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[Figment1986]

wow. I would fail all the teachers classes who post on the forums...

I have the worst handwriting in my class. I cannot take many mainstream classes because of that. I am usually in teamtaught classes. The teachers have problem with my tests... To this day i believe my sophmore english teacher gave me an D for my bad handwritting, Even though i had a 504 with the state and it said i did not have essay tests. (She was the devil and made me hate english class...)

Thank goodness their are good team teachers who helped me get better grades and let me use computers in the classroom to type my work, and never make me write essays for trsts... only 2 paragraphgs instead of 3 short answer questions...

(wow... 3 no, 6 undecided, and many who said yes to the poll....)

 

[Maria]

With the cell phones now, more and more people write -in Spanish- with abbreviations made by them. It was sometimes hard to understand what people meant when I started getting text messages that were written that way... then I started doing it to a point only, because I still typed the whole thing in most cases. Then, one very nice day, I discovered what the "T9" option was there for! I use it ALL the time now and my messages are very clear and polite... my sister was surprised, she taught I was very fast at writing on my cell phone!

 

[GenerationX]

I had a fight with my youngest daughter's teach over this "creative spelling" garbage 2 years ago...as long as its spelled the way its pronounced its ok. NO its not!

My eldest son has Asperger's Syndrome (socially awkward), but is blessed with a photographic memory. Spells like a champ. Anyway, he had a pre-school teacher who focused all of our conferences on his deficiencies, glossing over the fact that as a four year old, he could read and spell common three and four letter words. When I finally couldn't stand it anymore and pointed out his abilities in this area, she told me that spelling was useless and will do nothing for him later in life.

As part of my job, I screen Project Manager candidates. Guess what happens to those with resumes containing poor spelling or lousy grammar? If they actually get an interview, they fight an uphill battle to prove to me they are not that sloppy when managing projects. And I'm not the only one in the office who feels this way.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Wow that's awesome. I took French for like 5 years but my junior and senior year I went to our local community college where I did a dual-enrollment program called School for Advanced Studies (Oz was in it too ) so I never got a chance to take AP French or anything. Those two years I took all AP classes for my high school classes. In 10th I did take AP European history but we all failed because the teacher was bad. My AP U.S. history and AP government classes- same thing, but I managed a 2 both times. Calculus, don't need to remind you :lol: and the teacher was bad also. But in both my AP English tests I got a 3 so luckily I did pass and I got A's in the class. In this case, the teacher was very good so that was a plus.

Maybe I'm just a freak haha...AP English Lang and Comp--4, AP US History--3, AP Biology--4, AP Physics--4, AP Calc BC--4, AP English Lit. and Comp--3, AP US Gov't--3. I really hate it when people think that anyone good at the sciences should be bad at humanities and English. I hold my biology students to the same standards I hold myself--even lab reports must use good diction and sentence structures. Basically, if something does not read well (spelling and grammar errors are simply unacceptable, so I mark off for those), it is not the calibre of work that journals will publish, which is the level I want my students at with such formal writing exercises. I make sure my bio students both write well and speak well (they create awesome PowerPoint presentations!). It is easier to do in college, though--I can fail students if they don't put forth the effort and I don't get calls from complaining parents!

 

[mkt]

People who misspell words and use improper grammar should be shot on live TV.

That being said, I want a blindfold and a cigarette. You may ask, "why?"

Because I will be dead from lead poisoning caused by the bullets in my bloodstream since I have just damned myself, and with 30 seconds left to live, the tar in my lungs is by far, the last of my concerns.

That being said, to hell with the cigarette. Give me the biggest, fattest Cohiba that Castro can get for me.

Who's next in line?

 

[tigsmom]

My eldest son has Asperger's Syndrome (socially awkward), but is blessed with a photographic memory. Spells like a champ. Anyway, he had a pre-school teacher who focused all of our conferences on his deficiencies, glossing over the fact that as a four year old, he could read and spell common three and four letter words. When I finally couldn't stand it anymore and pointed out his abilities in this area, she told me that spelling was useless and will do nothing for him later in life.

I had problems with both my daughters...they have very strong personalities and they have been taught to question authority and to not just follow the crowd blindly. (caution: when teaching children to question authority specify yours is not included! )
Pre school and early elementary teachers complained that they needed to be more like the rest of the class. (whatever happened to being an individual?)
One teacher told me that wanting to be a leader would be good at age 13 or so, it didn't work at age 8. They would have to change. *sigh*

I have to agree with everyone else, proper spelling/grammar is a reflection of education. (like it or not)
If you don't take the time to fill out an application properly or see that your resume is up to snuff, what kind of worker will you be? You only have one chance to make a good first impression.

 

[Erika]

On the other hand, I got a 5 on US History...

-Kirsten

Whoo-hoo, so did I! It was the only one I took (test, not class). I guess I quit while I was ahead :lol:

 

[Erika]

I really hate it when people think that anyone good at the sciences should be bad at humanities and English.

I don't think it SHOULD be that way- it just often is. I know a lot of intelligent, successful people who are in math and science-related careers and have atrocious spelling and grammar. On the flip side, a lot of us whose intelligence rests in the other side of the brain are sometimes looked down upon for failing to grasp certain mathmatical concepts.

There are all different kinds of intelligence. You can work on being better at different things but few of us are gifted enough to be at the top of every game. That being said, a lot of times, there is a good degree of laziness involved.

John and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum, so we make a good team :king:

 

[ToTBellHop]

Oh, I completely understood you, Erika. My entire family is that way, and it's actually the women in my family who are more inclined toward the humanities/english and the guys who are more inclined toward the sciences. I just don't think being good at the sciences is any excuse for not being able to write well. There are some areas that none of us will ever be good at, but skill at writing is something that we can all teach ourselves if we have the ambition to. It's a skill you can learn whereas math, English (the literature end), social and natural sciences all involve skills that are usually innate (as well as a healthy dose of studying). I also have found something else recently--women are, on average, smarter than men. Even in the sciences (except Physics...creepy department, if you ask me), there are more women honors students than men, and most doctoral as well as undergraduate programs accept more women than men. It seems most guys are starting to get lazy and not applying themselves enough (I am by no means grouping us all together--I'm a guy lol). Maybe that male laziness has gone too far...but, since good male applicants become somewhat of a minority in most programs, that's less competition for me and more for the ladies--no complaints from me, there

 

[tigsmom]

I just don't think being good at the sciences is any excuse for not being able to write well. There are some areas that none of us will ever be good at, but skill at writing is something that we can all teach ourselves if we have the ambition to. It's a skill you can learn whereas math, English (the literature end), social and natural sciences all involve skills that are usually innate (as well as a healthy dose of studying).

Have to disagree with you here.....there are learning disabilities that will preclude you from developing this skill, not matter how hard you work at it.
How do I know? My daughters, they both have different degrees of dyspraxia. :wave:

 

[ToTBellHop]

Students with special conditions obviously get special accommodations, but in my students that do not have these conditions, I expect good writing. In those students who do not write well, I have never had any problem teaching them how to write better or referring them to someone else who can help. To that end, it has been my experience that barring any learning disabilities, the skill of writing can be learned.

 

[tigsmom]

Students with special conditions obviously get special accommodations, but in my students that do not have these conditions, I expect good writing. In those students who do not write well, I have never had any problem teaching them how to write better or referring them to someone else who can help. To that end, it has been my experience that barring any learning disabilities, the skill of writing can be learned.

Agreed, its just the sweeping generalizations that people tend to make that get to me. We are not all the same and there is no set mold that we all fit into. I expect my kids to spell correctly ( look up the word or ask for help), I expect it to be written in proper sentence structure and as neatly as possible.
This takes some time granted, but I expect them to at least try which is something that many teachers seem to think is a waste of everyone's time.
I have seen quite an improvement over the years, but it will probably never be perfect.

The dumbing down of America's students has gotten out of hand.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

Have to disagree with you here.....there are learning disabilities that will preclude you from developing this skill, not matter how hard you work at it.
How do I know? My daughters, they both have different degrees of dyspraxia. :wave:

Thank you!
I've been in remedial writing classes since 3rd grade and trust me on this, writing is not a skill that can be taught, even to those willing to learn. After 8 years do you really think that I'm just lazy and unwilling to learn?? Believe me I'd much rather have to work twice as hard to learn to write properly and no longer have to deal with my label of "special ed" and not have to put up with peoples generalizations.

 

[ToTBellHop]

The dumbing down of America's students has gotten out of hand.

Agreed. And all of these standardized tests do not help. Regents classes are now taught so that you can pass a test, which is simply the wrong way to teach, and students get to college and it slaps them in the face. At least in college, students are expected to put forth effort on their own without prying from the teacher, and laziness results in bad grades. Furthermore, our classes are not taught for the tests and we never give the students all of the answers--just the means to argue out a correct answer. It is this level of analytical thinking that they are cutting out of elementary, middle, and high school education as we become a multiple choice world. Teaching students for multiple choice is a waste of time--what in life is multiple choice? You get a task, and you reason out an answer to it. Tests should be the same. It's the way they used to be, but now students freak out at the mention of an essay assignment. It's amazing to me that we have some of the worst public school education in the world but our colleges are so amazing that people flock here from other countries. But, with that in mind, it is no wonder that most students get slapped in the face first semester of freshman year.

 

[barnum42]

Thank you!
I've been in remedial writing classes since 3rd grade and trust me on this, writing is not a skill that can be taught, even to those willing to learn. After 8 years do you really think that I'm just lazy and unwilling to learn?? Believe me I'd much rather have to work twice as hard to learn to write properly and no longer have to deal with my label of "special ed" and not have to put up with peoples generalizations.

Well I'm guessing something in those classes must have worked. Your posts are well constructed and easy to read. Be proud of the levels you have achieved :wave:

 

[Lil'mermaid]

Well I'm guessing something in those classes must have worked. Your posts are well constructed and easy to read. Be proud of the levels you have achieved :wave:

Thank you! :wave:
Posting here takes me a little while and many times whats posted is the 3rd or 4th draft. I like to think that posting here is helping by giving me some practice.

 

[barnum42]

Thank you! :wave:
Posting here takes me a little while and many times whats posted is the 3rd or 4th draft. I like to think that posting here is helping by giving me some practice.

Take as long as you need to, and I hope you enjoy the practice

 

[DDuckFan130]

Maybe I'm just a freak haha...AP English Lang and Comp--4, AP US History--3, AP Biology--4, AP Physics--4, AP Calc BC--4, AP English Lit. and Comp--3, AP US Gov't--3. I really hate it when people think that anyone good at the sciences should be bad at humanities and English. I hold my biology students to the same standards I hold myself--even lab reports must use good diction and sentence structures. Basically, if something does not read well (spelling and grammar errors are simply unacceptable, so I mark off for those), it is not the calibre of work that journals will publish, which is the level I want my students at with such formal writing exercises. I make sure my bio students both write well and speak well (they create awesome PowerPoint presentations!). It is easier to do in college, though--I can fail students if they don't put forth the effort and I don't get calls from complaining parents!

:lol: Not a freak at all. There were a few kids in my dual enrollment program who passed ALL their tests. I just passed English because I'm actually good at it. But I feel kind of dumb now because I only got a 3 and all of you are smarter than I am


Just kidding by the way, I attribute my 3's to laziness .

 

[Erika]

Thank you! :wave:
Posting here takes me a little while and many times whats posted is the 3rd or 4th draft. I like to think that posting here is helping by giving me some practice.

I agree with Barnum. I would never have guessed that you had any sort of difficulty.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I agree with Barnum. I would never have guessed that you had any sort of difficulty.

I would say so, as well. Keep it up!