Quote:
Originally Posted by Phanuthier
1. Back in grade 9 (about 12 years ago) my math teacher absolutely HATED me and failed me on a geometry test, even though I got all the answers right. It was simple "find the area of a triangle" and I would just write out the answer, without needed a calculator or write out medial steps; she said I was full of BS. I could do arithmetic faster in my head then she could in her calclator. She refused to do it and said if I didn't buy a calculator, I may not make it into math 10 (was it a threat? dunno). She did EVERYTHING on her calculator... 5x9, 12x11, 3x7...
Resp point 3 (the student entitlement) : I do think thats rediculous, but would that same student have asked something stupid like that in the previous generation? I think these types of attitudes are not generation specific; my dad has told me about a few slackers who would try something like that when he was at UofA. Despite MJM (MJK?) experience with grads from Alberta universities, I don't think you'd see this kind of stuff from the students I went to school with.
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regarding some of your points about doing calculations in your head etc, your stories prove that you are a bright guy with a good math mind, those kids have existed in every generation. I'm guessing I was in high school about 15 years ahead of you and did the same things....what I guess we are using here are alot of anectodes, it would be interesting to chart whether the abilities for (say) mental math or memory or what not are better in this generation or the last...no matter what the data showed I would guess there would be tradeoffs in other areas, younger generations have access to better technology and another generation worth of accumulated knowledge, those are benefits, but older generations without those benefits would surely have had strengths in other areas
regarding the entitlement though, there is some data there (again not to entirely blame current students as they are only the product of the environment-parental, teachers, media they were raised in)...sure there were slackers with every generation, but there are some studies now showing a very high percentage of university students that expect a certain baseline mark for merely attending a class or filling out their homework -things I dont remember even from my slacker buddies in university--they knew they earned their Fs
again that doesn't mean that all kids are like that, or that the best and the brightest aren't as bright as ever before, but it does contribute at minimum to grade inflation I think....