What’s a misplaced vowel between friends - heck it’s not even a “french letter” 
Maybe I was listening to The Doors and thinking of Robby Krieger???
Dunning Krieger? Kruger national park?
2 Likes
I am dyslexiqueeeeeeeeeee… amazed i spotted it (thanks to google) otherwise would not have known. I do get told off many times as I missed the accents.
I feel pre-teen children need to be kept away from anything computer-like. They should be learning to write with a pen, as well as read hand-written stuff; learn critical thinking skills; an ability to do maths from the top of their heads; getting a decent grasp of two languages (yes, two… at least, as that’s better for the brain’s development); learn some geography; history; touch-typing; and lots and lots of physical exercise.
Computers? They shouldn’t even be touching those. First teach them to use their brains and get some basic knowledge between those ears, then teach them to use a computer.
EDIT: oh, and teaching them about healthy food choices and having healthy school lunches (like they do in Japan) should also be important.
4 Likes
Agree.
That is the order in which I was educated … eg maths was on paper, then slide rule, then mechanical calculator, then computer program. That was aided by growing up in the period when these things were developing.
It is much more difficult to deliberately withhold technology to aid education. Kids have a way of getting around artificial restrictions.
Maybe old methods have to be taught as history.
The same problem occurs in trades. Noone teaches a carpenter to use a wooden plane and a handsaw, or a metalworker to forge-weld like a blacksmith used to.
Trades die out. Apparently white collar skills are going to die out too. We dont have typists or comptometrists any more. So do we need to teach their skills? No.
I think what you are saying is premature computer use interferes with education, not by replacing old skills, but by damping down brain development.
I would like to see the evidence for that.. I think proper use of computers might stimulate brain development.
It might be a matter of how computers are used ?
3 Likes
It really winds me up if you go into a bar (or similar) order a couple of things and the get a calculator out to add up the costs. Ok understand stock control and the need to enter into a system how many they sold to replace etc. But simple maths … we are all of an age where most of us learned thetimes table (by wrote) so nothing is wrong with 6x6 … Etc.
I am amazed when a national newspaper in the uk will publish a part of an exam paper because students dont know the maths behind how to mix calculations (bodmas) ok you may have another word to remember. Bracket, ordinale, division, multiplication addition and subtraction.
We had a issue in our village regarding installation of an electric point for and event and calculating the fuse needed. I said ohms law. Easy. The “expert” got his calculator out to work it out, and then got it wrong as he said don’t have all the numbers… my reply was not favorable as I had to explain it to him we are on 220 volts its marked the wattage, and the résistance what more do you need ?
Just in case I Printed it out and gave it to him and his reply was Its english we dont use that in france.
2 Likes
I have read there are several states in the US that do not require hand writing (cursive) to be taught any longer.
1 Like
We Finns have a word for this: Puimuri.
P=U*I
U=R*I
And “puimuri” is combine harvester in English 
2 Likes
So the three R’s are no more .
I once had a person at work who could not write and had limited reading ability.
She was a cook and she hid it really well . I discovered it when I gave her a hand written shopping list and she could not read it so she guessed. She was so embarassed and I felt stupid and insensitive.
I never did work out how the University managed to employ someone who could not write… there were forms to fill out for everything. But I am glad that they did and that this poor individual was not overlooked because she was very capable on other ways.
Not teaching writing is giving someone a lifetime handicap.
1 Like
I am dyslexique and it was only later in life discovered, sometimes I read things different to others, through school I hid most of this by being much better at maths, computing and science. Some words even now I cannot read or spell.
Handwritting is difficult, i tend to PRINT IN CAPITALS. But its very rare I write things down now tend to use computer instead.
Fault at school ?
Yes it should have been spotted and worked on, but 30 plus in a class becomes a production line and most of my teachers did nothing except the maths teacher who was superb.
Now I hide behind the, not understanding enough french, if we go to a resto and the menu is hand written I really have no idea, the shape of the letters and format so let my wife describe what it is,
1 Like
A good motivated teacher can have an enormous impact on your development.
I remember first year uni with 600 students in math lectures … it was impossible … I was lucky to get thru first year.
1 Like
Its a long time since I had to stand and do a lecture to a wall of students, luckly never quite so many, think I got to around 150 but setting exercices and then trying to mark and council was almost impossible think some i never saw outside class.
1 Like
Well said. The same is valid for a moronic teacher. 
2 Likes
I dont know how others fare, but I tend to remember only the good teachers. one or two in particular … their memories are indelible… and so are the things they taught.
1 Like
Nice. OTOH, there are, unfortunately, experiences that cannot and sometimes shouldn’t be simply forgotten. One has to deal with this.
2 Likes
I have had my share of life’s disasters. Dont dwell on them. Look forward and remember the highlights.
2 Likes