Why do YOU think Americans have trouble with maps?

[galaxie]

^ It's true that parents need to be more involved but it's also true that class sizes are too large and there are not enough special needs teachers to handle all the special needs kids. My mom is a special needs teacher and they are only appointed to low-functioning students these days. Basically, only the kids who need attention 100% of the time they are in school. So, the kids with subtle learning disabilities or difficulties often get passed over because they are still getting by. They'd be doing A LOT better if there were more special needs teachers available to give them the assistance they need.

[Grapes]

"subtle" learning disabilities?

You mean like, just not being good at certain subjects?

Can't you ask your regular teachers for help after class for that kind of thing? Or go to summer school?

I'm all in favour of special needs teachers for .. well, kids with actual special needs, but where do you draw the line? A designated helper for every kid treading the 50% mark?

Anyways, I'm still more interested/fascinated/horrified with the United States' problems concerning a lack of awareness of the world around them, their morally skewed priorities and values that put girls like the lovely Miss South Carolina on a shiny pedestal (and grants them a 3.5 GPA??), and general dumbening of the country as a whole, or at least the "red states".

I'll borrow from one of the quotes from the Guardian:

So she's 17 - that means she's been in school for the past twelve years solid. What has she been doing? Not learning.

The problem is with the way Americans tend to treat education (and this is from firsthand experience). To them it's a place where you get trained to get a job, and learn how to be socially competitive. There's a distinct lack of teaching anyone to think analytically. There's a distinct lack of passing on a thirst for knowledged. School sporting events are given much more weight than scholastic achievement. Communities get together to watch pointless high school football games on Friday Nights, but there is no similar celebration of educated minds. School is not about education. And education in America is not about improving the intellect.

This comes from a broader cultural attitude. Intellectuals are typically described and derided as "elites" in the media. Al Gore, the intelligent candidate in 2000, was considered too intelligent and serious, and therefore boring. The media preferred the party-boy lacking in intellectual curiosity - so much so Bush nearly won that election. Look at American television. Look at Hollywood films. Bookstores only became popular once they started serving food and pro wrestlers started writing autobiographies. Look at how the education system is grossly underfunded so the graduates have nice new tanks to drive when they get out. Is it any wonder? This girl is a product of her society.

[cubed]

^would you happen to have a link to that article?

I'd like to forward it off to my dad and brother.

[GSG9]

i agree 100% to the post by grapes, cause its all there really is to say about it. period.

[galaxie]

Originally Posted by Grapes

"subtle" learning disabilities?

You mean like, just not being good at certain subjects?

Can't you ask your regular teachers for help after class for that kind of thing? Or go to summer school?

I'm all in favour of special needs teachers for .. well, kids with actual special needs, but where do you draw the line? A designated helper for every kid treading the 50% mark?

By subtle learning disabilities I mean things like borderline ADD, slight dyslexia, etc. Often, these disabilities go unnoticed and untreated because the resources aren't there. There are often deeper reasons than lack of ability for the kids "treading the 50% mark" - smaller class sizes and more special needs teachers would help to indentify and treat these behaviors before it's too late.

[GSG9]

imo ADD and ADHD is codeword for "the parents didnt kick the shit out of their kids, so they misbehave"

my parents kicked the shit outa me and it straightened me right up!

[cubed]

OK NAT...

Kids that need help, deserve help.

That's a given.

But kids suffering from sheer laziness fall into this category as well and it's just as hard to fail them as it is to fail some kid having trouble with english due to pervasive developmental disorder.

THIS IS NOT RIGHT!

No one is arguing that these children who's needs extend beyond those of the normal realm. But to be quite honest how far should this coddling go?

These kids who just don't want to do the work are just getting pushed through and not getting any of the life skills and structure necessary to strive in the adult world.

The real world doesn't sit around and wait for you to feel like doing something. These children being pushed through are destined to lead mediocre lives at best.

NOW HOW FAIR DOES THAT SOUND?

[rawb]

EVERYONE IS A BORDERLINE SOMETHING THOUGH IF YOU BRING ENOUGH MODERN PSYCHOLOGY INTO IT. THE AVERAGE STUDENT THAT IS TAUGHT TO DOESN'T EXIST, THERE JUST HAPPENS TO BE A GENERAL EFFECTIVE STRATEGY THAT IS DECIDED ON PER TEACHER THAT WORKS FOR HOPEFULLY THE MAJORITY OF KIDS IN EVERY CLASS.

REDUCING CLASS SIZES WILL NO DOUBT BENEFIT STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, BUT TRYING TO HOLD EVERY JIMMY-MIGHT-HAVE-A-SMIDGEN-OF-ADD OR SALLY-IS-BORED-OF-FRACTIONS' HAND THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL WONT HELP THEM BECOME BETTER PEOPLE.

[rawb]

BASICALLY EVERYONE IS AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT FUCKED UP AND YOU BETTER LEARN TO FUNCTION WITH IT BECAUSE NO ONE IS GOING TO GIVE A FUCK ONCE YOU GRAD GRADE 12.

[cubed]

^I think I'm pretty normal.

[esoter1c]

Originally Posted by cubed

^I think I'm pretty normal.

There's a pill for that.

[Grapes]

Originally Posted by rawb

EVERYONE IS A BORDERLINE SOMETHING THOUGH IF YOU BRING ENOUGH MODERN PSYCHOLOGY INTO IT. THE AVERAGE STUDENT THAT IS TAUGHT TO DOESN'T EXIST, THERE JUST HAPPENS TO BE A GENERAL EFFECTIVE STRATEGY THAT IS DECIDED ON PER TEACHER THAT WORKS FOR HOPEFULLY THE MAJORITY OF KIDS IN EVERY CLASS.

And if it isn't working, most teachers are going to recognize that and try to help kids who are struggling.

Assuming they want to be helped. Which is where the personal choice of the individual student comes into it.

Good post rawb

[Grapes]

Btw did you ever get extra counselling for your caps lock problem?

[GSG9]

i was just thinking that.
Seven sixteenths of one inch:


That's the distance you'd have to move your pinky in order to not sound like an idiot.

[crookedking]

Originally Posted by GSG9

i was just thinking that.
Seven sixteenths of one inch:


That's the distance you'd have to move your pinky in order to not sound like an idiot.

ACTUALLY BEATING THE CAPS LOCK FILTER IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INVOLVED THAN JUST HITTING THE CAPS LOCK BUTTON, MADDOX!

[rawb]

LOL CAPS LOCK IS FOR LAZY PEOPLE IM A SHIFTER

[crookedking]

ONE DAY GSG9 MIGHT LEARN ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE CAPITAL LETTERS!

Blame the teachers, blame the parents, blame the school district, blame the government... BUT NO ONE EVER BLAMES THE STUDENT???

I believe that taking responsibility and common sense are two skills that students are highly lacking. I dont believe it has anything to with teachers, learning disability's, or even most parents. Except that smaller class sizes (more attention) and programs would help the students who dont pick up on them as fast as the rest their peers.

My problem with the education system is not that its "bad" with "bad teachers" who arnt helping the students in the grey area enough, but that the system is aimed for students planing to attend university. There are very few, under funded, programs for the average student who will not finish a university degree or higher. Instead of say teaching students how to locate the united states on a map, they focus more on teaching trig, soh cah toa, and the body of a cell. Im not saying this isnt important, but for many students this kind of information is something they will never need or use. All this time is being spent on teaching students much higher levels of education before ensuring they understand the basics first.

[GSG9]

Originally Posted by crookedking

ONE DAY GSG9 MIGHT LEARN ALL THE DIFFERENT WAYS TO MAKE CAPITAL LETTERS!

yep im just a noob.

[Grapes]

Originally Posted by rawb

LOL CAPS LOCK IS FOR LAZY PEOPLE IM A SHIFTER

Oh yeah, that old chestnut.

[ebbomega]

Originally Posted by rawb

LOL JOCK CUPS IS FOR LAZY PEOPLE IM A SHIFTER

fixed

[-evil-duerr-]

americans have trouble with maps because of 9/11.

wouldn't you?
oh. thats right.
your one of those... canadians.....

[miss.myra]

YTMND - The Wrong Answer

[thebobman]

Originally Posted by Grapes

I'll borrow from one of the quotes from the Guardian:

You just moved up in my books. The Guardian = Best Newspaper for content & quality of writing. Plus the obituaries or the book/tv/film reviews occasionally DRIP scathing British wit & sarcasm.

Interesting side note to this story is the advent of a blog of exploding popularity: Maps For Us. Check it, check it, check it out. What's it, what's it, what's it all about?

[Grapes]

Originally Posted by miss.myra

YTMND - The Wrong Answer

Tee hee.

Aaand the hits just keep on coming.

(thanks gnosis for that one)