kitchen table math, the sequel: Sigh.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Sigh.

Office Depot here is selling tip cheat cards by the cashier -- for those who can't calculate a 15% tip. A locally-owned video store is having a clearance sale, 50% off. They have big signs next to the clearance aisles that tell you for each video price what 50% off would be.

1 comment:

Catherine Johnson said...

oh boy

that is REALLY depressing

I'll tell my phase 4 horror stories again:

8th grader in accelerated math who can't figure a 10% tip even when you give him pencil and paper

7th grader in accelerated math who couldn't answer the problem, "After spending 50% of the money I started out with I have $5 in my purse. How much money did I have originally?"

True stories.

These are very bright kids. Bright, hard-working, eduated parents (both have parents who are good at math).

That's what lousy curriculum and pedagogy buys you.