Moon landing done with a slide rule...interesting pic and caption

[Karen]

"Estimates of how many middle school students own cell phones range from over 40% to 75%, with even higher rates for high school students."

I looked at the link you posted, Candace, and that quote is not at all backed up with where they got that information to make that estimate, doesn't say where the study was done - just NYC? The whole US? Somewhere else?

And there's a huge difference between 40 and 75% - I just do not trust un-cited data.

Did you try teaching the girl how to add without a calculator? She may have had a lousy teacher, but be capable of learning with the right instruction. One girl who interned with us at my last job had no idea what states were part of New England ... and she had lived in Massachusetts since the age of 4. She wasn't stupid, just got through school by goofing off and skating by. The last time I saw her, she was working as a paralegal and studying for the Bar Exam, having realized that she wanted more from life than being a cashier somewhere.

[Lady's Human]

To further poke holes in the article:

Sylvan, 14, has several after-school activities and lets his parents know when he's going to be late.

He'll be on time or walking home, his choice.

Alana, 10, who just moved to a new neighborhood, calls home when she's not sure about directions.

What's a 10 year old girl doing walking around a new neighborhood without supervision?

Josh, 11, whose parents both work, lets them know when he gets home from school.

While there is no set guideline in most states for the age for a child to be left home alone, 11 is too young in my book, anyway. Maybe the parents need to find jobs on opposite shifts?

The article post a lot of generalities, provides specious reasoning for a child to have a cell phone, and cites no supporting data.

For an article written by a PhD, it shows an amazing lack of substance or reason.

[Bonny]

"Estimates of how many middle school students own cell phones range from over 40% to 75%, with even higher rates for high school students."

I looked at the link you posted, Candace, and that quote is not at all backed up with where they got that information to make that estimate, doesn't say where the study was done - just NYC? The whole US? Somewhere else?

And there's a huge difference between 40 and 75% - I just do not trust un-cited data.

Did you try teaching the girl how to add without a calculator? She may have had a lousy teacher, but be capable of learning with the right instruction. One girl who interned with us at my last job had no idea what states were part of New England ... and she had lived in Massachusetts since the age of 4. She wasn't stupid, just got through school by goofing off and skating by. The last time I saw her, she was working as a paralegal and studying for the Bar Exam, having realized that she wanted more from life than being a cashier somewhere.

I plan to slip something in there for her. School has started here so I won't be working much with her till next spring. She is very bright but I was just surprised when she said that to me. They use calculators in school everything is mechanized.

Our folks always helped us with math & spelling, along with reading, buying the good old golden books. I know there are families out there helping their kids.

[Catty1]

It never occurred to me that the cap was flaming parents - I suppose that's because I never have been one.

However, with a mom who was a teacher her whole life and dealing with parents - and what I read about the school systems - I thought it was 'flaming' the whole education setup - schools, teachers, parents etc.

[mrspunkysmom]

red orbit-first_moon_landing

hpmuseum

nat-geo

BTW, many of my students have cells

[mrspunkysmom]

Replying to the rest of the thread:

Most Students won't do the homework; they'll take the zero. They do not view homework as practice for the project or the test. Many of the parents care, but they waited until the children were teenagers to set limits. Now the child is in control.

Calculators are allowed in the elementary schools and in my humble, but learned opinion, should not be. Politicians at the behest of parents led the way for calculator use because we were wasting their intelligence on mundane stuff such as 'rithmetic. I see the results of this policy in the classroom today. The students that do well with the Algebras and beyond are those that are fluent in computational facts and skills. All others struggle to make it through 1st-year Algebra.

At its simplest, mathematics is the study of patterns (or lack thereof). Factoring and/or graphing functions, esp polynomials, writing equations for a line(curve)-of-best-fit (deriving formulas from data), simplifying radicals, and conversions from decimal to rational and vice-versa are just a few of the processes that rely on non-calculator computational mastery.

Every day for 15 minutes, my high school students compute with fractions mentally or on paper. They actually like the mental method although I also make them write it out on paper.

Flame me, disagree, write eloquent arguments in opposition, or ignore me; we have reaped what we have sown. Compared with other countries, our math skills are beyond sad.

I weep for our nation.

[RICHARD]

It never occurred to me that the cap was flaming parents - I suppose that's because I never have been one.

Adopt me?

I can do long division, cook, clean and can do drywall and masonry.