half of them couldn't talk.

But just think...if we removed the word "like", half of them couldn't talk.

Couple that with removing "you know" and they'd be in real trouble.

Dan

Teachers are stuck teaching "that stuff" because parents aren't teaching it at home where it belongs.
The school boards are stuck because people want the kids to know how to function in society and have basic skills but the idea of their kids going to school from 8:30AM to 5PM is unreasonable, but that is the kind of time it would take to teach irresponsible parents everything they want their "little darlings" taught.
Well, if they made sure that their kids were well prepared before first grade and well socialized before they came to school, and then parents took the time they need to to teach their own kids right from wrong, how to be a good person, how to get along and cooperate, the teachers wouldn't be in such a bind.

Back in "the old days" this was the norm. It isn't now. No support from the school boards, the parents, no accountability from the kids or their parents. If a kid needs to be suspended or expelled, the parents threaten to hire a lawyer and sue, even when it is little johnny or suzie's fault, the first impulse is to protect your reputation as a parent, and then your kid. Not to make sure your kid learns something from their mistake.

This is the mentality that turned me off finishing my teaching degree. And I was so flippin' close too! Teachers deserve every dime they get and more. Where else do you go to work doing something you believe in every day only to be dumped on when you least expect it from all corners? I figure I would have lasted 4-5 years, gotten a "does not play well with others" once a year in my personnel file, then thrown my hands up and moved on. The loyalty and personal responsibility thing in me is too strong to put up with too much crud.

It isn't the teachers not teaching the kids math, but the teachers having to split too much time teaching things they shouldn't have to because the parents should have done it. Let's put the responsibility squarely where it belongs.

MMichael, my sister in law is a bio major who wants teach in AK because she heard that they pay your school loans, living expenes and a salary.

The lack of math and other life skills, such as language skills, can be frustrating to those interacting with the individuals lacking the skills, but I must respectfully disagree with much of what has been posted in this thread. The lack of skills can be due either to ignorance or stupidity.

It is common for the uninformed "old farts" of each generation to demean the "younger generation" and proclaim the superiority of the older generation. This was as true fifty years ago (and undoubtedly for many generations before that - to which I cannot personally testify) as it is today. There are many intelligent, hard working members of the younger generation just as there have been in the preceeding generations. One example is readily evident at many registered ATA trap shoots where honest, enthusiastic, young people keep the traps filled, pull targets and keep score. Occasionally one of the "pullers will err on a score sheet, but it is as likely to be an older worker as it is a youth.
I see the same enthusiasm, dedication, and competence among the young shooters being recruited into oun sports.

I retired several years ago from a major university and strongly believe that the youth of today, who will be the leaders of tomorrow, are every bit, if not more, capable than those of our generation who currently wield the power in our society.

I do agree with the assertions of degeneration of our educational system with respect to teaching the "average student". However, the top students can achieve excellence in spite of the shortcomings of teachers if they are given access to the information as indicated by the immense contributions of exceptional individuals who dropped out of the formal education system.

It is the "average" student who is most hurt be the degeneration of the schools. Several things are contributing, including: 1) dumbing down of college courses taken be education majors in comparison to those taken by subject majors (in the same subject), 2) reducing the level of achievement required so that a larger proportion of the population can matriculate, 3) imposing restraints on teachers to further the anti-intellectual and anti-scientific dogma of some religious extremists (similar to and probably best illustrated by the restraints imposed by the ultraconservative Afghanistan taliban) and 4) teacher's unions more concerned in padding their compensation (including time off) than in providing rigorous education to the students.

The parents (and other society members) are, of course, ultimately responsible because they do not demand excellence from the school boards - campaigning only for more extra-curricular activities (athletics) rather than better academics.

Ignorance can be cured by education, but stupidity is for life.

As one of those uniformed old farts, I also retired from a major university, University of Chicago (Physics). Rereading all the comments suggests to me that we uniformed old farts and you, retired college informed person are talking about the same group of younger folks. Certainly the top 10% (or whatever % you wish) are bright, hard working young folks, but that's not the group being addressed.

Rather it's a cultural problem, lack of parents involvement, two parents working, or whatever, I suggest the 'average' educational performance is in decline when compared, apples and apples, with the rest of the world.

But with all that said, this is a humor section so hopefully we can all lighten up.

Dan

As one of those uniformed old farts, I also retired from a major university, University of Chicago (Physics). Rereading all the comments suggests to me that we uniformed old farts and you, retired college informed person are talking about the same group of younger folks. Certainly the top 10% (or whatever % you wish) are bright, hard working young folks, but that's not the group being addressed.

Rather it's a cultural problem, lack of parents involvement, two parents working, or whatever, I suggest the 'average' educational performance is in decline when compared, apples and apples, with the rest of the world.

Dan

No disagreement with that. My reference to "uninformed old farts" was not intended as a jab at the posters in the forum, but rather intended toward those of the older generation who disparage young people even though they have had limited interaction with them. I suspect that you (also being a retired college informed person) have had experiences with the younger generation similar to mine. Unfortunately, even our colleges and universities could often do a better job of educating the students at the undergraduate level. Those unable to succeed with the meager resources we have provided will unfortunately fall by the wayside, leaving us in our later years to depend on those who succeeded in spite of the flaws in the educational system. You are also correct in your observation that the performance of our "average" students is (and for years has been) in decline relative to the rest of the world. The top performers can provide continuing inovations in the sciences and engineering, but it's the "average" citizens, who make up the bulk of the voters, who determine the direction our country takes relative to these inovations.

I cannot, however, join you as a member of the uniformed old farts, since I took off my uniform for the last time in 1971. I now rely on the younger generation we have failed to properly educate, and whose reputation I am trying to defend, to apply violence as needed to preserve our society.
They have my support and gratitude.

Irv S,

Thanks for the nice response.

Dan

Irv S,

Thanks for the nice response.

Dan

DOK..have to agree with you on this one. IT's not the small percentage that go on to university...it's the depressingly large mass of high school student's that don't: those that barely squeek by in high school end up close to non-functional.

The lower the standards are set, the better the school district looks in the short run...and the worse in the long run (but what do they care, a Superintendent's contract isn't that long).

Gee, Guys -

LIGHTEN UP!!!!!!

This is the Humor section - was meant as humor and if you can't find a chuckle in the original posting, you have a dour life, indeed! :p

kdub,
I am laughing. I find this actually very funny. In a sad twisted sort of way. I have kids in elementary school and I work at a university. I directly employ university students so I see the cream of the crop every year. The crop needs weeding.

But like dandelions, you have to get at the root and since I can't get at their parents, well, I'll do the best I can to turn them into productive hard working members of my team, then send them off. Some get sent off quicker than others I would add.

I spend time with my kids and in their classrooms. I see what is going on in there and living in a Title One neighborhood, I see all sorts of things that you do not see at the university level as most of those kids won't be going that far. I see hard working teachers as well as teachers who are kind of coasting. I see 6,7 and 8 year olds who are working at learning but maybe are having a hard time getting it because they just aren't prepared as well as they could be. I see teachers fighting battles with behavior issues that they can not win because the principal or the district or the parents are not on thier side so like I mentioned before, "darling" little johnny should be in handcuffs rather than in the classroom.

So my kids get to help me with the remodel. Planning the new deck. Setting lines for posts and measuring things. I liked the post about the measuring tape. We use it a lot at home. The twins know where all of them are and the only one off limits in the one in my toolbags.

jb, Some loans get repaid by the district but not all. She would have to check with the district in question. As for room and board, I bet she was talking to someone about a bush district. Think, small village. Off the beaten path. Off the road system most likely. Small plane or boat out to a larger community to a larger plane to get to "civilization" like Bethel or Kotzebue. It isn't Kansas, Dorothy. But it is BEAUTIFUL! :D