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Joined: Dec 01, 2003 Posts: 2996 Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:21 am
Well I have some sympathy for the view that if kids want to come on here and post they should not drag down the tone of the place too far with lazy spelling/presentation blahblahblah. But hell, maybe youngstas these days have little idea how to slow down and proofread what they've written. They are probably very capable though. We have one of the most successful school systems in the world, though from the media and talkback you would never guess . . .
I don't know whether I'd be this anal if I'd grown up with txting or not. I appreciate people with a decent grip of their language and daresay all older people do. It helps you to clearly communicate your ideas, and even makes you appear that you know what you're doing and expect to be taken seriously
Remember, that is useful when the wider social context is young people: few, older people: quite a large majority. Young people: picked on by the police, older people: know when to shut up, etc etc. I could go on . . . young people: can't be faffed voting, older people: very keen voters.
Well I have some sympathy for the view that if kids want to come on here and post they should not drag down the tone of the place too far with lazy spelling/presentation blahblahblah. But hell, maybe youngstas these days have little idea how to slow down and proofread what they've written. They are probably very capable though. We have one of the most successful school systems in the world, though from the media and talkback you would never guess . . .
I don't know whether I'd be this anal if I'd grown up with txting or not. I appreciate people with a decent grip of their language and daresay all older people do. It helps you to clearly communicate your ideas, and even makes you appear that you know what you're doing and expect to be taken seriously
Remember, that is useful when the wider social context is young people: few, older people: quite a large majority. Young people: picked on by the police, older people: know when to shut up, etc etc. I could go on . . . young people: can't be faffed voting, older people: very keen voters.
Now if NZ were like other countries and cellphone calls were cheap we wouldn't have this txt language problem we have.... _________________ A pain free day the marijuana way.
NCEA is now allowing txt-speak to be used in exams (well, it was a couple of years ago when I was doing it). I was tempted to take advantage of it, but was too nervous my 'L8's and 'lol's and 'XD's might be interpreted as obscure chemical formulas or some sort of algebra.
Our friend KingTom will pass Level 2 with flying colours, as long as he can back up his arguements with facts, uses lots of adjectives, and can point out a metaphor and simile on command.
...On second thought, Less stoner, more student!
I never like the idea of going into class high while I was in high school--I wouldn't have really been able to get anything done. But I'm in college now, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't toked up before a couple of classes and actually been glad for it. I have a pretty loose schedule here, with at least an hour or two between each class. And considering that a couple of them are just boring lectures where the professor goes on about his own self-serving interests before giving us a completely unrelated assignment, weed actually helps to ensure I won't walk out of class early and offend the teacher.
I think it just boils down to what sort of class environment you're in. Anonymity is your friend once you get into a university; as long as I know ahead of time that I'm not going to need the focus of a brain surgeon for a particular class, I've got no problem lighting up before heading on in, chilling in the back of class, then heading back to my dorm to play some xbox for a little while before heading off to my next class.
Until 5th form I had some of the highest grades in a pretty big school, the biggest in the southern hemisphere at the time actually. Over my 5th/6th form holidays I started dabbling, and to be honest by the time school started again I was smoking every day without fail. Over the next 2 years I attended 18% of my periods, sold outrageous amounts of nug at school and generally fucked around. But, I wasn't thrown out because I continued to pass my classes, despite the fact that every teacher in the school knew exactly what I was up to.
I finished school with pretty much solid Achieved's, not really any Excellences or anything of that nature. Smoking marijuana in school for 2 years, without reprimand from my teachers, meant that despite the fact that I worked my ass off for 11 of the total 13 years in school I graduated a mediocre student. Had things worked out differently I think I probably would have finished school with exemplary grades and far more motivation.
Getting baked before class is pretty phat, no doubt, but at the end of the day the chances of going, or learning anything once you manage to turn up, are pretty much slim to none. Looking back I have to say that too much cannabis renders a good education pretty much useless.
Joined: Dec 01, 2003 Posts: 2996 Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 2:01 pm
Quote:
Looking back I have to say that too much cannabis renders a good education pretty much useless
Thats a good 2c though would you really say useless ? You felt that when comparing yourself to what ? Or who ?
Regret is a universal thing, stay on top of it and you may well go on to greater things. Though I just read your post in another thread where you say you've been busted. Would you feel the same way about things if you hadn't been busted ?
I know that question wasn't aimed at me, Paula, but I can share a similar experience that might give you some perspective.
Ever since I started smoking at about 16, my school attendance dropped like a rock. Some days wouldn't go at all, some days just for last period if it was a teacher or class I liked.
I can definitely relate to the feeling of uselessness. Mates would text up looking for a session and I'd have to say "no I want to go to class" or something, and teachers would ask where I'd been and I would offer some lame excuse. It was like being caught between two worlds when I wanted to be in both. Somehow I was letting both sides down at the same time. Friends (I now look back and use that word loosely) on one side, teachers and people who cared about my education on the other.
It's like a feeling that you should be doing better, but at the same time you've entered this exciting new world and it's full of fun stuff like getting stoned with friends and playing computer games all day
I was getting average grades, and that was getting me down. Thankful that I hadn't been busted, I decided to cut my losses and start getting back into the school thing pretty heavily. Skip to the end of 7th form, and I ended up graduating as well, if not better, than I imagined.
Now I've finished school and can't help looking back wondering if I could have done even better. I'm not really worried about it, but smoking during school years will probably always be a small regret for me.
I hear a lot of what Manback is saying. Manback, even if you may not hold yourself in very high regard for not being Dux or anything like that, you can take it as a good achievement that you even managed to graduate. I knew a lot of stoners at my school. Most of them didn't make it through seventh form, or dropped out even earlier. As such, they are now left with no real qualifications and are stuck in scaffolding jobs.
You and I, well we can go off to university and be whatever we want. I'm doing a double degree in law/arts, and you sound pretty on to it so I'd imagine you're up to much the same sort of thing. I wouldn't think your education has been "useless." You probably got UE if you graduated, so the world is still open to you.
Pays not to regret it too much, when there's still room to move forward.
Joined: Dec 01, 2003 Posts: 2996 Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:37 pm
Weeell, I've actually been there myself too, and I reckon if you spend too much time looking backwards your fcuked. Better to remember the lesson and carry on . . .
Weeell, I've actually been there myself too, and I reckon if you spend too much time looking backwards your fcuked. Better to remember the lesson and carry on . . .
Its actually a very responsible message to get out there .All too many kids tend to underestimate the consequences and with the current quality of education on it out there lacking as it does, its not surprising.
I find it refreshing to see such sound advise being shared . its just how to find away of getting those who should listen to get the message..
Joined: Dec 01, 2003 Posts: 2996 Location: Christchurch, NZ
Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 8:22 pm
Um, are you sure our kids are way behind the rest of the world Slayer ? Thats a pretty big comment and its not what I've read. Though I can't put my finger on the article/stats right now it was recent. I think theres a lot taught thats worth learning in class, but admittedly theres definately garbage. But theres more to it, and its not one way, as you say. Factors such as teacher quality/personality, peer group, family background, rahrahrah .... it definately isn't just about the student's attitude.
Last I heard we were about 3 years behind China and half of europe in maths and physics. I was shown some figures a few years ago, but it'd be worth finding new ones (not release by our government).
Adding to it, they're dumbing down high school even more. I've seen a few of my old teachers around and they mentioned half of 6th form was now what I did in 4th/5th form.
I just can't believe it with NCEA. Back in 2004 I think it was, they had a 6th form maths statistics internal which around 90% of my old highschool failed. In just over an hour I taught a group of students, and they ended up with a merit average.
.
Edit - Oh and I was shown the statistics from some angry teachers. But I'm basing it on personal experience. A group of 15 of us were taught in just under four hours how to pass 5th form science when we had never taken the course. Nearly everyone passed, from memory.
I haven't found any reliable information out there, but I'm spending my time writing far too many lab reports..
Well I was probably reading someones spin. Isn't that what most of the statistics we read these days anyway
I think the teachers who showed me the statistics wouldn't be happy till we were nearly topping every list of how smart our kids are. For that I'm happy, that's the attitude that the government should have.
When you're in your final year at school and you find out a 14/15 year old in china is learning what you're doing now you suddenly feel pretty useless.
I still see no way you should be able to be stoned in class. If you can get away with that, then the class obviously isn't being taught much at all.
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I could go on . . . young people: can't be faffed voting, older people: very keen voters.
