Snakefoot Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 I think that it is because I love so many things about the South and Southerners that this aspect of it drives me so crazy. I can't stand Chicago (flat, cold, windy) so the way people act there doesn't really bother me. If I lived in such a sucky place I'd be surly, too. But the South has the potential to be an amazing place, if only people weren't so afraid of "sounding smart." Education is treated as if it is of the devil and will end up turning you into a gay atheist (well, the atheist part might be true). People are so friendly and helpful, it seems a shame they can't all be philosophers too. There are a few notable Southern intellects, to be sure. Writers and playwrights galore. And I'm dogged if'n I kin figger out how they grewed to lernify all them big words without getting their noses rubbed in pig shit for bein smart. Closet intellect. Having to "dumb down" to fit in socially is a harsh reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefranden Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Philosophy- a method of being unhappy more intelligently "And what the hell is wrong with that", Chef wondered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueGiant Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 ... My middle daughter just took a provisional ACT test so she can take dual enrollment classes at the local community college this coming year. I was shocked to learn that the entrance requirement is a score of 19, out of a possible 36. 52%??? That's a frikkin F, people! This is what happens when we let idiot educators start experimenting with social programs in the schools, instead of teaching the kids how to learn. As an asside: You clearly failed to read how the ACT is scored. It's an enforced curve, and it appears to normalize around the 20/36 mark. 33/36 or above is typically 99th percentile. While the scores and percentiles do not change much, they do change from test to test as the student performace is compared with eachother. In other words, it works like a weed-out class. If average performance is supposed to be a C, then the 19 would be passing by the skin of your teeth, but still passing. Thanks for reminding me that Christians aren't the only ones who have a monopoly on reactionary, knee-jerk responses without knowing what the hell they are talking about. Back on the main topic: Beating down on the smart, and the smart kid is not localized to the South. Happens all over a place. People generally don't like those that are too different from themselves, and communities can make outsiders unwelcome mighty quick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Davka Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 ... My middle daughter just took a provisional ACT test so she can take dual enrollment classes at the local community college this coming year. I was shocked to learn that the entrance requirement is a score of 19, out of a possible 36. 52%??? That's a frikkin F, people! This is what happens when we let idiot educators start experimenting with social programs in the schools, instead of teaching the kids how to learn. As an asside: You clearly failed to read how the ACT is scored. It's an enforced curve, and it appears to normalize around the 20/36 mark. 33/36 or above is typically 99th percentile. While the scores and percentiles do not change much, they do change from test to test as the student performace is compared with eachother. In other words, it works like a weed-out class. If average performance is supposed to be a C, then the 19 would be passing by the skin of your teeth, but still passing. Grading on a curve is how you take an F and make it into a C. It's how the US school system went from actually teaching kids something to turning out high school graduates who cannot find France on a globe. Yes, it is "still passing." But in our home, where we grade on a straight percentage basis, 52% is a failing grade. If kids cannot get better marks on the ACT then either the test is faulty (not likely, I've seen it) or the educational system is faulty. I'm voting for the educational system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueGiant Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 ....Grading on a curve is how you take an F and make it into a C. It's how the US school system went from actually teaching kids something to turning out high school graduates who cannot find France on a globe. Yes, it is "still passing." But in our home, where we grade on a straight percentage basis, 52% is a failing grade. If kids cannot get better marks on the ACT then either the test is faulty (not likely, I've seen it) or the educational system is faulty. ... The way grades are "curved" in most classes, I'd agree with you, though it is much, much more common at the university level (where a lot of defective tests are used). This is meant to be a true curve, though, in other words, if you perform in the "average" way for a given testing cycle (ex. on average, 70% of the questions were answered correctly), then that would be 50th percentile performance, putting you at 50% for the test. In other words, if you get 70/100 questions right, you'd still get a 50% on the test. Technically, this also means that the results of one batch of tests can only truly be compared amongst themselves. However, since it is taken by a wide variety and large number of students, the results don't vary all that much. On another note, sure you can get better results on a test if you can get students actually learning the material better, but you can also do so if you teach the test i.e. you just teach them the trivia that the standardized tests are on. Guess which is easier. Guess which gives better results. Guess which actually happens. And finally, why is 70% supposed to be passing? I mean really, if you are making a test where some of the questions should only be solvable by those that really have mastered the material, couldn't that be done with fewer questions, and pinning 50% at the pass level (yes this means that the test is harder). The way that the tests are normally run, the lower number ranges (>60%) aren't really used, and it would seem that condensing things would be a better idea. Then again, people like big numbers. And what the hell ever happened to E? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agnosticator Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I miss the South (east Tennessee and the Smokies) because of the the beauty and the friendly neighbors I had. Damn, I knew everyone on my block! Of course, the chuchiness and the rednecked ignorant ones will not be missed. One funny recollection I have is of a friend's grandmother who insisted that what she studied in school was pronounced "radio-ology" rather than "radiology". My friend corrected her granny with the Webster's dictionary pronunciation, but granny emphatically stated "That's wrong 'cause some damn yankee wrote it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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