Who can solve this problem? The candyman can!
I
recently found out that textbooks in elementary school level, high
school and even college level offer special "teachers editions" that
come with the answers to the problems and exercises in the book. I had
previously suspected that such a sorry state of events might actually
be actual, and I now recall that there was one episode of The Simpsons
whose plot revolved around this. The whole thing just makes me so sad.
Grud, you'd think that if you can't solve the problems in the textbook
yourself, and preferably at a glance except for the most challenging
problems that you'd actually need to think about a little (and if you
are an adult with a college degree, no elementary school textbook
should possibly have the latter type of problems), you'd also have no
business teaching a course that is based on that textbook. Taking one,
yes; teaching one, no. The Idiocracy keeps slowly advancing, one small
step at the time.
The shining new semester has also brought those little ads for "help with programming projects" that you can see around here prominently placed on the doors and the bulletin boards of every computer lab and wherever computer science students congregate. Then again, this is a culture in which Cliff's notes are openly sold in bookstores, so it is probably not my place to criticize such entrepreneurial spirit. What could possibly be problematic with one student helping another?
The shining new semester has also brought those little ads for "help with programming projects" that you can see around here prominently placed on the doors and the bulletin boards of every computer lab and wherever computer science students congregate. Then again, this is a culture in which Cliff's notes are openly sold in bookstores, so it is probably not my place to criticize such entrepreneurial spirit. What could possibly be problematic with one student helping another?
For what it is worth, when my wife was teaching (high school and middle school) she sat down and worked out each problem before giving the work to her students.
I do not know how common this is but I suspect the better educators do this.
Posted by Brian Dunbar | 7:05 PM
This post has been removed by the author.
Posted by Matti | 7:53 PM
"I recently found out that textbooks in elementary school level, high school and even college level offer special "teachers editions" that come with the answers to the problems and exercises in the book."
In addition to right answers, teachers books have many tips and extra-information for teachers.
I don't understand why you think this is bad idea.
- Syltty
Posted by Anonymous | 4:26 AM
The answers and extra information are also neccessary for temps who replace the teacher at times. I'm not a teacher but I have stood in for a couple times for some and it is difficult to get into the clothes just like that. Any help is neccessary. Also for high school and middle school it is really awkward to try and guess the level of detail the students are on there.
Sure a real teacher shouldn't need those included but there is a purpose for them.
- vince
Posted by Anonymous | 6:05 AM
in elementary school level
Should be "at elementary school level" just a like in "compete at a high level". I've seen you repeat that error many times.
In Finnish, the case that corresponds to the English preposition "on" is used in that expression.
Posted by Markku | 8:01 AM