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#241
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
"Yowie" wrote in message
... snip a tale of a young girl studying a traditional 'boys only' subject ...our stories show just how much effect teachers - both good and bad - can have on people's lives long into adulthood. At my secondary comprehensive ("high") school, we had to make choices at aged 14 (for me, that was in 1975) about what subjects to study to GCE O' Level or CSE (the standard qualifications, at the time, for 16-y-o's in the UK). These choices were constrained by the timetable planners, and some subjects were compulsory. It was compulsory to study English, Mathematics, at least one science, and one foreign language. The 'options' usually forced the boys to take one of three technical subjects as well (Technical Drawing, Metalwork, Woodwork). The timetable planner (yes, ONE teacher!) hadn't even considered there may be some pupils (such as my older brother) who were absolutely useless at the technical subjects, but were also very bright and got excellent results in academic subjects. My brother was the first to force a change in this rule, and was able to study all academic subjects instead. A friend of mine wanted to become a dentist - which meant he would have to take three sciences (chemistry, physics, biology) - but Mrs. Annan, who planned the timetable, had never even considered the possibility that a pupil from our school would be bright enough or have enough ambition to study those three subjects. Fortunately, his mother was also a teacher at the school (she taught Remedial English for pupils who had problems with literacy), and was able to force some changes to allow this as a possible choice. So yes, indeed, teachers have a great influence (both good and bad). At 16, it's just not possible for a young adult to understand exactly how many different careers are available, and teacher's advice tends to stick with traditional options - such as engineering, banking, nursing, etc... -- MatSav --- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: --- |
#242
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
"MatSav" wrote in message ... "Yowie" wrote in message ... snip a tale of a young girl studying a traditional 'boys only' subject ...our stories show just how much effect teachers - both good and bad - can have on people's lives long into adulthood. At my secondary comprehensive ("high") school, we had to make choices at aged 14 (for me, that was in 1975) about what subjects to study to GCE O' Level or CSE (the standard qualifications, at the time, for 16-y-o's in the UK). These choices were constrained by the timetable planners, and some subjects were compulsory. It was compulsory to study English, Mathematics, at least one science, and one foreign language. The 'options' usually forced the boys to take one of three technical subjects as well (Technical Drawing, Metalwork, Woodwork). The timetable planner (yes, ONE teacher!) hadn't even considered there may be some pupils (such as my older brother) who were absolutely useless at the technical subjects, but were also very bright and got excellent results in academic subjects. My brother was the first to force a change in this rule, and was able to study all academic subjects instead. A friend of mine wanted to become a dentist - which meant he would have to take three sciences (chemistry, physics, biology) - but Mrs. Annan, who planned the timetable, had never even considered the possibility that a pupil from our school would be bright enough or have enough ambition to study those three subjects. Fortunately, his mother was also a teacher at the school (she taught Remedial English for pupils who had problems with literacy), and was able to force some changes to allow this as a possible choice. So yes, indeed, teachers have a great influence (both good and bad). At 16, it's just not possible for a young adult to understand exactly how many different careers are available, and teacher's advice tends to stick with traditional options - such as engineering, banking, nursing, etc... Eventually I pleaded so much to give up the sewing classes that I was allowed to take woodwork instead. It's been far more useful to me. I can make wild bird nestboxes which are used every year and hen runs and stuff like that, far more relevant to my life. Sewing is a no-no, if anything needs repairing either I ask my aunt to do it (as she likes sewing) or I throw it away. Some of the teachers I had would have been in serious trouble today, they often bullied children who didn't have an aptitude for their subject. A maths teacher we had would often pick up 11 yr old boys by the ear if they got a sum wrong and would also throw the board rubber (which had a wooden base) at us. One day he asked me in front of the class if I was illegitimate. I didn't know what the word meant at 11, so I went home and asked my mother. Some teachers have a strange agenda around why they want to work with children and looking back he was certainly one of them. Tweed |
#243
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
On Apr 24, 3:55*am, "MatSav" wrote:
At my secondary comprehensive ("high") school, we had to make choices at aged 14 (for me, that was in 1975) about what subjects to study to GCE O' Level or CSE (the standard qualifications, at the time, *for 16-y-o's in the UK). These choices were constrained by the timetable planners, and some subjects were compulsory. You might have been at my school except for the fact it was all girls! Except you had slightly more choice because our timetables were such that you had to choose between history and geography (And I was good at both of them) French and typing (except if you were in the academic stream as I was you were pretty much forced to do French and if you were in the non-academic stream you were expected to do typing) and you had to choose between art, needlework or domestic science- I picked art as the lesser evil being hopeless at the other 2 but a friend of mine who later went to do costume design for theatre suffered because she needed to do art and sewing It was compulsory to study English, Mathematics, at least one science, and one foreign language. We only had one science and one foreign language- we all had to do human biology and French. One of us who planned to do something that needed a physics O level ended up having to have special arrangements to study at the local boy's school where the local boys so ignored her (along with their teacher) that she dropped out , and teacher's advice tends to stick with traditional options - such as engineering, banking, nursing, etc... We were all told the brightest of us should consider the post office counter and the rest of us Woolworths! Then again we'd been taught from year one that we would only get jobs for money to spend on make up etc because our ultimate mission was to meet a guy with a good job...basically we would be failures if by the age of 21- we had not at very least got an engagement ring from a guy with a steady well paid job (Not a doctor or anything like that- we weren't worthy of such an honour- but something in the local council/civil service was good going)..by say 23 we should all be housewives with at least 1 kid and another on the way....The state of our careers advice was when someone mentioned going to study to be a nursery nurse the careers teacher told her she was too stupid to pass the crucial GCSE in human biology and a couple of other girls looked at it seriously...Lorraine got through the human biology GCSE because she used to go to lunch with someone who knew more than the teacher (Me. Our human biology teacher was a PE teacher who did the whole course with the book on her lap and wouldn't talk about sex....that's a story for another time. When we were revising I asked if DNA might come up and she gave me an ear bashing because that was too advanced......base pairs landed in the middle of the compulsory part of the exam!) and because the career's teacher did not approve of nursery nursing...5 of my fellow pupils signed up for it on the spot! Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs |
#244
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
MatSav wrote: At my secondary comprehensive ("high") school, we had to make choices at aged 14 (for me, that was in 1975) about what subjects to study to GCE O' Level or CSE (the standard qualifications, at the time, for 16-y-o's in the UK). These choices were constrained by the timetable planners, and some subjects were compulsory. It was compulsory to study English, Mathematics, at least one science, and one foreign language. The 'options' usually forced the boys to take one of three technical subjects as well (Technical Drawing, Metalwork, Woodwork). The timetable planner (yes, ONE teacher!) hadn't even considered there may be some pupils (such as my older brother) who were absolutely useless at the technical subjects, but were also very bright and got excellent results in academic subjects. My brother was the first to force a change in this rule, and was able to study all academic subjects instead. A friend of mine wanted to become a dentist - which meant he would have to take three sciences (chemistry, physics, biology) - but Mrs. Annan, who planned the timetable, had never even considered the possibility that a pupil from our school would be bright enough or have enough ambition to study those three subjects. Fortunately, his mother was also a teacher at the school (she taught Remedial English for pupils who had problems with literacy), and was able to force some changes to allow this as a possible choice. So yes, indeed, teachers have a great influence (both good and bad). At 16, it's just not possible for a young adult to understand exactly how many different careers are available, and teacher's advice tends to stick with traditional options - such as engineering, banking, nursing, etc... From the time I knew such a profession was possible, I wanted to be an opera singer. Consequently, when in eighth grade (age 13) we were required to write an essay about possible adult occupations, I looked for something about the practicalities of a singing career. Our school library provided nothing at all about classical music performance, so I decided to write about acting, instead. The only "reference" regarding a stage career was a brief statement: "Forget it!" True, most people who dream of an acting or musical career never make it, but wouldn't books and articles describing the TRUE aspects (including very hard work for often disappointing results) have an equally discouraging effect upon the mere dreamers, while offering a little practical advice to those with real talent? Things like information about professional schools/classes, where to find out about auditions, how to find a reputable agent willing to handle beginning talent..... (Learning from experience means one mostly learns too late, where anything involving the performing arts is concerned.) Consequently, I still wonder "what if....?" when I contemplate all the ignorant mistakes I made in my career attempts. |
#245
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
Christina Websell wrote:
Some of the teachers I had would have been in serious trouble today, they often bullied children who didn't have an aptitude for their subject. A maths teacher we had would often pick up 11 yr old boys by the ear if they got a sum wrong and would also throw the board rubber (which had a wooden base) at us. One day he asked me in front of the class if I was illegitimate. I didn't know what the word meant at 11, so I went home and asked my mother. Jesus. And then people wonder why kids bully *each other*. Joyce -- There is, incidently, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person. -- Dan Greenberg |
#246
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
Jack Campin - bogus address wrote:
Some of the teachers I had would have been in serious trouble today, they often bullied children who didn't have an aptitude for their subject. A maths teacher we had would often pick up 11 yr old boys by the ear if they got a sum wrong and would also throw the board rubber (which had a wooden base) at us. My father said one of his teachers used to do that (this would have been in the late 1920s). One day he did it to my father's big brother, when he was dozing off in class. Uncle Frank was just awake enough to automatically catch the eraser and throw it back at him. I don't know what the consequences were but I doubt they were much fun. We had the eraser-tossing, and I had one teacher who used to hit my desk with her ruler when I was daydreaming more than usual. It startled me, and perhaps embarassed me slightly, but did me no harm. I don't think an eraser was ever aimed at me, or hit me. We used to have some really big tough kids in Grade 8 - the local school system at the time didn't really do social promotion, and also didn't let us out of what was then called elementary school until we could pass. Provincial law said you had to stay in school until, I think, 16, but the federal government would pay what was nicknamed the 'baby bonus' until about 18 if the child in question was still registered in a school. So there was reason for some of them to stay on and on even when it was obvious they weren't learning anything. Some of the boys - both the regular ones and some of the big ones were far worse bullies than any of the teachers, and some of our teachers were pretty strict. There was only one I really hated, but I got over that years ago. There was another who left the profession in tears after being in charge of our class for only a couple of months. I don't really feel bad about that - *I* didn't misbehave - but I do feel very sorry for him, even after all these years. He went through hell. I went to a small rural school, and although the curriculum was very narrow, it was as good and maybe better than that in a lot of similar schools, and was designed to give you the basic options you needed if you wanted to go on to one of the local post-secondary institutions, especially after even the university stopped requiring a second foreign language (we generally ran to one, and that was French and technically not foreign). A lot of my classmates, unaware as I was of the massive social changes ahead, expected and wanted to have lives much like their parents' - the boys working in the local industry and the women working as housewives and mothers, with perhaps a job in the local shops or hospital before they married. The industry shut down years ago and few of my former classmates stayed in a marriage for a lifetime like their parents, much less in one that required only one income to live on. Times change, and we all adapt, well or badly. -- Cheryl |
#247
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
hopitus wrote: I have always wondered if you were Cho-Cho-San or Suzuki.....or if you were even a coloratura. Suzuki. (Also Amneris in "Aida", San Tuzza in "Cavalleria Rusticana", Azucena in "Trovatore", Martha in "Faust", and various minor mezzo roles in any number of opera workshop productions.) Mostly unpaid, of course. My only consistent income from singing was alto soloist/section-leader in various church choirs (a wide variety of denominations) as well as soloist for a few Bahai services, and member of the auxiliary choir for the High Holy Days in a couple of Jewish temples. In retrospect, my major mistakes: 1) Attending a liberal arts college, instead of a professional music school. 2) Heading for Los Angeles rather than New York when I finished school. 3) Getting married, when many of my fellow singers were heading for Europe. (In the years after WW2, a great many American singers built respectable careers in Europe, singing in regional opera houses - none of those I knew became superstars, but they succeeded in doing what they wanted with their lives.) Alas, we grow too soon old and too late smart! |
#248
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School Curriculae (was Cussing)
In ,
Jack Campin - bogus address typed: Some of the teachers I had would have been in serious trouble today, they often bullied children who didn't have an aptitude for their subject. A maths teacher we had would often pick up 11 yr old boys by the ear if they got a sum wrong and would also throw the board rubber (which had a wooden base) at us. My father said one of his teachers used to do that (this would have been in the late 1920s). One day he did it to my father's big brother, when he was dozing off in class. Uncle Frank was just awake enough to automatically catch the eraser and throw it back at him. I don't know what the consequences were but I doubt they were much fun. We had the dusters (chalk-board erasers) thrown at us, but it was the chalk that really hurt. Only boys coud get the cane when I went to school, but the teachers threw stuff at all of us. The chalk erasers were bad, but the chalk itself hurt far more, and there was more of it so a teacher with really good aim and a fistful of chalk could turn into a gatling gun. however, the projectiles were usually reserved for kids who were actively misbehaving There was generally two techniques to wake up a 'day dreamer', the whack on the desk with the metre rule (I hated that) or the 'surprise question' meant to humiliate the day dreamer by making them look ignorant. However, the teachers quickly learnt that there was no point doing that 'surprise question' thing that for me. I'm exceptionally lucky that whilst a chronic day-dreamer, I always had some part of my brain following the lesson, and again was exceptionally lucky to be bright enough to be able to 'fill in the gaps' if I had happened to doze off.And even worse, i could come out of my reverie and ask really difficult, complicated, and relevant questions on the subject that they couldn't answer, one famous one was why they heck did life evolve from something far less complicated if entropy is a universal law. (I still don't have an answer to that one). I spent a large part of my school life being scared to death by that sudden 'whack' of the metre-rule landing on my desk micrometres from my face, but it didn't stop me day dreaming. Going to Uni and being part of a 'seminar' rather than a 'lecture' was a revelation - a lecture will put me straight into a semi-somnolent state, but a seminar will generally keep me awake and interested. I thik all different teaching techniques are now used in modern schools to cater for different 'learning styles', but back then there was only one style of teaching, and tough luck to those it didn't suit. Every single teacher (well, bar the ones that taught the 'practical' subjects like music and sewing) always lamented about how much better I could be if I only *tried*. My objection was that there was no need for me to *try*, I was doing perfectly OK as a slacker. Which I was. I got the marks I needed to get the job i wanted, what was the point of working any harder than I had to? Yowie |
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