My last poll surprised me a little. Like all kids when I was young I built some little forts. Like a 12' by 8' log cabin. To do that I needed basic math skills. I've always thought math was important. But thinking about it, having a portion of the population that doesn't know any math won't doom society. But other things kids learn in public schools would.
Work skills – The number of unskilled jobs is shrinking, even most minimum wage jobs need the employees to read. So it got a vote.
Reading – The time when civilization could get by without communicating through reading and writing is long passed. The way people text these days, verbal communication might be dead first.
Social Skills – The home-schoolers who end up pissing themselves because they've never been taught ask where the bathroom is, are very annoying. But homeschooled adults lack social skills as well. I've had to train people and not knowing their skill level I cover everything. Public school education teaches people when being trained something stupid to say, “Okay... I see... I think I can handle that.” I learned in public school that this is a polite way of saying, “Hurry it up, stupid.”
The home-schoolers I've trained never learned these skills and have the attitude that if I know the basics I can get the advanced stuff. Fail miserably and then have to be shown again.
I've known more than my share of people with Asperger's Syndrome, a mental condition where the person can't understand non-verbal language making them seem anti-social. I'd rather deal with them than most home schoolers.
On to the next poll:
I was listening to “Hey, Hey We're the Monkeys” the other day and heard this line:
Anytime, or Anywhere...
Just look over your shoulder...
And we'll be standing there.
I've been paranoid ever since.
I was just getting to the point where I didn't worry Davy Jones was stalking me when Gloria Estefan told me that:
The Rhythm is going to get you.
What did I ever do to it?
Switching over to a more Juliet feel I turned to Garbage #1 Crush:
Violate all The love that I'm missing
Throw away all the pain that I'm living
You will believe in me
And I can never be ignored
Not trying to ignore you, just checking you for weapons.
Maybe I should think more international so I tried a song about Wild Roses, what could be more romantic than that?
Where the Wild Roses Grow:
On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
As I kissed her goodbye, I said, 'All beauty must die'
And lent down and planted a rose between her teeth
Which is creepiest?
As always vote on the upper left hand side of the page.
By Darrell B. Nelson author of I KILLED THE MAN THAT WASN'T THERE
Monday, May 7, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
What? No Barney?
Though, true, it's in the introduction where they say he is the friend we don't tell Mom about. Yikes!
My recently exed husband was homeschooled. Ironically, though public schooled, I consider myself one of those people that, if you tell them the basics, can figure out the advanced stuff. And I have nearly 30 years of experience that backs that thinking.
However, I also know from experience that that is a pretty rare trait. Shockingly so. And that most people look on people who can do that as freaks.
I do know plenty of people who THINK they can figure it out but don't have the critical thinking skills to pull it off so they often go in some whacked direction because they can't see the big picture.
Believe it or not I've never heard any of Barney's songs. Being childless has pros and cons. I mark not knowing all of Barney's lyrics a pro.
As far as taking the basics and figuring out the advanced stuff its a social skills thing. There is a huge difference between rolling your eyes and saying "I think I got that." when being shown something with three other people, and going, "That's simple let's get started."
Even the school trouble makers know to wait for others to catch up.
Of course it could be that the rudest ones stand out in my memory.
Post a Comment