Well, I'll post to the goodnight post. Although I don't go to sleep till 5 AM (Only cause I'm on break from school right now) but goodnight all!

 

Well, that's it, I'm off. Gotta go to bed as I'm off to a conference tomorrow in Portland for "Kids Who Won't Write and Can't Spell". Should be interesting!

'Night everybody!

 

It's morning again, but goodnight Snowbunny. "Won't Write and Can't Spell" ?? Have a ball in Portland with that!

How about telling them "If you won't write, and can't spell because you're too lazy/spoiled/stupid to learn, then I'll call your parents and there is no TV, no video games, no cruising the mall and I tan your little 12-year old bottom?"

Do any of those work, or are teachers hands tied? Or law suits for time-outs and witholding privileges? Or not enough ritalin for them? Or am I off pace with the modern day kids?

 

Oh, no... You're right on! And yes, my hands are tied! D**m it! It would be nice if more parents did restrict the "distractions", but I can't be everybody's mom! Oh well! We do what we can with what we have!

 

G'morning again in the goodnight thread lol. Let me ask you a Q re your teaching experiences over the years, as you're computer literate and a gamer too:

On two tech forums, I've virtually known a guy for four years who lives in New York state. He is on the forums every day, regularly builds computers for three years now, is a heavy gamer, carries a blackberry, and is online or gaming about 18 hours a day. Sometimes for two days straight. Overclocks his rigs to the 'Nth degree, which takes skill and persistence. Friends hire him to repair and upgrade their computers. A nice kid, always cheerful, but doesn't take crap from anyone. Does not steal 'material' objects, but is a constant internet pirate of software and movies. In a forum poll, we voted him as the most likely to be the first person there to make a million bucks in a single year in the IT world.

He is 15 years old. Constantly online during class in high school. Can't spell, has terrible grammar, does not know the least about history or geography. Can't do math without a calculator. At home he can wheedle anything from his parents, who do not seem too involved in his life, but usually disappears when there are chores to be done.

So in summary he's a spoiled IT tech-heavy guy who does not care about, or know about, anything else than computers and gaming. His teachers have no impact at all on his psyche. Yes he is "only 15", but smart as a whip in what he cares about and nothing else. Some of this is normal in a youngster, but his wasted potential is so much greater. (An old lament, right?)

Have you found out how to reach students and instill in them an interest to absorb what is being taught to them in every subject, and expand their horizons?

 

That is the sixty-four-million-dollar question. Every student has a different “carrot” if you will, that they are willing to work for, and finding that carrot is the key to getting through to them. Some kids will respond well to one reward system and another won’t even spark an interest. They all have different learning styles as well, and it sounds like your young friend may be a self~learner and is completely bored out of his mind in classes with long, dry lectures.

His parents obviously found the perfect babysitter and he has latched on hook, line and sinker. And although he may not have a regular, or even rounded, education he does have some marketable skills in his love of technology. So, that would be my approach. He clearly loves computers and anything to do with them, and sounds to be adept with them. If you could help him see how math is the connecting key (for writing programs or computer graphics) then that may set off a spark…. Trial and error are my strategies. I keep trying different things until I find one that works.

Here’s something that may help, we were discussing implicit functions in calculus last term and looking at different programs that would graph them. While poking around I found this~

(x^2+y^2+z^2<0.2)+((y^2+z^2<0.08)*(x<0.4)*(x>0))+( x^2+4*y^2<(1-abs z)*0.12)+((abs z<0.95)*(abs z>0.9)*(abs x+abs y*0.3<1))+((abs z<1)*(abs z>0.89))*((abs x<0.7)*(abs y>0.9)+(abs y<0.035)+(x>y*0.7-0.05)*(x<y*0.7+0.05)+(-x>y*0.7-0.05)*(-x<y*0.7+0.05)+((abs x+abs y*0.3<1.05)*(abs x+abs y*0.3>0.95)))

It's the eqaution for a Tie Fighter from the Star Wars movies ~ Here's what it looks like ~ http://www.leweyg.com/download/impview.html#submitted

The biggest thing is that you never give up! He will eventually "see the light" and he'll need some strong guidence, and it doesn't sound like his parents are going to be there for him. Very unfortunate, but so often the case.

 

Right on the mark -- too bright by half and bored. He has always lived in the same upscale neighborhood, newcon H.S. with all the IT and developmental amenities and, by inference and his remarks, the teachers are a cut above. I just hope 'they' can awaken him.

Lol, trial and error was the same here my kids... I'd not want a roomful of them day after day. I'm just glad that my (military) instructor duties were for grups with some experience already, and not grade-schoolers or early HS.

We email or chat occasionally, I'll send him your graphic equation cuz he farts off most of the members when the discussion turns to anything besides IT. He also likes shooting a little (like most young'uns), and I inject some evolutionary history and ballistics into those conversations to maybe pry open the horizons.

Be careful! That had me looking at my desktop for why the display had gone bad!

 

I thought she was cussing us out!!!!!

 

Time to see what the inside of my eyelids are doing...Nite all!

 

OK, that's it for me! Been up since 5:00am working and studying! Starting to see double! 'Night all!

 

Gnight SnowBunny. And thanks for the sig!

 

G'night all!

John, you're driving me crazy with all those postings to yourself in other threads!

 

That's my one and only job here Rex, Placermike told me that since I'm wanted in every state, to just stay here and harrass you!

Goodnight all! Love Ya! Gonna watch shooter again with my baby this time. It's been alot of fun today!

 

Goodnight everyone. Apparently we have driven RexB to wearing women's underwear.

 

Film At Eleven???????


Go nite!! Start again tomorrow................