I have a spot over at MySpace and I did a quiz earlier about how intelligent one is. I decided to post the results here too so all you lovely people could see how smart I am. LOL!
Last week I purchased an item at Burger King for $1.58.
The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her.
I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried.
Why do I tell you this?
Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:
Teaching Math In 1950
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?
Teaching Math In 1970
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
Teaching Math In 1980
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
Teaching Math In 1990
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20.
What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)
Teaching Math In 2005
Un hachero vende una carretada de
Tomorrow we start a new year of homeschooling. This one is a big deal because my son will be in 9th grade. Yikes! Where did the time go? Just yesterday I was watching a video of him when he was only about 2. He was so innocent then. And a little pill! I had forgotten how onery he was at that age. I also noticed that my daughter was quite a talker then and hasn't shut up since! lol!
So now I have a high schooler. If I had kept him in public school, he'd be going into 10th grade this year. I can't imagine that. He just turned 15 only 2 weeks ago. He's mature enough now that he could handle high school but several years ago, I couldn't see him in the grade level that the p.s. system said he should have been in. He was very immature when he started p.s. way back in kindergarten - the youngest in his class. His maturity level showed with the way he acted in class. Once we took him out of p.s., he started to change. He listened better, his reading got better, and I think he was actually starting to like school again. Now he could care less, but I attribute that to his age. Even though he "says" that he doesn't want to start school tomorrow, I think he's actually glad. We really just finished up last years work a week or so ago, but he's had nothing to keep him occupied since then. I caught him watching a show on the Military Channel the other day. My son, watching something educational without me telling him to? No, can't be! Must have been someone else! lol!
He will have to get up a lot earlier than normal. He hasn't been getting up until noon on some days. Tomorrow he will have to get up at 8:30 a.m. so we can go over some "pre" school stuff. I want to discuss the schedule that we will use, go over the documentation he and I will be using, discuss the curriculum we will be using along with the supplements. Then hopefully we can begin our school day at 10 a.m. and get done between 2 - 2:45.
I'm still concerned about the Algebra. I sent off for what I thought was the student's book. Come to find out it was only the Student Solutions book. I guess they don't have a students edition for this particular book. I'm not happy about it as I will have to come up with some way to cover the answers in my book when my son has to do the exercises. Either that or I will have to write them out or recite them to him to write in his notebook. One good thing, if this Algebra book doesn't work out, I am free to choose another one and get a tutor for him. We will see. Who knows, maybe I'll finally learn how to do Algebra myself! lol!
It should be interesting, that's for sure. And of course hubby is still home. He was a Master Instructor in the Air Force, started as a trainer in his previous job and was a trainer in his last one. Hopefully he won't critique me on my teaching skills. I may have to run him out of the room while we are trying to do school work. When I told my son that I may have to get a job and that his father would have to teach him, he was like "nooooo!" lol! He KNOWS how his dad is. His dad is really technical in his teaching. He "thinks" that everyone else knows as much as he does about certain things, so forgets to teach the simple things. I remember years ago when I was first learning about computers. I asked him what the difference was between a bit and a byte. His explanation was so complicated that I never did figure it out. It wasn't until I took a computer class at Angelo State that I found out what the difference was. I went home that night and asked him why didn't he tell me that. He said he did. I'm like, "You did? Sure could have fooled me!" I rarely ask him to explain something technical or complicated. I just end up getting more confused. I just look it up myself now.
I will post tomorrow what schedule we decided to use and how our day went. If I end up pulling all my hair out, I'll take a picture and post that. lol!
I am one of the thousands, perhaps millions of people who are saddened by the death of that famous crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin. He was killed today after being "stung" by a stingrays barb. Since the venom isn't that strong, they think that it was the impact of the barb itself...perhaps puncturing a hole into his heart. I feel for his family especially his children. As much as his wife may love Australia, I have a feeling that she will leave that country and come back to America to be closer to her own family. I would have a hard time staying somewhere that reminds me on a constant basis that my husband and the father of my children is no longer there. Maybe she will stay just so Australia Zoo will continue to live up to the high standards that Steve Irwin brought to it. Maybe her son will grow up to be another "Crocodile Hunter" although his dad will not be there to teach him as Steves dad did. I know I for one will miss Steve Irwins antics, his enthusiasm, his sense of adventure and his compassion along with his infamous words, "Crikey" and "Danger, danger, danger". We will miss you Steve-o!
