This may sound like a crazy question but……. Do you remember when you stopped saying, "The big hand is on 'X' and the little hand is on 'Y'? You had 'graduated' to the socially accepted reference for time, like tying your shoe you knew what time it was. Yesterday I was talking to a former teacher of K and 1st grade and for the second time was shocked to hear that like being unable to read cursive some people can not tell time. Unless it is a digital clock, the hour eludes those who glance upward to the chronicler of time. Oh great!! Technology has sent the circular clock to sit next to the slide rule. They say things come in 3's, what's next? Jerry
Spelling Jerry. Spelling is the third. It's no longer important since texting and "chat speak" is the order of the day. :'(
Actually tying your shoes has taken a hit too, many shoes especially for young ones have velcro (hook and loop) closures instead of laces.
It is a sad commentary on the dummying down of schools and our pitiful educational system. Children cannot read, nor write, and now they cannot tell time or tie their own shoes. They act like the teacher is cruel if he/she assigns written homework, and expects them to write a 5 page report on any subject. By the time they get to college they are barely at a 4th or 5th grade level on anything. If they cannot do the work, no matter, just push them along and let someone else worry about their progress. It might "damage" their little psyche to get a bad grade or be held back year. Baloney! Maybe it would get them off their little rear ends and get them to work. Maybe schools should go back to using those nice big round clocks that you can see from a long distance instead of the digital kinds.
My mother would have died of mortification if she had sent me off to Kindergarten without knowing how to read, tell time, tie my own shoes, and say "yes, ma'am" to my teacher. A friend of mine who tutors at the local elementary school is constantly amazed at what first and second graders don't know, and can't do. She is a nice lady, but she has learned new words, mostly four-letter, from her little pupils. When she mentioned the little foul mouths, the teacher replied, "They learn it at home." It seems everyone, from the schools to the parents to society in general, is failing our children.
I honestly don't remember when I stopped saying the 'big' and 'little' hand. I DO know that I had to teach my children how to tell time that way ... they only learned digital time at school. I was disgusted when I figured out that they no longer teach cursive writing at school, nor do they give kids homework. It's no wonder kids these days seem to think everything should just fall in their laps ... they really aren't pushed to do too much from a young age. It's ridiculous! And I agree with Cherylad ... the third is spelling. Kids don't spell great and they certainly don't use punctuation or capitals. I tell my kids to write carefully and not to get into those bad habits because how you write tells a lot about you.
Ah Geez guys Don't even get me started. I taught for 15 years before I wised up and quit! I was getting so disillusioned with the youth of today.Lazy, disrespectful, oh I could go on a rant! I taught 7th and 8th graders. Many couldn't read very well, and really didn't care! Ahhh! We did have the big clocks in the classrooms, and a lot of those lazy tweens couldn't tell time. "Ugh" is all I can say. SO glad I found my passion working with plants, they are a lot nicer to spend the day with!
The big difference in school kids today and when we were growing up is the attitude of the parents and what those parents are teaching their kids. Many do not believe education is important so they don't make sure homework is done and if the grades are failing nothing is thought about it. When my youngest started high school (9th grade in 2001) there were over 700 students in her class. By the time she graduated 4 years later there were fewer than 400, the drop out rate is tremendous. When kids turn 16 they quit and the parents don't think anything about it.
It is so sad that there are so many working parents making only minimum wages, working multiple jobs. This stresses families when they have to make choices between housing/rent or food. Children coming to school to get two meals a day, since breakfast and lunch at school are their only meals. Children that miss more than 50% of the school year every year of school starting in kindergarten, because of lack of understanding and valuing education by some families. Yet academic expectations have dropped a full year, so that kindergarten students are expected to be doing what was considered first grade work only a few years ago. I don't know any teachers that don't regularly put in 10 hour days, try to provide supplies/holiday goods/food/presents for families, as well as help run fund raisers to provide enrichment activities that is not funded. Maybe it is different in other communities. If you think there is a problem in your schools maybe you could see about volunteering. I bet you would be greatly appreciated and could make a huge difference in a child's life.
Boy when I was in school.You didn't dare cuss. You would be marched to front office. And kids go home -just plop in front of TV.No chores .First thing My Mother would say.Will check your home-work when you are done.And talk about what I learned.
I nod in recognition. The children aren't corrected in spelling from an early age, and even though I try my best it's no good since they get to write as they wish in school. As for discipline and behaviour I blame the parents. Please, thank you and excuse me, what's so hard about that? I hope to live long enough to pass politeness on to my grandchildren.
Yup I agree with all of you. Today's kids have an entitlement mentality. They think that they are just entitled to it without having to work for it or put in much effort. So you have no respect for those in authority or for doing what is right so to speak.
One time customer wanted how I got their son Down to store -so early. It was 11 am. Told him" I was to go clean his room and get his lazy behind out of bed" And to go help his Folks at their store" They both Been cleaning there 28 years now.
