Just...................whatever [5]

Eldorion wrote:

Bluebottle wrote:Mmmm, I'd say you say you're a student when you study at University here. Furthermore we don't say study for elementary and secondary education in general. We have a different word for someone partaking in elementary and secondary school education, "elev".

That makes sense.  I think the use of "student" and "study" for earlier levels of education is an old thing in (American) English, but I don't know for sure.  Certainly there has been a trend towards applying the trappings of post-secondary education to younger and younger kids, with diplomas, full graduation gowns, honor societies, and all that jazz for high school, then middle school, and to some extent as young as kindergarten and preschool.  It's actually kinda dumb IMO but I guess it makes people (well, parents) happy.

Tell me about it. It's not like school isn't heavily weighted enough to testing over actually teaching its subjects anything, but of course we have to introduce it to kids at a stage of their education where it plays no functional role. Wouldn't it be better to try to teach the kids something instead of mindlessly trying to rank them and give them grades they will never use for anything?

Ah, sorry about the rant.

halfwise wrote:A kid who ain't trying to pull stuff behind your back won't amount to crap.  I think parents want to head off much of what their kids are trying to get away with, but they are secretly proud of them for some of it.

I'll defer to your age and experience on this one.

Bluebottle wrote:

Tell me about it. It's not like school isn't heavily weighted enough to testing over actually teaching its subjects anything, but of course we have to introduce it to kids at a stage of their education where it plays no functional role. Wouldn't it be better to try to teach the kids something instead of mindlessly trying to rank them and give them grades they will never use for anything?

Ah, sorry about the rant.

No need to apologize.  It's why I left teaching.

I didn't know you left teaching, Halfy. Do you still do research, if I may ask?

My grandmother was a middle school teacher and my mom works in education too so I've heard plenty of complaining about "teaching to the test" from both of them over the years. From my own experience I've gotta agree with them on it.

I taught high school for 6 years (2 in the Peace Corps before that) then when it all became teaching to the test the intellectual stimulation was gone.  Went back to grad school and am now in research.  They use me for a lot of their summer programs, and I occasionally teach college.  Sorry, lecture at college - it's not really teaching.   Real teaching requires carefully structuring activities so students can build their own knowledge.  Lecturing just facilitates self-learning.

Good point regarding teaching vs lecturing.  Unfortunately a lot of college professors don't really know much about teaching even if they really know their materials. But good lectures can make it really easy to pick up stuff (at least that's been my experience).

I can see you've experienced it first hand, Halfwise. Although i'd guess it's even worse on the students.

Thing is exams and grades obviously serve a function, and have a place in education, but there's a time and place for it. It certainly should not be the be all and end all of education, which it seems to have become.

Norc wrote:no, it's ok. no hijacking  it's defo hard do balance everything.. make a "time-table" for the day. juggle social life and studying  i guess i'll get the hang of it (i have to!) .. we had two weeks just drinking and getting to know one another (also called fadderuka).

Oh, don't worry. I'm sure you'll do great. You're nowhere near as hopeless as me, and I had a great time studying there. And if there's anything you're not happy about, I'm sure people around here won't mind listening to your complaints about it.

Norc wrote:we had two weeks just drinking and getting to know one another (also called fadderuka).

Two weeks? I'm not sure I would be up for that. That said, it is a really great way of getting to know people and make friends with the people you are going to be studying with. And a lot of fun.

It's a bit strange, but this tumblr blog kind of gives me hope.

http://today-ifuckedup.tumblr.com

Bluebottle wrote:Thing is exams and grades obviously serve a function, and have a place in education, but there's a time and place for it. It certainly should not be the be all and end all of education, which it seems to have become.

They're a handy tool.  They shouldn't be the objective.

Bluebottle wrote:It's a bit strange, but this tumblr blog kind of gives me hope.

http://today-ifuckedup.tumblr.com

Everybody needs something like this to loosen them up.
- Before taking an exam
- Before going on a date
- Before having a child
- etc etc

Haha, very true.

I think this drinking and debauchery thing comes in waves through time. In the eighteenth century there were the Dandies and the Bucks and ladies dresses showed their boobies. The Victorians came next and threw up their mittened hands in horror and started covering chair legs. Then the hippies let it all hang out and their kids looked at them and thought 'would you just check out those stoners' and went all Nu-puritan. its waves man.

if you're referring to Norc's Fuckenrousin or whatever the hell that was, I totally approve. I'm quite delighted to have them going out and caterwauling and rubbing the fur and such. But when the young'uns don't come back and bother to fill us in on all the sordid details, that's when I get riled up. Unacceptable behaviour, that.

Well said, Mrs Figg.

The Victorians came next and threw up their mittened hands in horror and started covering chair legs. Then the hippies - Figg

You skipped the roaring and racy 20's Figgs with its Flappers.

The connection is usually war and or poverty- periods of either are usually followed by a period of straight laced tightening of resolve and belts (rationing after WW2 in the UK didn't end until 1954), the hippies were a response to both ww2 and Vietnam. Punk and all its outrage was a response to bleak materialism and crushing poverty and disregard of the working class.

well the 20s came after WW1, so that doesn't fit. although the 50s were quite straight-laced.

halfwise wrote:if you're referring to Norc's Fuckenrousin or whatever the hell that was, I totally approve.  I'm quite delighted to have them going out and caterwauling and rubbing the fur and such.  But when the young'uns don't come back and bother to fill us in on all the sordid details, that's when I get riled up.  Unacceptable behaviour, that.  

fuckenrousin

BTW, hiding on other threads won't save you. We still want to hear about your adventures in cookery.

 oh dear. rumbled. omelette hit the fan.

It blew up on you?!

If so you had it too hot. It happens....

OH...did you oil the pan first? I don't think Blue or I had emphasized that....people who cook just know to do that intuitively. I once tried to teach a guy how to make chicken Dijon. He threw a chicken breast in a hot ungreased pan. Stuck like paint.

no oil just splatter

Ok, let's go back to basics then.

 huzzah for Jamie and his idiot proof omelette thanks for that. its always easier watching someone.