I covered Mr. H's class again this past week. And there was not a blog-worthy thing that happened. Unless you want to hear about kiddos talking rather than working. Yawn. So, I'm going #ThrowbackThursday to something that was blog-worthy. Mostly because as I was in the room, I remembered this incident and had to reshare. This was reposted on September 27, 2009.
It was near the end of the day. I had two students just sniping at each other as much as they could (though, to be fair, they spent most of the period quietly working). The boy was calling the girl stupid while the girl was berating everything the boy said.
It was a government class, and they were studying Congress. I tried to draw the conversation back to the topic at hand by asking where the largest congressional district was (it was a question on "Jeopardy" a little while ago). The answer: Alaska.
So, the girl comes back with, "That's our 51st state."
Now, I hate to have to side with the boy here. I was trying not to take sides. The girl wasn't really that stupid (she was on task, after all). But...
I explained that Hawaii is the 50th state. I explained that there are only 50 states. But the girl insisted. She was sure that there were 51.
"Count the stars on the flag," I said.
But then the bell rang, and she was out of there.
Sometimes, the students scare me a little.
Also, I'm at Unicorn Bell all this week. I'd love it if you'd stop by and say "hi".
LOL. And sometimes they just don't care enough to learn!
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteMy 15-year-old stepdaughter told me this weekend she wants acrylic nails. "That's what everyone's getting now," she said. I was extremely surprised and said I thought those went out of style in the 80s. I thought GEL nails were the thing. So then I told her about how I had acrylic nails for my first wedding and you have to go back and get them filled in, etc. She acted like I was the biggest idiot EVER because acrylic nails are redone every two weeks. I knew she was wrong, but what do you do? You can't argue with these kids...they know EVERYTHING! They need to learn to make sure they're right about something before correcting someone.
ReplyDeleteI know. It is that bad. It's funny when they learn they're wrong, though. If you're lucky enough to be around when that happens.
DeleteWonder where she got 51 from anyway?
ReplyDeletebetty
I don't know. Something about D.C? Your guess is as good as mine.
DeleteIt scares me how little some people know about government and history.
ReplyDeleteI know many don't like O'Reilly, but there is a weekly episode where "Watter's World" takes Watter out into different cities around the country. Only one or two people asked about political and current events knew the answers.
Not too long ago I was covering a government class, and the teacher left a general questions list. (It was the end of the year, so it was stuff she had hoped they'd absorbed.) I was amazed at how many of them didn't know who our senators are. Even though I know it was covered in class.
DeleteAre you sure you didn't have Trump and Clinton in your office??
ReplyDeleteI really wonder if you can teach kids anything these days. What exactly do they learn in school? It seems they don't know much about history, geography, government, or any other subject the poor teachers try to pound into their heads.
ReplyDeleteSunni
http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/
Some learning does take place. Just when I have a day with jokers like this, I'll have another day where the kiddos will say something that blows my mind in a good way.
DeleteThis is why I teach little kids. They believe everything I say!
ReplyDeleteI swear, teens will argue the worst points when they're so sure they're right. And they're not.
DeleteOh boy. Scary.
ReplyDeleteActually, I found it funny. I figure that she's embarrassed by this incident now. If she even remembers it.
DeleteI'm thinking of a few times when I said something, totally sure of myself, and found out later I was wrong. Hopefully she did the same.
ReplyDeleteLikely.
Delete