Final Exam, 8th Grade, 1895

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:33:30 GMT, (Way Back Jack)
wrote:

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:17:08 GMT, toto wrote:


These questions don't reflect knowledge that people need today.

Yeah, they reflect the basics of math, grammar, effective
communication skills, and other non-essentials not found in today's
schools of self-esteem.

No they don't reflect these at all. There is nothing on the exam that
shows communication skills except for one essay which is graded on
grammar.

There is little real mathematics on the exam. All of the problems
involve memorized conversion factors.

The grammar questions are memorized rules many of which are outdated.

People don't need those tools today.

They don't need the answers to the questions on this exam, Jack


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:02:52 GMT, toto wrote:

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:33:30 GMT, (Way Back Jack)
wrote:

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:17:08 GMT, toto wrote:


These questions don't reflect knowledge that people need today.

Yeah, they reflect the basics of math, grammar, effective
communication skills, and other non-essentials not found in today's
schools of self-esteem.

No they don't reflect these at all. There is nothing on the exam that
shows communication skills except for one essay which is graded on
grammar.

There is little real mathematics on the exam. All of the problems
involve memorized conversion factors.

The grammar questions are memorized rules many of which are outdated.

People don't need those tools today.

They don't need the answers to the questions on this exam, Jack

Understanding the basics of grammar is of prime importance. I saw
college-educated individuals enter the work force, unable to formulate
a sentence much less a cogent paragraph. The job requirements
included the composition of quasi-legal paragraphs that could not be
interpreted ambiguously, but the recruits produced run-on, rambling
sentences without any punctuation. Disgusting.

As for math, we've heard the horror tales of college kids unable to
balance a checkbook.

here@home (Unqualified Affirmative Action Prince) wrote:

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:02:52 GMT, toto wrote:

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:33:30 GMT, (Way Back Jack)
wrote:

On Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:17:08 GMT, toto wrote:


These questions don't reflect knowledge that people need today.

Yeah, they reflect the basics of math, grammar, effective
communication skills, and other non-essentials not found in today's
schools of self-esteem.

No they don't reflect these at all. There is nothing on the exam that
shows communication skills except for one essay which is graded on
grammar.

There is little real mathematics on the exam. All of the problems
involve memorized conversion factors.

The grammar questions are memorized rules many of which are outdated.

People don't need those tools today.

They don't need the answers to the questions on this exam, Jack

Understanding the basics of grammar is of prime importance. I saw
college-educated individuals enter the work force, unable to formulate
a sentence much less a cogent paragraph. The job requirements
included the composition of quasi-legal paragraphs that could not be
interpreted ambiguously, but the recruits produced run-on, rambling
sentences without any punctuation. Disgusting.

But just knowing the rules doesn't mean that they can apply them does
it? In order to learn to write, you have to write, and write, and
write and write. Most schools just don't have the personnel available
to grade the papers that would be required.

As for math, we've heard the horror tales of college kids unable to
balance a checkbook.

So? Balancing a checkbook wasn't on that test. It really requires
knowing more than just the math facts and what the operations are
called.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:46:10 GMT, here@home (Unqualified Affirmative
Action Prince) wrote:

Understanding the basics of grammar is of prime importance. I saw
college-educated individuals enter the work force, unable to formulate
a sentence much less a cogent paragraph. The job requirements
included the composition of quasi-legal paragraphs that could not be
interpreted ambiguously, but the recruits produced run-on, rambling
sentences without any punctuation. Disgusting.

Yes, but memorizing the *rules* does not make a student better at
writing. What does that is writing and being graded on both grammar
and cogency of your argument.

As for math, we've heard the horror tales of college kids unable to
balance a checkbook.

I knew one - she was from Saudi Arabia. She also ignored bank
statements and notices that her account was overdrawn.




--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:30:39 GMT, toto wrote:

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 19:46:10 GMT, here@home (Unqualified Affirmative
Action Prince) wrote:

Understanding the basics of grammar is of prime importance. I saw
college-educated individuals enter the work force, unable to formulate
a sentence much less a cogent paragraph. The job requirements
included the composition of quasi-legal paragraphs that could not be
interpreted ambiguously, but the recruits produced run-on, rambling
sentences without any punctuation. Disgusting.

Yes, but memorizing the *rules* does not make a student better at
writing. What does that is writing and being graded on both grammar
and cogency of your argument.

It all starts with grammar and sentence structure.

Grammar has rules.

As for math, we've heard the horror tales of college kids unable to
balance a checkbook.

I knew one - she was from Saudi Arabia. She also ignored bank
statements and notices that her account was overdrawn.

See.