Quote Originally Posted by blue View Post
Then you should have stopped right here instead of pontificating on your experience.
So anyone who offers you advice is 'pontificating?' So what do you call it when you are maligning other people professions?

So according to you, American teachers are well informed enough to teach High School kids the entire Australian history? Can you?
blue, I was referring to subjects in general not to Australian history. Sorry for the confusion.

HS American History class barely scratches the surface, that is why there are college majors in the subject.
We could devote and entire thread to this topic of "scratching the surface". could it be taught in a better way? Yes, but most of that has to do with expectations by teacher and parents of students.


I prefer telling someone, "I dont know, but lets find out what or why." It just seems more honest then BSing someone.
I so totally agree. It depends upon the question. If it's an off subject question, I re-direct, usually telling them to ask a teacher of that subject. If it's my subject of math, it depends upon how advance or 'esoteric' their question is. And also if it their question is related to fields that I like to study. I usually say, "give me a few minutes to prepare an explanation" rather than "I do not know" because the latter can spark derisive comments. American students these days are rude and crude, something you seem to be familiar with. The goal is to NOT give them ammunition with which to disrupt class.

ETA: When it comes out that you are BSing, stalling for time, your students, what does that do to your credibility as a teacher? My dad has the same attitude you do and he taught debate back in the '60s. Its a BS tactic that will bite you in the a$$.
Since as a teacher I have an enormous amount of activity on my part and the students part to direct each class period, stalling for time is a management skill, not just BSing. While I love a good academic debate with my students, most principles are arrogant a$$es, who love to reprimand you for being off topic. So I re-direct and keep to the topic of the day.

As a Wireman and crew chief I agree most of the younger generation just wants to be entertained. When I was in school we where there to learn not wait for the teacher to entertain us. The teachers I had where not entertainers the teachers today seem to be. If you wanted to be an entertainer maybe you should teach drama class.
I'm assuming you are not talking to me, since no where did I say I wanted to entertain. I have been fighting that since I started teaching. However I do think education does need to be interesting. We bore the children out of wanting to learn. This still goes back to parenting. Parents need to be involved in their child's education. They do not need to be in CONTROL of every aspect of the education system, if only because too many of them are thinking of the short term and not long long term.

Public school teachers are limited in what they can and cant teach, its called a curriculum.
Really ????? I didn't know. So that's why my boss makes me read them and produce pacing guides, unit plans, and lesson plans based upon the curriculum.

Teachers follow it to get there students to pass tests in order to prove their worth as a teacher. If the student learns nothing other then how to pass those tests what have they learned? How to pass those tests. Music teachers would be an exemption.
I dislike having my worth proved by a student test taken by a student that doesn't give a d@mn about their education. And I agree with your statement about teaching to the test. For years I fought teaching to the test. I lost.

Im sorry you feel arrogant enough to feel I think I "feel dumb". Ive taught apprentices geometry when they failed algebra in HS. Ive done what Educated Teachers have failed at with students they gave up on.
So why did you complain about arrogant people? I know I can be arrogant, but I suspect that you think anyone that displays self-confidence is arrogant and that is YOUR problem.

Can you calculate a electrical load for a 2500 square foot house? If I gave you the specs for a custom computer to be used for high definition video editing how long would it take you get me a build and cost list? I trained my own replacement for computer repair and virus mitigation at my last job.
No that is specialized knowledge, just like my specialized knowledge of math. I routinely calculate "fresh" problems in the classroom accurately in my head. This freaks them out and then I show them how to do it. I point out that this is my specialty. All the way up to The Calculus. I am required to be an expert in several fields, just not a few.

I didn't disparage your knowledge base of any field. I just told you to stop complaining about people that are arrogant. I didn't call you dumb but you are acting as if you feel like we are calling you dumb.

Can I spell well or use good grammar most of the time? Ill be the first to answer no.
You and most people. It's not ability; it's a matter of priorities for most people. Mot just don't think it's important.

Do I "feel dumb"? Not from arrogant people on this board I dont. If IM on a job, any job, and I miss something obvious I should have noticed on my own, I may feel dumb until I get the mistake corrected then I feel pretty dang good about myself.
1. Then why were you complaining. AGAIN. If you don't feel maligned, let the arrogant person be. Ignore them. If they are half-way smart, they'll get the message.

2. Good for you. Why don't you use that positive feeling on this board and make some positive contributions to our discussion without sounding like a misanthrope.


You should have listened to you mother, because she's right.
Seems like you could learn this lesson, too.