funny little things

[Malecoda]

We canceled AOL bec we got MSN. Amy's on the phone to cancel, and the woman keeps trying to convince her to keep AOL. In the face of someone who got another provider, they kept trying to sell their service after the fact. But check it out, she actually used this line on Amy:

"If you never had to pay for service again, would you keep AOL?"

Oh lord. I'm like, who fucking taught her how to sell?

I tutor adults in basic math, algebra and trig at a CC. Today, I'm helping a recent HS grad. All I can say is, what the hell are they teaching kids in Washington state? They can't do fractions, they don't know the multiplication table, and letters for variable confuse them. Notice that this is a sweeping generalization, with a sample size of 3. I have older students but I forgive them cuz they're ancient So this kid today is doing mixed numbers, which I think is a stupid thing to teach anyway. Just teach them LCM and be done with it, know what I'm sayin? But he has to add some stuff up, so he has to find the LCM. The LCM is 60, and he has to convert 8 into 480/60. So I start out,

OK, how many 60ths are in 1?
1.
Hmm. Here's one (drawing an interval [0,1]), and I cut it in halves. How many halves are in one?
2
OK (draw a second picture) now I have one and I chop it into 3rds. How many thirds are there?
3
So now I take 5ths, and there are...?
3.
No... [pause] OK, remember what we just talked abt, the inverse? [Goes over a/a = 1 again] So if I have a 5th, how many 5ths make up one?
[Eyes fixed on the half example] 2 [whithers under my evil eye] 5
So I break something into 4ths, how many 4ths are there?
4.

(we repeat faster, halves-2, thirds 3, 4ths-4, 5ths 5, SIXTIETHS? ... 1.

You might think that was the end, but I just got sick of typing this stupid story. He got it eventually, but it took another review of "using letters as placeholders, inverses, and identity with distributive law thrown in to answer the original question". Man. I'll give credit where it's due, now--I'm the worst math student in the world, and I know EXACTLY where he's coming from. I HATED math when I was in HS--but I at least knew my mult table!

It sounds unfair bec I'm slamming him, but that's just the Nature of the Post. It doesn't really reflect rl, in which I really like this guy and don't disrespect him--like I said, I know where he's at, and I knew eactly what was gg on in his head.

These are my funny little things. Any mundane crap like that is fun to share. Or maybe I'm just a loon.

[Sienthal]

History's not doing so well either. No one in my class keeps up with the times anymore. Half of them didn't know the State of the Union was yesterday, and even more didn't know that a measure that could have possibly prevented our schools from falling to shit failed.

[Malecoda]

SO I''ve had a few no-shows, mostly fm the younger set. Cheeses me off. I had 2 appts with this one guy, both no-shows, so here's today's Funny Little Thing. (I hope he reads this site!)

<malecoda@msn.com> wrote:

Hi everyone. Here are some things to know regarding your appointments.

1. I don't get paid if you show up. That means I am stuck here for no reason
when I could be cleaning my house, playing with my dog, anything--I have a
life too. And my life impacts on my fiance and our family's lives.
2. When I schedule you, you need to write it down. If you fail to show
twice, I'll drop you.
3. If you can't make a session, you should give me at least 24 hours'
notice. On the weekend, I won't be checking my email, so make sure you take
that into account as well.
4. Don't assume I'll be here and just show up on the chance that I am. Just
because I may be here doesn't make up for the no-show.
5. If you have an emergency, of course I'll allow for that. After all, I had
one yesterday. BUT, I made a point to let my student know ahead of time, not
after. Just please try.

We're in college now, and it's partly my duty to foster collegiality. Those
of you not showing up need to become more aware of the impact you have on
other people, and to make the transition to professional adult. Be an
interested party in your own education, please. To give any less than your
best is to sacrifice the gift.[Note the nice ending, thanks!]

Thanks for your time. See you!


Reply:

Hi Matt.well first off, you did not confirm your appointment with me for Monday.second of all it was originally scheduled for 11 am,and you took it upon your self to move it to 10.also I told you that I only check my e-mails once a day,and you e-mailed me at 9am when I specifically said I only check it at 7am.so why would you e-mail at 9 to tell me about changes for that same morning if I'm not going to see it till tomorrow?If anyone has any reflecting to do it would be you.you might want to go over the past e-mails we have shared and try to comprehend them.Regarding you getting paid:you get paid to tutor me if you don't communicate with me changes in meeting times/places.. you will continue not to get paid.

ANGEL



My reply: "It sounds like you should find another tutor. Bye."

[EmperorMing]

Fuck him. Self centered piece of shit. He is the one who needs the math help, and HE is the one who should make an effort to get that help. You are undor no obligation to help him or anyone else, as YOU are the one providing the service.

You set the time, not him. Something like this is a two-way street, but the burden is more or less on the person needing the help.

EDIT: He will pay the price either way, in either a bad grade or money for a proper instruction.

My thoughts on the subject as I am in a CC and I do suck at math...

[Joe]

The hell with him. Let the little turd take responsibility for his failings.

[Malecoda]

Hee, my thoughts exactly. My gf is a manager at a salon and she says "he's the worst offender, that's why he's protesting the loudest". This morning (that is, right now) he had this in my inbox waiting for me "Matt, you obviously have a maturity problem. I'll be talking to the head of tutoring abt this." Like they'd even GIVE a fuck. I ran the original email by them in the first place!

[Malecoda]

The latest: just had a meeting with a new guy. 27 years old. Spent the whole 90 minutes interrupting me and complaining abt how hard math is. Then goes and complains. 'Course, I'm right in line behind him, to tell my boss I'm dropping him. Here's what I was trying to communicate:

"you can use letters for numbers and get a general answer that's true for any numbers"

[Shinova]

Just reading all those things makes me go nuts...


%^$&#^%YRTGRTH^&EGWA%$#U&I*&O^UT#@%ERET$#



*Crawls over to a lonely corner and starts rocking back and forth, hugging his knees, muttering things in a 100 different languages*

[Malecoda]

hehehe. hurts, don't it?

[Shinova]

Yes...yes it does...


*Takes a blood-red chalk and starts scribbling incoherent sentences in Vorlon on the walls*

*Eats chalk*

*Goes Neko-ken and starts chewing on furniture*

[Malecoda]

I think that's why I'm in the welding class. I don't want to teach.

[Faram]

Fuck the math in the beginning was so mind boggling simple so I thought I misunderstood.

I actually tried to find your rationale that 60/1=1 …

Then it clicked, omfg can anyone actually think that and still function?

Well when the general iq and education in the us of a have dropped some more, we the eurotrash will come over and dominate in all fields.

My first act as supreme ruler of Europe’s new colony would be to expel anyone that answers the question what is 60/1 with a 1 to Antarctica dressed in shorts and t-shirt.

[Malecoda]

I should have specified "Oh, MA 123 and above" or something ATL. I don't want to waste my time explaining variables and distributive law. At least with pre-calc, you're starting with something inherently interesting.

My favorite student is, uh, I'll call him Bob. He's in his 60's, he pays attention, his questions aren't simplistic, and he lets me talk abt more abstract stuff--which just happens to help me explain stuff that comes up in the next session.

[Malecoda]

Fuck the math in the beginning was so mind boggling simple so I thought I misunderstood.

I actually tried to find your rationale that 60/1=1 …

Then it clicked, omfg can anyone actually think that and still function?

I KNOW! I was stumped with his answers, when I'd go, "OK, so if I break something into 60 parts, how many parts are there?" "One".

Seriously, I'm exaggeration-making not I am. He's a good guy though, at least he listens and tries.

Good luck with the World Domination gig.

[InnerBrat]

I've actually recently had an arguement with someone who kept dispairing of 'today's education' - he ridiculed my uni's marking scheme because 70% is a first, but mainly because I'm young, and therefore stupid.

But fuck, it turns out the American education system really is that bad...

[Malecoda]

well it wasn't really my place to say anything abt this here. just venting.

[Rob Wilson]

The LCM is 60, and he has to convert 8 into 480/60. So I start out,

OK, how many 60ths are in 1?
1.

Ok, I'm crap at fractions (and division in general), I'm completely number blind when it comes to the little fuckers, but even I couldn't make that mistake! How the hell do you get through school without knowing that there are N number of Nth's in an integer? The fucking clues right there in the Nth!