[OT] command of English by non-native speakers

[Cybe R. Wizard]

On Tue, 8 Dec 2009 15:52:16 +0000
Chris Rees <utisoft at googlemail.com> wrote:

> Just how are educational standards sliding downwards?
> 
> Chris

More than anything else our educational system is failing to teach
young people to enjoy learning.  This failure is mostly due to the
failure to teach /how/ to learn and /how/ to think effectively,
thereby teaching the /value/ of learning and an education.  

New graduates from high school have little background in classic
literature, a really bad grounding in history, a sad lack of
understanding of math or science.  They even fall down (!) in gym
class (physical education).  OK, that was a little joke.

Our US kids once not so very long ago led the world in these subjects.

They /do/ know Microsoft Office these days, though, and can make a mean
Powerpoint presentation.  

I doubt that 3 out of 100 could figure out how to open the front door
of their house if the lock had failed.

Some guys in my high school graduating class made their own car. (1969)

100 % of my own eighth grade class boys could do 100 sit-ups in 15
minutes.  They /had/ to to get out of eighth grade.  Try to get 20 in an
hour from kids now.

Don't /even/ ask them to count change back to you.  Where's the
calculator?

And those story problems in math?  Fuggetaboutit!

This was elementary stuff when I was in school.  Maybe they are getting
some other, more modern-day-relatable skills that I am not aware of but
i can't see them.

Do you know of something I'm missing?

Cybe R. Wizard
-- 
Registered GNU/Linux user # 126326
Registered Ubuntu User # 2136