How good is your Geography?

[biomed]

When my daughter was in elementary school, one of the required items for her mathematics class was a calculator. They were actually taught how to use a calculator rather than how to do basic arithmetic! It is no wonder that cash registers in fast food restaurants have pictures of the food items on the keys instead of numbers. I suppose the reason for the number of fast food businesses is to give the new generations career opportunities. Seriously though, the younger generations do not have the exclusive ownership of ignorance. I grew up near a very large hydroelectric project. I would often hear questions such as, "What do they do with the left over material after the electricity is removed from the water?"

 

[Thardy]

For Rodinal Addict,
My younger daughter had a primary school teacher tell her that correct spelling didn't matter when we asked why the students spelling wasn't corrected. Probably didn't matter because the teacher never learned to spell either.
Steve

There is an idea that has gone back and forth here in the US about learning to spell correctly or just writing phonetically. Years ago in Philadelphia, my daughter was encouraged to just write without regard to spelling correctly. She was about 5 years old. It was thought to encourage the free flow of ideas. (she still has a lot of that)

Later, teachers then wanted her to spell correctly. (we had moved to a different part of the country)

A colleague of mine wants to get a set of "100 most commonly used words" for her 6 y/o son to help him read. She thinks this will also help him spell words correctly.



Me, I'm lost without spell checker.

 

[RdEoSg]

Yep, that's history 🙂

Yes except that this was for the current state of the world section! That's how "new" the books were she was using. :bang:

 

[dexdog]

Some parts of France ARE Germany.....but I don`t want to get into Politics
(I`M JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!)

Tom

Was that an Alscace and Lorraine joke? 🙂

I have always thought it odd that in English, the German city of Koln (mit umlaut) is always referred to by the French name, Cologne.

 

[erikhaugsby]

I have always thought it odd that in English, the German city of Koln (mit umlaut) is always referred to by the French name, Cologne.

Now I feel stupid--I had no idea they were the same city. 😱

 

[Keith]

A little creative geography.

A little creative geography.

For those of you that would prefer France to be east of Germany ... no worries! Convert your world map into a jpeg ... get it into photoshop and away you go! :angel:

 

[FrankS]

For Rodinal Addict,
My younger daughter had a primary school teacher tell her that correct spelling didn't matter when we asked why the students spelling wasn't corrected. Probably didn't matter because the teacher never learned to spell either.
Steve

Sometimes it is difficult for those not involved in education to understand that the expression of ideas in writing is a huge step for a 6 year-old and focusing on correct spelling at that stage (or during the draft writing stage in later years) is totally counter-producive to the development of writing skills, of which spelling is pretty minor.

BTW, I'm an elementary school teacher, and a really lousy speller.

 

[Rodinal Addict]

English is such a treacherous language, all those rules, and nearly as many exceptions for every rule. I sincerely feel sorry for those folks learning this cockeyed, messed up, jammed together language.

 

[Ororaro]

Since I work part time in a tourist place I have heard alot of funny questions from people from all over the world, but I remember an american lady that was 60-70 years old asked a question. It was something like this:
Lady: "Excuse me sir"
Me: "Yes, what can I help you with?"
Lady: " I was just wondering what have you guys done with the Vikings?"
Me: "Ehhhh.....Im not sure what you mean?"
Lady: "I was just wondering if you have put them in reservoirs like we did with the indians or what they are doing now?"🙂

He he he he.

And btw, Euros is not called Euro dollars in Europe😉 .

Oooohhhh! that hurts!

 

[Ororaro]

erikhaugsby, yes, that was in California. And I also misspelled the three words in California. Just a side note, I knew a very successful man that had a medium size business (in California) that had on his application for working in his plant: name a state capital other than the state capital of California. He got less than 10% correct answers. These were high school graduates, but it was an entry level job.

I just got though this post with no misspelled words.

I'm sure you got THROUGH, not THOUGH 😛

 

[landsknechte]

English is such a treacherous language, all those rules, and nearly as many exceptions for every rule. I sincerely feel sorry for those folks learning this cockeyed, messed up, jammed together language.

I heard someone once describe the English language as the end result of Norman knights hitting on Saxon tavern wenches.

 

[charjohncarter]

NB23, at least I spelled in correctly. Even if my proof reading skills are lacking.

 

[dmr]

I would guess that Nebraska is somewhere north middleish (and that I don't want to go there).

Actually, it's a very nice place to live. I've lived here for almost 30 years now.

The official State Religion is football. 🙂

However, it probably is not the best place to visit. 🙂 🙂

I have no idea where Minesota is. 🙁

Uh, isn't that part of Manitoba? 🙂 🙂 { ducking, running, hiding }

Does the Mississipi flow north or south

In some parts of Minnesota it flows to the north ... and to the east ...

But if you don't know where Minnesota is, it's kind of a moot point, isn't it? 🙂

 

[Rodinal Addict]

Nebraska IS a nice place to visit, for an openminded California duude like me. I've been twice to Lincoln, (and a nearby town of Beatrice, population: a few), but found this flat warm and fragrant place to be filled with friendly, if a little bored people. Yes, football is everything there, but there is more to see than that. I walked around the downtown and trainyard areas, found lots to see. I want to go back.

Minneapolis is the capitol city of Manitoba, if I remember right. (oo, yah, rate!!)

 

[radiocemetery]

Hey FrankS,
I am not involved in education professionally, but having three kids I definitely have involvement. I think you are right that learning correct spelling can be counterproductive to creativity. On the other hand, correct spelling helps you to be understood and express yourself clearly. It needs to be taught at some point I believe. I hate to see the language go down the tube. I don't mind being accused of being a geezer on this issue, heavens I listen to vinyl records and use film cameras! I am used to being a geezer.
Regards and no offense intended or taken, Steve

 

[radiocemetery]

I like the Sandhills in Northwestern Nebraska. Very peaceful and quiet, beautiful prairie, lots of wildflowers, birds, and the Niobrara river. The best tasting water on the planet is from the aquifer that underlies the Sandhills

Don't forget the University of Nebraska press. Excellent catalog of American Western history. Nebraska resonates for me, I love the high plains.

Steve

 

[FrankS]

No problems Steve. It's getting near the end of the summer and I'm getting testy. 😉

We have software for checking spelling, even fpr checking grammar. No progress on idea check yet. 🙂

Everyone is an expert in education since we've all been through it, and everyone has had a teacher who shouldn't have been there. But it doesn't mean we're all bad.

 

[FrankS]

Spelling is important, and should be/ is taught. It has it's place, but not during the initial stages of writing where the focus should be on ideas. Some of the weakest writers I"ve taught are most focused on standard spelling and use up most of their time looking up words in the dictionary. I have to admit that I've told them that "spelling doesn't matter" but what I mean is that it doesn't matter during the early and draft stages of writing.

 

[colinh]

No problems Steve. It's getting near the end of the summer and I'm getting testy. 😉

We have software for checking spelling, even fpr checking grammar. No progress on idea check yet. 🙂

Everyone is an expert in education since we've all been through it, and everyone has had a teacher who shouldn't have been there. But it doesn't mean we're all bad.

I'm sure no one here would dream of even thinking about the possibility that you might not be an excellent teacher!

how ever as regards spelling chequers i have too note that its still important two no what your torquing about their are so many mistakes won can make in won sentance that the meaning can become quite garbled start ignoring you're punctuation and it gets awful to the extant that eye can't reed it any moor

colin

 

[mfunnell]

She actually thought you said AUSTRIA.

True story: I've been auto-denied access to almost everything I need to do my job for my new employer because someone processing my HR forms (working out of Bangalore, I think) ticked "Austria" - so because I'm "in Europe" I have no need to access Australian systems. We're trying to change this, but can't find out who in Europe can authorise the change (nobody here can, 'cause we can't be allowing Aussies to mess with "European" records). The joys of working for a global and globalised company!

...Mike