I was surprised about how high position Poland 15 year olds scored on school results tests... I am not surprised that they had scores better than average American kids (reading was no-brainer - Polish lacks all that shenanigans with spelling - in Polish pronunciation is always the same, no guessing if it should be spelled in one of the multiple ways) but I was surprised that we had better results than so much of much successful European countries...
And that's after education "reform" that dumbed down many of exam and teaching programs that took place after I finished my education.
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I wonder when some students that paid big bucks for school start suing universities for not getting jobs that pay correspondingly to money invested in studies...
That's a lot of what Occupy was all about, dude.
And to avoid getting too political for this thread that might be where that particular tangent needs to stop >_>
I really do have to get back to work (yeah, that thing they're paying me for that's not teaching or surfing Paizo), but Drejk's question deserves an answer:
In working with my son on his homework, I find the idiocy of people who have never taught in their lives deciding education policy in the U.S.
As a lifelong educator, first in the public schools, and then in private industry, the general approach to teaching is always the same:
- Show them how to do something
- Allow them to practice it until they have mastered it
- Show them options, tricks, and shortcuts to simplify their work
Students resent it, because they've had to do many problems 'the long way', but they have learned and mastered 'the long way', and so the shortcuts make sense to them, and they can always fall back to 'the long way'.
So the new education policy in the U.S. (at least in California public schools is):
- Show them ALL THE POSSIBLE WAYS TO DO A PROBLEM
- Have them discuss the problem and the ideas behind it
- Have them choose one of the half-dozen ways to do the problem, before they have mastered any of them.
To everyone's utter astonishment, students get confused, mix methods, and never successfully solve problems.
Who would've thought that showing them six ways to do a problem at once, without giving them mastery of any of them, would lead to confusion?
Only anyone who's ever been in front of a class...
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They always say "Those who can't do, teach."
They always hate when you respond "Those who can't teach, get elected."
I have considered going into teaching in the past.
The prospect of having to play politics with the faculty, the administration, and the parents is what killed it for me.
Couple that with my utter lack of people skills and absolute zero desire to go back to school... and yeah, not going to happen.
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From teaching/politically unrelated topics:
I had my first job interview in English today. It went quite well, I think.
The lady that was interviewing me complimented my English two or three times. We spoke about the job and I answered a number of job-related questions and filled a technical English test... Half the time I was stumped by looking for a catch because it could not be so simple - just a short description of fictional problem and a repair procedure and then answering two or three questions about the text. Or marking the right chip on the simple diagram below - i.e. in the text is one or two chips mentioned (using code such as V2411) and the diagram shows eight or ten chips with their codes noted on them. Circle the right chip. Gee, I don't know, maybe I should circle the chip with V2411 written on top?
They will call me soon to invite me for a manual test - where I will be given a mobile, tools, diagrams and will have to disassemble it and assemble it back again.
If I pass I would become technical operative. If I don't I still could count on production operative job. So, there is decent chance that I will have job in early January.
It will be temporary contract so they might keep me for weeks or months.
I would like to go to Poland soon, at least for a short time, to pay the debts when I will have enough cash to pay at least some of them - but I might return here again, depending upon work prospects.
I have considered going into teaching in the past.
The prospect of having to play politics with the faculty, the administration, and the parents is what killed it for me.
Couple that with my utter lack of people skills and absolute zero desire to go back to school... and yeah, not going to happen.
In the past I considered making religious anthropology studies and even thought that after finishing them I could try to stay on university and become academic teacher. Regretfully, the education reform made it next to impossible for me to enter university unless they would be free places - my old matura exam, which is requirement to apply for university studies in Poland is worth 0 points in the new scheme so I can't compete with younger applicants without taking the exam once again. Which I considered but I would have to have money to go to school for adults to prepare myself for the exam according to current expectations.
I recall that someone seeing me reading a paper about some aspect of use of magic in roleplaying games and stories during a gaming convention noted that I should be academic teacher...
Ah, the paths not taken, the past choices, the random circumstances and events shaping the choices and choices shaping random events...
From teaching/politically unrelated topics:
I had my first job interview in English today. It went quite well, I think.
The lady that was interviewing me complimented my English two or three times. We spoke about the job and I answered a number of job-related questions and filled a technical English test... Half the time I was stumped by looking for a catch because it could not be so simple - just a short description of fictional problem and a repair procedure and then answering two or three questions about the text. Or marking the right chip on the simple diagram below - i.e. in the text is one or two chips mentioned (using code such as V2411) and the diagram shows eight or ten chips with their codes noted on them. Circle the right chip. Gee, I don't know, maybe I should circle the chip with V2411 written on top?
They will call me soon to invite me for a manual test - where I will be given a mobile, tools, diagrams and will have to disassemble it and assemble it back again.
If I pass I would become technical operative. If I don't I still could count on production operative job. So, there is decent chance that I will have job in early January.
It will be temporary contract so they might keep me for weeks or months.
I would like to go to Poland soon, at least for a short time, to pay the debts when I will have enough cash to pay at least some of them - but I might return here again, depending upon work prospects.
Good luck!
Reminds my of my language exam for my Ph.D. I had to translate a technical paper from a foreign language into English. I was worried, because of my two non-native languages, I read French better but understand German better. So I scheduled tests in both (it wasn't against the rules, and I believe in hedging my bets).
So I sat down and received a paper in French by Cauchy on Cauchy sequences. For you non-mathematicians, they're a very simple topic if you're a grad student in math. And 90% of the paper was equations -- there was almost nothing in French to be translated!
So I dutifully copied over all the equations, and in between did my best to figure out the handful of French words that weren't just language-independent technical stuff. (Yeah, even I can translate, "Theorem de Cauchy".) Took me about 20 minutes of a 6-hour exam. So I asked for the next page. The examiner said there wasn't one. So I turned it in. And they said, "Congratulations! You passed!"
And anyone who believes I understand French has never heard me try to translate it...
Congrats again, Drejk!
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I did a little bragging during an interview noting (after being complimented on my English) that my written English is better than spoken because I use it every day for the last 10+ years and I have a few publications in English already...
Perhaps you read one or two of my publications already...
Checked your profile, and I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure. Just the straight AP's (all of 'em) and core rulebooks for me so far, though I'm giving FAR too much money to Paizo! Of course, it lets me whittle away my time on Mondays after turning in my first deliverable of the day.
But yeah, I need to ban myself from Paizo on Mondays. It's hard enough to work after 2-3 gaming sessions (and we had an epic time, with the first full-blown PC (not GMNPC) death in RotRL, and the paladin's revenge for that, then my fighter's epic cluelessness turning what should have been a nasty fight into a laugher in CC), but having this thread to chat with people? I'm supposed to be WORKING, folks! Stop making me be sociable! :-P
EDIT: Since I don't post a CC thread, Raj Sklaarson, Gentleman for Hire, completely ignored a room full of treasure to see what was beyond the next door. The invisible stalkers that were trying to summon a roomful of mummies were nonplussed to have a fully-buffed fighter just walk into their room and disrupt things. Guess they should've locked the door...
I was referring more to Wayfinder 7, 8 or 9 bestiary entries, where some of abominations I committed dwell.
Wayfinders are free...
Hmmm, I should add to my profile that I contributed some things to Prepare For War AP Player Manual.
I passed 10,000 posts some time ago.
-@NobodysHome-
Yeah, and sadly, even a first year teacher, with NO experience, is making $10,000 more than I am at a university. Where I have not gotten a raise in six years. ;P
Granted, I am not a teacher at the university, but still, I have to work a LOT more than they do, and I have a masters degree and 20years of experience in my field, (Technical and performance theater) and they pay me like a newb with a only a bachelors degree. ;P
(/rant) ;)
My wife, who has been teaching at private and public schools for 17 years, cannot get a teaching job in this lame town, despite the fact that last year over 300 teachers left the school system. (Retired or just plain quit due to all the new nonsense) And to be honest, with all of the new insanity they are forcing in, she's not sure she wants to teach anymore. (WHich makes me sad, for she is a great teacher for 1st and 2nd graders)
The good news?
-My wife has put up with me for over 17 years now,
-My 2 kids think I'm great, most of the time. :)
-I hardly ever get to play an actual game, but I can tear up my fair share of PbP! :D
-I do (occasionally) get to meet up with my old college buddies in online games. My latest Interweb-crack? SWTOR. ;P
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Good evening FAWTLY Folk. It's been a long day, and promises to be a long week. My parents are here to help, but that's a mixed blessing. My father's condition makes it hard for him to deal with unfamiliar surroundings. So he gets uncomfortable and annoys the hell out of my mother. I'm hoping he'll get more comfortable over the next day or so.
Still, it's difficult seeing him like this. He was always such a strong and knowledgeable man. But, there's nothing to do but deal with it as best we can.
One thing's for sure - after raising the five of us, and now dealing with my dad, my mother's place in Heaven is definitely assured.
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Sunday is Kingmaker day. With luck, we'll get to Varnhold Vanishing by the end of the session.
Also, I feel worried since I do want to become an English Teacher at a high school, but I keep hearing horror stories about teaching in general.
From teaching/politically unrelated topics:
I had my first job interview in English today. It went quite well, I think.
The lady that was interviewing me complimented my English two or three times. We spoke about the job and I answered a number of job-related questions and filled a technical English test... Half the time I was stumped by looking for a catch because it could not be so simple - just a short description of fictional problem and a repair procedure and then answering two or three questions about the text. Or marking the right chip on the simple diagram below - i.e. in the text is one or two chips mentioned (using code such as V2411) and the diagram shows eight or ten chips with their codes noted on them. Circle the right chip. Gee, I don't know, maybe I should circle the chip with V2411 written on top?
They will call me soon to invite me for a manual test - where I will be given a mobile, tools, diagrams and will have to disassemble it and assemble it back again.
If I pass I would become technical operative. If I don't I still could count on production operative job. So, there is decent chance that I will have job in early January.
It will be temporary contract so they might keep me for weeks or months.
I would like to go to Poland soon, at least for a short time, to pay the debts when I will have enough cash to pay at least some of them - but I might return here again, depending upon work prospects.
Hope things get better (continue to improve???) and that your time in jolly old England isn't terrible.
It isn't bad but it could be better.
My stay here will probably last longer than I planned because of losing the job and getting another, before I get enough money to at least partially pay the debts.
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I just got an idea for a new monster, which might have been born at the fleshforges of Nex.
Basically, the creatures called the Gorgonex are Minotaurs with the blood of a Gorgon infused in them.
This not only makes them much tougher than the average Minotaur, but it also gives them a deadly breath weapon.
If she was local, I would do it in a heartbeat.** spoiler omitted **On a more somber note, do you ever have a friend going through a really tough time and you can't imagine it getting any worse, but it does, and you just feel powerless?
** spoiler omitted **
Damn. She's not even nearby to help out. That's rough too.
We're dealing with a similar situation with Diane's youngest daughter and grand daughter in Jacksonville FL, but we are in a position to help them out with an apartment.
I just got an idea for a new monster, which might have been born at the fleshforges of Nex.
Basically, the creatures called the Gorgonex are Minotaurs with the blood of a Gorgon infused in them.
This not only makes them much tougher than the average Minotaur, but it also gives them a deadly breath weapon.
Sounds cool!
I hope everyone has a great week.
Year-end overtime has begun. Will be working late (to varying degrees) pretty much every night except Wednesday until February at the earliest.
I really do have to get back to work (yeah, that thing they're paying me for that's not teaching or surfing Paizo), but Drejk's question deserves an answer:
In working with my son on his homework, I find the idiocy of people who have never taught in their lives deciding education policy in the U.S.
As a lifelong educator, first in the public schools, and then in private industry, the general approach to teaching is always the same:
- Show them how to do something
- Allow them to practice it until they have mastered it
- Show them options, tricks, and shortcuts to simplify their workStudents resent it, because they've had to do many problems 'the long way', but they have learned and mastered 'the long way', and so the shortcuts make sense to them, and they can always fall back to 'the long way'.
So the new education policy in the U.S. (at least in California public schools is):
- Show them ALL THE POSSIBLE WAYS TO DO A PROBLEM
- Have them discuss the problem and the ideas behind it
- Have them choose one of the half-dozen ways to do the problem, before they have mastered any of them.To everyone's utter astonishment, students get confused, mix methods, and never successfully solve problems.
Who would've thought that showing them six ways to do a problem at once, without giving them mastery of any of them, would lead to confusion?
Only anyone who's ever been in front of a class...
had a long rambling post but my phone hiccupped. Long story short, the long way made me hate math because there was never enough time for tests, and the numerous shortcuts made little sense to me. Resentment turned into hatred over time.
As such, lots to get done, and only so much time to do it in. So not much forum-ing from me, I think. Catch y'all later FAWTLfolk.
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I just got an idea for a new monster, which might have been born at the fleshforges of Nex.
Basically, the creatures called the Gorgonex are Minotaurs with the blood of a Gorgon infused in them.
This not only makes them much tougher than the average Minotaur, but it also gives them a deadly breath weapon.
that is awesome.
We need more hybrid monster experiments like that I think. Very mad scientist/monster of the week/kanji experiment.
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It's another slim holiday with only one of us working, but I've made gloriously fun, gaudy scarves for the Puffin's little nieces (5 and 2) and hats for the twin babies, so the kids will at least get something. Knitting like crazy to finish fun things for my family as well. We'll bake and decorate some cookies this week and pack them, too, then everything will be in the mail and (I hope) there by Christmas. I'm not sure anybody in my family but my mom actually celebrates Christmas, but I'm pretty sure my sister won't mind getting solstice presents late.
You must be a very fast knitter, Treppa. :)
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Had my last exam yesterday. So now it's Christmas break. Yay!
Oh, wait....that means I have to tackle this enormous to-do list of things that have been waiting while I was dealing with exams....
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I hope you got good marks on your exams, Lynora, and I hope the to-do list isn't too monumental. :)
Today is my last day before vacation myself.
I have nothing interesting to say now.
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You must be a very fast knitter, Treppa. :)
Pro tip: Bulky yarn + large needles = fast projects! :D I'm tempted to try arm knitting for my brother-in-law's scarf, though that might be more appropriate for my sister. I can get matching yarn for them and make hers loopy and his traditional. A scarf I can do in an evening and the arm-knit projects promise to be 30 minutes.
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I have nothing interesting to say now.
That's never stopped me!
You must be a very fast knitter, Treppa. :)Pro tip: Bulky yarn + large needles = fast projects! :D I'm tempted to try arm knitting for my brother-in-law's scarf, though that might be more appropriate for my sister. I can get matching yarn for them and make hers loopy and his traditional. A scarf I can do in an evening and the arm-knit projects promise to be 30 minutes.
wow.
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Should I start thinking on some sort of submission for Wayfinder #11?
Do they have a topic yet?