Re: So Where IS Antarctica?

Oznell · ‎11-08-2014

@gardenman, I love that vintage eighth grade exam that you unearthed-- what a fun and revealing document!

Having curiosity about the wide world, and the assist we need to pursue that, is a timeless, or should be.

I remember as a kid reading about what kids my age were expected to know-- and do-- in previous centuries, and being embarrassed to be doing so relatively little in my twentieth century Canadian school and life.

Not that many of us at 13 are little polymaths bent on absorbing as much as we can, while we can (ha). Being well acquainted with this aspect of human nature, good educators have known that from the beginning, and for most of the world's history, have held learners to high standards.

I think having high expectations for students everywhere-- asking good, hard questions that require work, and fostering excellence, reaps untold rewards.

Sushismom · ‎03-09-2010

One thing I remember from my 4th grade geography class was the Zuider Zee. For some reason, I loved that name. Now, I don't remember much about it but I do know where it was.

KaySD · ‎08-16-2016

@skatting44 wrote:
@wrote:
I had someone tell me today, that the reason my bill was 500.00 instead of the 400.00 they had quoted me was because of tax. They do not add tax on to the quotes. I told her tax shouldn't be 100.00 on 400.00.
It's just gonna get worse, makes me wanna be a prepper.
apparently Math which is a pure science is now under attack. 2+2 does not equal 4 anymore . So who knows what your bill will be.

@Happycat01 @skatting44

Interesting--of course you are right, common sense should be enough for a sales person to realize that taxes don't add up to 25%.

But your comment made me curious, so I went to read up. It turns out that, while mathematics could be considered a science in some ways, its methods are different, and most mathematicians don't consider themselves to be scientists. Mathematics is, however, the common language used by all sciences to report their findings and analyses. And applied mathematics is the common tool of lots of fields, from cooking to engineering.

I didn't realize math was under attack by anybody, though. Are you sure?

Meanwhile, I am, or at least I was, a scientist, and I can confirm that many, many people have only a rough idea what science is and isn't. Well, we're all different, and for a lot of folks, science just isn't their jam. Same with math and probably every other field of knowledge, come to think of it.

Still, a little geography here, a little literature there, a good look at history, definitely some civics, a grounding in math, a stab at physics, biology, etc, a dash of grammar...seems like the basics of these fields ought to be pretty solid by the time a person has been in school 12 years. Certainly helpful throughout life. But the world keeps changing--I'm not an educator, but it seems our school systems need help. Might be a good idea to do a fresh new "think" about what we need to be teaching in our schools. Wonder if Jill Biden has something in mind?

KaySD · ‎08-16-2016

@gardenman

What fun! I remember tests like that. The idea must have been to drill some basics into kids when they were young and fairly empty!

I wasn't around in 1895, but I got a lot of that kind of stuff. Today, I sometimes feel like a dinosaur when I see how much youngsters DO know that I don't.

BirkiLady · ‎02-22-2015

It astounds me how many posters haven't or didn't travel with their families. Our family traveled throughout the US (all 50 states) and abroad. It was part of our education, as well as family vacations.

We did the same with our son. And now my son, DIL and grandson are doing the same. It's a lifestyle for learning within the family.

Not all education is expected from schools and teachers; it begins within the home and family. Educational games were always played in our homes. The conversation during those games included additional education, which was absorbed by osmosis! Who knew learning was being passed on? LOL

Money screams; wealth whispers.

proudlyfromNJ · ‎05-01-2010

@BirkiLady wrote:
It astounds me how many posters haven't or didn't travel with their families. Our family traveled throughout the US (all 50 states) and abroad. It was part of our education, as well as family vacations.

We did the same with our son. And now my son, DIL and grandson are doing the same. It's a lifestyle for learning within the family.

Not all education is expected from schools and teachers; it begins within the home and family. Educational games were always played in our homes. The conversation during those games included additional education, which was absorbed by osmosis! Who knew learning was being passed on? LOL

@BirkiLady Traveling with your children is all well and good. When I grew up in the fifties, we had very little money. Dad was a postman and Mom stayed home with her kids. Vacations were once a year driving and then camping. Not everyone was brought with enough money to travel the USA and Europe.

september · ‎03-09-2010

@RoughDraft wrote:
So strange to keep attacking young people. Who do many of us call to get our computers working?

Yes! I do know that my children were thought geography and history in school just as I was. However, I don't remember all the facts I memorized and expect most others don't.

We all forget things we've learned if we haven't had to access that information recently.

The difference now, if that those who forget things, get to be publically embarrassed.

september · ‎03-09-2010

@BirkiLady Not all families could afford to travel, as your family did.

KaySD · ‎08-16-2016

@froggy wrote:
@Susan Louise wrote:
Forget about Antarctica...
I wonder nowadays what % of high school graduates in the US even know the 50 stares, where they are and at minimum, the capitol of each. I knew all of them by 3rd/4th grade...
About 20 years ago we were moving from California to Rhode Island. While in Costco one day I asked the girl at customer service if there was a Costco in Rhode Island. She said "what state is that in?.

@froggy
Similar story. I caught a taxi at the Seattle airport once, and the taxi driver asked me where I was from. "Wisconsin," I told him, because that's where I lived then. "Oh, what state is that in?" he asked. I told him, and he asked where it was. "Ever heard of Chicago? Go there and hang a left." I wonder if he ever did?

KaySD · ‎08-16-2016

@suzyQ3 wrote:
So many of these posts remind of a bunch of coots sitting on a porch mourning the downfall of all but their own generation.

@suzyQ3 Not I! My daughter knows much more stuff I don't, than I know that she doesn't. If that makes sense. And my grandkids are learning such interesting things in school--even home school. Ay-yi-yi! Things I didn't learn until high school or later.

Maybe it's worse now than before, I'll leave that up to the experts in the field to say. But maybe it's just changing all the time, and we are having a hard time catching up.