I'm a native of Southern Maryland who got out as soon as she could. I earned a Ph.D. Please be nice to your other kids like me who cannot wait to get out of there and who realize that there is whole wide world beyond the tri-county area. My guess: you are at Chopticon? Also, FWIW, I have taught at the university level and there are plenty of non-hicks who also don't know the difference between their and they're, etc.

I don't know if they're dumb - probably a bit harsh - but as a college professor who teaches mostly core courses, I have also found that there is a HUGE effort gap in most classrooms. It's the student effort that makes the difference in work quality. (Not exactly rocket science to say.....)

Yes, teachers can excite and inspire students to want to put in that effort, but it also takes good parenting and student (internal) motivation. You need all three things. I'm so tired of these fights that try to single out one factor in a complex process.

The honest truth is that the vast majority of the human race is not that bright. Americans as a rule are also not very well educated.

My severely dyslexic middle schooler spells poorly, even after years of tutoring. Someone said to me the other night that we may have to accept that she will always be a bad speller.

Despite the spelling, she is bright and eager to learn. Her teachers understand that, and help her thrive in school.

I hope she never runs into the likes of you.

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, what are you doing to reach them and inspire them?

I'm 7:58 and I guarantee nothing. Too lazy to challenge herself to be a better teacher and then is shocked when her students don't put forth effort for her. Plenty of teachers out there like this, I've taught with them and the lack of give a sh*t is obvious to even the students.

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much these phones are impacting basic literacy. Even speaking for myself, I used to read books, newspapers, magazines all the time, but really don't anymore. As a kid I was a huge reader, and I don't think kids are anymore.

Well, you used "impact" as a verb, so it's definitely taken a toll on your literacy.

As a teacher, what are you doing to reach them and inspire them?

I wonder how much these phones are impacting basic literacy. Even speaking for myself, I used to read books, newspapers, magazines all the time, but really don't anymore. As a kid I was a huge reader, and I don't think kids are anymore.

Given that OP has difficulty punctuating....

Get out of teaching. I'm a teacher and people like you are why we get a bad rap. If you can't go in there and see the best in those kids and do everything you can to be the teacher and class who makes a difference then you're hurting them. They aren't stupid, they just intuit your low opinion of them and don't find you worthy of working hard for. Crappy teachers get crappy students.

So circle their misspellings in red ink, mark them off for it and have then resubmit with corrected spellings for a better grade.

They won't know what they are doing wrong if you don't TELL them!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I work as a teacher in a Southern Maryland High School and I have to say 80% to 90% of the children are dumber than dirt. They lack the intellectual capacity to even spell simple words like "though" or "their". I'm not trying to talk against them but I wish they weren't so damn dumb. All they care about is Facebook, Twitter and other stupid stuff.

the ability to spell and the ability to think are two different things.

They can't do either.

Monday morning blues, OP?

Hang in there. It means YOU can make a difference in their lives!

Anonymous wrote:I work as a teacher in a Southern Maryland High School and I have to say 80% to 90% of the children are dumber than dirt. They lack the intellectual capacity to even spell simple words like "though" or "their". I'm not trying to talk against them but I wish they weren't so damn dumb. All they care about is Facebook, Twitter and other stupid stuff.

the ability to spell and the ability to think are two different things.

I work as a teacher in a Southern Maryland High School and I have to say 80% to 90% of the children are dumber than dirt. They lack the intellectual capacity to even spell simple words like "though" or "their". I'm not trying to talk against them but I wish they weren't so damn dumb. All they care about is Facebook, Twitter and other stupid stuff.