Dumber than a Rock

[Grumpy]

I just returned from a local store where I made a purchase that totaled $7.88. I had a pocket full of change so I handed the young cashier a Ten Dollar Bill and Ninety Cents in change. He looked at it and tried to hand the change back to me, saying: "Sir, the Ten Dollars will cover this." I told him that I knew that but I already had a pocket full of change and didn't need Twelve Cents more. He was still lost and said: "But, Sir, this is more than I need for this purchase." I told him to "just enter $10.90 as the amount tendered and it will tell you to give me, $3.02 in change." That is what he finally did.

Mind you, I am not an expert on education and I wouldn’t want to be. But I just cannot understand why, with all of the money, effort, and technology that are going to educate our children, they are still coming out of high school unable to read, write or do simple arithmetic.

I hear all of the excuses about a lack of Federal funds, buildings, computers and teaching materials; about 25 kids being an over crowed class; about poor teachers & unconcerned parents; about drugs, promiscuous sex, & violence; and all of the mental health problems, like Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder and a whole bunch of other initials used to provide a reason for medicating children so that they won’t act like children.

I have no doubt that, to one degree or another, there is some validity to all of these excuses. On the other hand, kids are starting their schooling at younger ages than ever before and have less to show for it. I have seen where some places have “pre-preschool to prepare children for Kindergarten.” Yet, almost every time I pick up a newspaper I read a story trying to either explain or question why “Johnny can’t read.” I also see all of the stuff about failing schools as well as whether kids should be tested or not.

The amount and kind of education I received was not unusual for the times. There wasn’t any Kindergarten where I was at, although they may have had it in the larger cities. I don’t remember my parents every teaching me anything before I started the first grade. After all, that is what school was for – to teach reading, writing and arithmetic.

We didn’t have computers, television, visual aides, or even teacher’s aides, nor so many of the other supposed advancements of “modern education.” From the first grade, all the way through High School, all we had were teachers and textbooks in classes as large as fifty kids each. In spite of those large classes, I don’t ever remember any kids being disruptive – A SECOND TIME!!

This is already longer than I had intended and I really don't expect any answers. I have heard them all, but the kids still can't read, write or do simple math.

I realize that is a very broad generalization but that is my opinion and i just had to rant a little.

Grumpy

.

[Tim_T]

I just returned from a local store where I made a purchase that totaled $7.88. I had a pocket full of change so I handed the young cashier a Ten Dollar Bill and Ninety Cents in change. He looked at it and tried to hand the change back to me, saying: "Sir, the Ten Dollars will cover this." I told him that I knew that but I already had a pocket full of change and didn't need Twelve Cents more. He was still lost and said: "But, Sir, this is more than I need for this purchase." I told him to "just enter $10.90 as the amount tendered and it will tell you to give me, $3.02 in change." That is what he finally did.

Mind you, I am not an expert on education and I wouldn’t want to be. But I just cannot understand why, with all of the money, effort, and technology that are going to educate our children, they are still coming out of high school unable to read, write or do simple arithmetic.

I hear all of the excuses about a lack of Federal funds, buildings, computers and teaching materials; about 25 kids being an over crowed class; about poor teachers & unconcerned parents; about drugs, promiscuous sex, & violence; and all of the mental health problems, like Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorder and a whole bunch of other initials used to provide a reason for medicating children so that they won’t act like children.

I have no doubt that, to one degree or another, there is some validity to all of these excuses. On the other hand, kids are starting their schooling at younger ages than ever before and have less to show for it. I have seen where some places have “pre-preschool to prepare children for Kindergarten.” Yet, almost every time I pick up a newspaper I read a story trying to either explain or question why “Johnny can’t read.” I also see all of the stuff about failing schools as well as whether kids should be tested or not.

The amount and kind of education I received was not unusual for the times. There wasn’t any Kindergarten where I was at, although they may have had it in the larger cities. I don’t remember my parents every teaching me anything before I started the first grade. After all, that is what school was for – to teach reading, writing and arithmetic.

We didn’t have computers, television, visual aides, or even teacher’s aides, nor so many of the other supposed advancements of “modern education.” From the first grade, all the way through High School, all we had were teachers and textbooks in classes as large as fifty kids each. In spite of those large classes, I don’t ever remember any kids being disruptive – A SECOND TIME!!

This is already longer than I had intended and I really don't expect any answers. I have heard them all, but the kids still can't read, write or do simple math.

I realize that is a very broad generalization but that is my opinion and i just had to rant a little.

Grumpy

.

I am so sick of hearing about how "how kids can't do this" or "Kids can't do that" or (my personal favorite) "Kids are influenced by all these negative movies and music!"

C'mon man, you got one stoner kid that couldn't add and it is an indictment against today's society.

Following that logic, I am a satanist because I was a member of the KISS Army back in the day and will probably be a menace to society.

Also, if you don't think kids from single parent families are more prone to seeking attention in one way or another, you have not spent time around kids other than your own.

[Grumpy]

Tim, if you honestly think that I ran into the only one in millions of young people that can't make change or do other simple math (even when they have a cashregister to do it for them), you must not have your own eyes open. I just had to rant about this one because it was so starkly evident that he couldn't count; however, I have seen the same things many times over in the last twenty or more years. You apparently also have not been reading the newspapers or getting any news whatsoever because this subject is constantly brought up in one form or another. Open your eyes,man we have problems in our education system from top to bottom.

Grumpy

PS, you may note that I didn't need to REPLY WITH QUOTES when you were the only poster.

[Tim_T]

PS, you may note that I didn't need to REPLY WITH QUOTES when you were the only poster.

Wow, that is rich! I expect someone with any amount of intelligence would understand that I quoted because I didn't realize I would be the only person responding! My bad.

Bad news Grumpy ( the name fits) there were people you went to school with (maybe you, if you worked fast food) that also sometimes had trouble making change at Mickey D's!

BTW who watches the news or reads the paper when you can get all your info on the intrawebs that have no standards or lawyers that can tell them they might be breaking the law?

[kyfanatic]

I don't know if this goes on everywhere,but without going into alot of detail,my 5th grader is extremely intelligent,he has learned a lot more by this age than I did. He is as atheletic as any child his age,but there seems to be this mentality to shun any kid that makes good grades and has good manners/conduct.
He gets shunned on the playground by many of the children even though he holds his own pretty well in most sports.It bothers him alot.
I honestly think there is some idealogy learned by today's kids that you can't be smart and cool at the same time or whatever.The sad thing is most of this treatment comes from kids who along with their parents are the poster children for Larry the Cable Guy jokes.

[HURRICANEBOB]

I have to agree with Grumpy......just look at me for example.

[Dave Stewart]

The problem that kid that could not make change is that he did not have a calculator in his hand...they teach the kids the basics of how to add and subtract..they just don't teach them how to do it without a calculator in today's classroom. The more we rely on technology, the more we are less self reliant.

[onemorecast56]

The problem that kid that could not make change is that he did not have a calculator in his hand...they teach the kids the basics of how to add and subtract..they just don't teach them how to do it without a calculator in today's classroom. The more we rely on technology, the more we are less self reliant.

I agree with dave, don`t let them use calculators at all whe doing home work or in school. They need to learn to do it with out one,, kids are lazy now adays,figure they don`t need to learn stuff like fracions and all. I use what I learned alot,,Kids tell me they hate school...I loved it!, I enjoy learning things. Hate to see kids look at you funny when yo uask them to add something for me,,,you get this dazed look,,,but have met some really smart kids too,,the ones that want to learn,,,

[Tyme2fish]

It's a different world now, and the sooner us "old" folks depart from this earth,the worse it's going to get.

I've also heard that "smart" kids are looked down at by their peers. That in itself is what is causing the dumbing down of America When I went to school with Abraham Lincoln, we all attempted to be the last person to have to take a seat when we had a spelling bee at school. It was pride that propelled us to exceed expectations and to better educate ourselves.

Sure,athletics were a big part of high school, but in the 60's it was different.Our local basketball "hero" got a local girl "in trouble" and was kicked off the team. These days, if the starting center hasn't fathered at least two offspring, he has no "rep".
We have day care in high schools now. Well, I'm sure these "single mothers" are getting their education and the sperm donors are fine pillars of society.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm just looking at this U.S.A. from a totally different perspective and I don't like the direction we are taking.

PS. As you can tell, I'm not very Politically Correct. Never have been, never will be.

[bassin_bug]

The problem that kid that could not make change is that he did not have a calculator in his hand...they teach the kids the basics of how to add and subtract..they just don't teach them how to do it without a calculator in today's classroom. The more we rely on technology, the more we are less self reliant.

All the cash registers I have seen for over 20 years do the math automatically. It even spells it out, "Cash tended" and "change due" and the amount flashes up on the cash register. Grumpy's cashier must have also been unable to read. lol Check all the information that is provided on your grocery store receipt.

It seems the more we spend on education, the dumber the teachers get, and they can't teach what they don't know.

I have a friend who is a teacher, and author of "Classroom Chronicles," in Nashville, TN who teaches the 7th grade. She quit teaching in her home county school system, in another state, because she was forced to "teach to the test." A list of test question, a list of answers, and everything in between was thrown out.

I believe that private schools and home schools do a much better job at education than public schools.

[Grumpy]

Bug's comment about the cashregister's computing everything for you is correct and I probably maligned the poor fellows math ability. In all probability he atually was just dumber then a rock and couldn't comprehend someone giving him more money than was needed for the purchase.

BTW, Bug is correct in the rest of her comments also.

Grumpy

[Chubminnow]

Ain't none of us the men or women that our parents were...and likewise...ain't none of our children the same as us either, especially when it comes to work.

Personally I feel each passing generation goes down a notch or two...This doesn't hold true across the board for every person, but generally speaking I think it's true.