OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 19:29:25 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"John H" wrote in message
.. .

Some things I've learned:

Most 8th graders, even the *smart* ones taking algebra early, won't
read the book. They need to learn that doing so has benefits.

In my school we have late bus days. Teachers are expected to be there
until the late buses leave. That's an extra 35-45 minutes after the
last class. There are two or three late bus days every week. If a
parent were to call the principal to complain about the lack of after
school help, the help would quickly become available. This assumes
that the teacher really *isn't* busy after school. Some teachers are
also coaches, for example, and really aren't available.

Not all teachers are as dedicated as they could be. Some of them are
sick of fighting a system in which they are at fault for every failure
and parents have no responsibilities whatever in the educational
process.

Glad things worked out for your son. If he has an algebra question
tell him to post it here. I'll help him.

John H

Good point about teachers sick of the system. But, I'm an old-fashioned guy.
I think parents are part of the system. Parents who don't participate in
their kids' education should be ground up and used as chum. In the first
week of each new school year, I make sure I've spoken to all his teachers,
to let them know that I'm there. Or here. Or whatever.

What's interesting is trying to figure out why my son does well in school.
We discussed this a few weeks ago, along with a couple of thugs he had over
for dinner. The consensus was "I dunno....got any more root beer?".
Seriously, his crew doesn't compete with one another. And, the parents don't
nag. They seem to think it's a matter of "If you're smart to begin with, why
waste it?" Or, as my son likes to say, "Who wants to be dumb? You could end
up being the president."


If he's taking algebra in 8th grade, he's in a good peer group. Do
your damndest to keep him there. Get him into Geometry during summer
school, and then into Algebra 2 as a Freshman. That puts him two years
ahead of the "masses". Then he can take Pre-calculus as a sophomore,
Calculus 1 and 2 as a Junior, and Multivariate Calculus as a senior.
Then he'll be ready for whatever college has to offer. He may have to
retake multivariate, but he'll be way ahead of the game.

I'm not sure I believe that last sentence. Methinks he's been reading
too many Harry K posts in the group. Harvard MBA holders are not dumb.

No 8th grader is going to admit to liking school or trying to do well.
It ain't kewl. He *is* competing with the other algebra students,
though. But you'll probably never get him to admit it!

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

"John H" wrote in message
...
What's interesting is trying to figure out why my son does well in
school.
We discussed this a few weeks ago, along with a couple of thugs he had
over
for dinner. The consensus was "I dunno....got any more root beer?".
Seriously, his crew doesn't compete with one another. And, the parents
don't
nag. They seem to think it's a matter of "If you're smart to begin with,
why
waste it?" Or, as my son likes to say, "Who wants to be dumb? You could
end
up being the president."


If he's taking algebra in 8th grade, he's in a good peer group. Do
your damndest to keep him there. Get him into Geometry during summer
school, and then into Algebra 2 as a Freshman. That puts him two years
ahead of the "masses". Then he can take Pre-calculus as a sophomore,
Calculus 1 and 2 as a Junior, and Multivariate Calculus as a senior.
Then he'll be ready for whatever college has to offer. He may have to
retake multivariate, but he'll be way ahead of the game.

I'm not sure I believe that last sentence. Methinks he's been reading
too many Harry K posts in the group. Harvard MBA holders are not dumb.

No 8th grader is going to admit to liking school or trying to do well.
It ain't kewl. He *is* competing with the other algebra students,
though. But you'll probably never get him to admit it!

John H

He's in 9th now. He took advanced algebra last year and hit a 97. This year,
some knucklehead (my ex) let him take computer graphics which, due to
scheduling conflicts, shoved his first taste of algebra into this semester.
He loves the computer stuff, but that's the last time he dicks around with
his math courses. I had a clause added into the separation agreement about
consulting on course selection.

As far as his comment on the president, he came up with that one all on his
own, sort of. When he used to ask the classic kid question about what to be
when he grows up, I used to give him the classic answer: "You can grow up to
be anything - the president, if you want to". At the same time, English is
the one course where I get out the whip. I don't think there's any excuse
for being inarticulate. The result is that he listens to grammar very
closely. When he hears the monkey on the news, he shakes his head in
disbelief.

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

Oops. I meant his first taste of geometry, not algebra.

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 21:15:32 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Oops. I meant his first taste of geometry, not algebra.


Well, it's too late then. I wouldnl't recommend trying to take any
other course during the summer. Geomety is easy enough that a bright
kid can get away with it. Also, Algebra 2 is not very Geometry
dependent. Pre-calc is *very* dependent on Algebra 2, though.
Try to keep him in 'honors' type courses if possible, just because of
the peer groups.


John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

This could be a good opportunity to rackup some brownie points.
Fix the problem as fast as possible and don't remind the boss of his son's
blunder...he knows that.
Humbly accept any praise thrown your way and assume 'points' have been
deposited in your account.
Who knows...you may need them someday.

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...

I'm just a whole bunch of fun today. Consider yourself lucky. My boss is
ready to have a stroke because of me today. His 25 yr old son decided to
"help" by making some adjustments to our network. Now, the company's email
is down, as well as a host of other network functions which are crucial to
the business. I told him I'll continue to refer to his son as "the child"
until everything works again. I'm having a ball.

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

"John H" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 21:15:32 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Oops. I meant his first taste of geometry, not algebra.


Well, it's too late then. I wouldnl't recommend trying to take any
other course during the summer. Geomety is easy enough that a bright
kid can get away with it. Also, Algebra 2 is not very Geometry
dependent. Pre-calc is *very* dependent on Algebra 2, though.
Try to keep him in 'honors' type courses if possible, just because of
the peer groups.


John H

Yeah...he prefers those groups to begin with. The girls don't smell like
Yankee Candle shops, and the guys are into skateboarding, fishing and
shooting. There are even a few Boy Scouts. Normally, he avoids that type,
but these three seem to have escaped the mind-numbing part of the
organization. The parents are probably democrats.

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

I'm 400 miles from the servers and don't know how to fix the problems. All I
know is that a friend here, who's a REAL network engineer, has read all the
emails flying back and forth, and has informed me that we have a Very
Serious Problem with the child, and with the business, if the nonsense
continues for another day or two.

This has happened several times before. The first time, the kid built some
sort of rudimentary software for the high school library. Daddy was so
impressed that he let the child tinker in the office. Brought down the
Lantastic network for 2 days.

I'm beyond brownie points by now. By tomorrow, I'll have fangs. I'm over it.
WAY over it.

"Don White" wrote in message
...
This could be a good opportunity to rackup some brownie points.
Fix the problem as fast as possible and don't remind the boss of his son's
blunder...he knows that.
Humbly accept any praise thrown your way and assume 'points' have been
deposited in your account.
Who knows...you may need them someday.

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...

I'm just a whole bunch of fun today. Consider yourself lucky. My boss is
ready to have a stroke because of me today. His 25 yr old son decided to
"help" by making some adjustments to our network. Now, the company's
email
is down, as well as a host of other network functions which are crucial
to
the business. I told him I'll continue to refer to his son as "the
child"
until everything works again. I'm having a ball.

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

Oh!...that is a different kettle of fish. Good luck.

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...
I'm 400 miles from the servers and don't know how to fix the problems. All
I
know is that a friend here, who's a REAL network engineer, has read all
the
emails flying back and forth, and has informed me that we have a Very
Serious Problem with the child, and with the business, if the nonsense
continues for another day or two.

This has happened several times before. The first time, the kid built some
sort of rudimentary software for the high school library. Daddy was so
impressed that he let the child tinker in the office. Brought down the
Lantastic network for 2 days.

I'm beyond brownie points by now. By tomorrow, I'll have fangs. I'm over
it.
WAY over it.

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 21:41:58 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"John H" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 21:15:32 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Oops. I meant his first taste of geometry, not algebra.


Well, it's too late then. I wouldnl't recommend trying to take any
other course during the summer. Geomety is easy enough that a bright
kid can get away with it. Also, Algebra 2 is not very Geometry
dependent. Pre-calc is *very* dependent on Algebra 2, though.
Try to keep him in 'honors' type courses if possible, just because of
the peer groups.


John H

Yeah...he prefers those groups to begin with. The girls don't smell like
Yankee Candle shops, and the guys are into skateboarding, fishing and
shooting. There are even a few Boy Scouts. Normally, he avoids that type,
but these three seem to have escaped the mind-numbing part of the
organization. The parents are probably democrats.

Nope, probably conservatives. Most Dems don't worry about education
much. Makes no difference 'cause Uncle will support them anyway. I'm
surprised most Dems even send their kids to school.

[YOU started it!]

John H

On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD
on the beautiful Chesapeake Bay!

OT - Are we safer? Go figure....
 

"John H" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 21:41:58 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

"John H" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 21:15:32 GMT, "Doug Kanter"
wrote:

Oops. I meant his first taste of geometry, not algebra.


Well, it's too late then. I wouldnl't recommend trying to take any
other course during the summer. Geomety is easy enough that a bright
kid can get away with it. Also, Algebra 2 is not very Geometry
dependent. Pre-calc is *very* dependent on Algebra 2, though.
Try to keep him in 'honors' type courses if possible, just because of
the peer groups.


John H

Yeah...he prefers those groups to begin with. The girls don't smell like
Yankee Candle shops, and the guys are into skateboarding, fishing and
shooting. There are even a few Boy Scouts. Normally, he avoids that type,
but these three seem to have escaped the mind-numbing part of the
organization. The parents are probably democrats.

Nope, probably conservatives. Most Dems don't worry about education
much. Makes no difference 'cause Uncle will support them anyway. I'm
surprised most Dems even send their kids to school.

[YOU started it!]

John H

Uncle??? Uncle is still working 57 hours a week on an assembly line!