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Do they still teach math?

Basil

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I just heard an editorial person from a major newspaper, on a major news network, talking about the $$ a certain person is spending or has spent on their campaign (I'm not trying to make this a political post and will delete it if it turns political). This newspaper editorial person lamented that the candidate in question had spent $500 million dollars on their campaign. They went on to say that, for that money, they could have given every person in the US $1 million and had money left over. The talking head on the network who was doing the interview agreed.

The population of the US in 2019 was a bit over 330 million. So, the candidate could have given every person in the US about $1.52 (give or take a few pennies).

Sheesh!
 
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Mickey Richaud

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Maybe math, but DEFINITELY not grammar, punctuation, or spelling!

Remember diagramming sentences? One year - don't remember which - our English teacher held contests requiring us to diagram sentences on the blackboard. Kinda like a spelling bee. Enjoyed that! But then, I was weird.
 

NutmegCT

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Let's see, 500 million divided by 300 million. Sure, 1 million no problem. (good grief ...)

Mickey, remember this?

3632.DiagrammedSentances.jpg

Started doing this at Bluebonnet Elementary School in the 1950s. Still do it when explaining how to write to my college interns. yeesh
 

Mickey Richaud

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LarryK

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Yup here also, haven't forgot. Yet.
 

TR3driver

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IIRC another talking head (possibly same one?) made the same mistake a few years back.

"I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear." - Don Henley (I think)
 

Mickey Richaud

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IIRC another talking head (possibly same one?) made the same mistake a few years back.

"I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear." - Don Henley (I think)

And this:

 

DavidApp

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They may still teach math but I do not think that the school admin understands math.
My wife is a kindergarten teacher (Bless her) is now required to do 20 minutes of one on one reading with each of her 19 students every day. The readings have to be individualized for each of the students.
Does not leave much of her day for anything else. Or for bathroom breaks for her.

David
 

NutmegCT

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David - +1 on the blessings to your kindergarten teacher wife!

Also very impressive that you have kindergarten kids getting the one to one "book experience". Sure hope you have parent assistants, or teacher aides, for those kindergarten classes.

Tom M.
 

waltesefalcon

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When I taught English the kids that were the best at and even enjoyed diagramming sentences tended to be the kids that were also good at math.
 
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Have a brother that has a masters in math and a doctorate in physics, yet wouldn't be considered qualified to teach elementary math in the public school systems. Always found that both puzzling and amusing as it seems that proficency in the subjects isn't a serious qualification. And that's how we end up with 500m/330m equals 1m each.
 

waltesefalcon

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Teaching is an incredibly odd field. I am a historian by training but had difficulty finding a teaching gig in a history classroom in fact I could only be alternatively certified (which you can only hold for three years before they force you out) until I went back and worked on a degree in education. Now I have a practically useless masters in education but I can keep my job. Where I work there is only one other historian employed to teach history, everyone else in the department hold social studies teaching degrees.
 
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I'm not trying to say all teachers are not proficient at their chosen subject, but it seems that serious knowledge in many subjects is not the primary requirement. When I was young I had the WW2 vterean generation teaching me and most were quite good at their subjects. But even among them there were more than a few who didn't really know more than they could read to you and had no classroom "presence", for lack of a better word, to capture and keep student attention. I recall one who his students actually locked him in the classrom supply closet and left because he just couldn't teach.
 
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Basil

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I'm not trying to say all teachers are not proficient at their chosen subject, but it seems that serious knowledge in many subjects is not the primary requirement. When I was young I had the WW2 vterean generation teaching me and most were quite good at their subjects. But even among them there were more than a few who didn't really know more than they could read to you and had no classroom "presence", for lack of a better word, to capture and keep student attention. I recall one who his students actually locked him in the classrom supply closet and left because he just couldn't teach.

I once taught freshman college Calculus. Fortunately I avoided being locked in a closet :highly_amused:
 

TR3driver

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I'm not trying to say all teachers are not proficient at their chosen subject, but it seems that serious knowledge in many subjects is not the primary requirement.
Exactly. In most public school systems in the US (K-12), an advanced degree in mathematics does NOT qualify you to teach mathematics. But a degree in "education" does. You don't have to know anything about the subject, just how to babysit kids.

And teaching in general doesn't get any respect. When I looked into it a few years back, most teachers in the local school system were paid less than the superintendent's chauffeur!
 

waltesefalcon

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Luckily I have also managed being locked in a closet by my students.

Mike, I never thought you were being critical. I just thought you were simply observing the odd ways in which schools work. You are right serious knowledge in your given area is often not the deciding factor for administrators when selecting teachers. When I was just a historian looking for work everyone wanted to know what I coached, once I got the masters in education for myself I was suddenly a hot commodity and several schools wanted me. Am I a better history teacher because I have a MEd? nope.
 

LarryK

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I attended a Macroeconomics class which was held in an auditorium with maybe 100 students. The professor gave us 25 pages to read for next class, while working full-time, reading would be a premium. Entering the next class a podium was set up in middle of the stage and the professor was standing in position with an open book. He greeted everyone then started reading from the book, page by page. After 15 minutes I raised my hand and asked if he was going to read the same 25 pages we already read. He said, " if you don't like how I teach, then leave." 30 of us got up and left. Found out later he lost 75% of the class and it was shut down and we got refunds.
 
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