I am a bad example unto my child

[drwex]

K is so my child. To wit:

The homework assignment is to look up a word in the dictionary. They are to write down (1) the word, (2) the page number on which the word was found, and (3) the word on the page that follows the target word.

K has at one point on his homework sheet the same word for (1) and (3). Initially I assume this is an error of haste - I did mention he was my child, right? - until I check the dictionary page and discover that, yes, the word has two completely separate entries in the dictionary. So, yes, he's technically correct that in this dictionary "meter" follows "meter". And, yes, he's technically correct that the homework assignment says to write down "the next word on the page", not the next different word, which is what I think the teacher wants.

I explain this to him, but agree that he can argue it out with his teacher. It is, really, not his fault that his teacher doesn't write clear enough instructions, right?

And then I find that he has a word which happens to be the LAST word on the page and he's left the 'next word' bit blank because hey, she did say "next word on the page". Before I can even finish my objection he's pointing out that I agreed to let him argue the FIRST one out with his teacher and he's willing to make this case as well.

Sigh. We are so doomed. On the plus side he'll make a hell of a contracts lawyer some day.

(Have I mentioned that I once got in trouble in grade school for answering a geography exam question "Where in the US is oil found" with "In the ground" rather than the intended answer of "Texas" or "Oklahoma"?)

Comments

[docorion.livejournal.com]

"In the ground"

See, here's where the Kobayashi Maru 'Commendation for creative thinking" ought to come in. The first time a kid does something like that, he gets a gold star or equivalent. (The second time he gets whatever they're using for demerits these days. Once is funny, or at least creative. Twice is being a smart-ass. On the gripping hand, you did mention he was your child...)

[ciani.livejournal.com]

I ended up having to drop a biology class in college because the professor wrote inprecise questions and expected to me to know what kind of answer he wanted. I'd be in his office after ever test arguing my points and while he would agree to them he'd say, 'but that's not what I meant so it's wrong'. I hope K's teacher isn't a putz like mine was.

Not this teacher

[drwex]

She's quite the keeper - we like her. Particularly after the near-disaster that was his 2nd-grade teacher.

Re: Not this teacher

[ciani.livejournal.com]

yay for good teachers!

[selenite.livejournal.com]

I had a teacher who was big on "match the ten on this side to the ten on the other side." I got bored enough to start writing the numbers in Roman rather than Arabic numerals. He didn't mark any wrong. So I tried Mayan numerals, which, really, are easier to read than Roman for small quantities. He flunked me. So I went back to Arabic.

Oh we're all like this aren't we

[drwex]

Once upon a long ago, sensei was annoyed at us and so we were made to do rolls around the gym. LOTS of rolls. With counting. He didn't specify what language - typically we counted in Japanese or English. When I got bored of that I switched to French. Then to Hebrew, which got a raised eyebrow.

When I went to binary he made me stop counting...

(ONE! ONE-OH! ONE-ONE! ONE-OH-OH! ONE-OH-ONE!)

[meadmaker.livejournal.com]

On the contrary, I think this is a perfect example for your child. You're promoting a few values that I find admirable:

1. You're promoting critical thinking in K. Yes, another label for this instance is "smart assed," but this shows that he's considering the implications of what is handed to him.


2. K obviously understands what the teacher wants, or else this wouldn't be so funny to him. That displays empathy and undertstanding.


3. You're showing K that you're willing to trust him to make his own decision. You've advised him of some considerations, but you're not dictating his life to him.


4. Finally, you're letting K live with the consequences of his decision. You've made it clear that he gets to argue his own point with the teacher, and that you won't rescue him if he loses. I'm guessing that you also pointed out that if this happens to tip his grade a certain direction, that he'll have to live with the consequences of that too - saying "Dad said that I could argue it out with $TEACHER!" won't cut it.

Those last two points by themselves make you a hero parent. You're being a wonderful example to your child.

... even if maybe you would rather that it manifest some other way than as being a smart ass.

Re: Not this teacher

[meadmaker.livejournal.com]

Seconded!

That's a pretty positive picture

[drwex]

I think I'll hire you next time I need a PR man. :)

I dunno if he quite gets the whole consequences thing, but at age 9 I wouldn't really expect him to get that.

Re: That's a pretty positive picture

[eccentrific.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, maybe if the teacher flunks him good for it he'd learn about consequences. Which might not be a bad thing. A flunking grade isn't going to hurt him. :-)

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

entirely reasonable! the point of school is to pound in a few facts while rendering one into a passable imitation of a dittohead. so, go you and go him for taking the dominant paradigm, sitting it down in a corner, and giving it a good talking-to.

and if they're going to be so cavalier with their instructions, they deserve what they get in response! (q.v. survey writers...)

:>

Re: Oh we're all like this aren't we

[intuition-ist.livejournal.com]

lmao!!!

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

I wholeheartedly approve. Words have meanings. The fluffier we let those meanings become - at least in instructions - the more trouble we get in.

My 8th grade history teacher had one exam with a single essay question: "Why?" After painful deliberation, which he discussed with the class, there were only two A exams. One of them had "Because." as a answer. Yay for teachers that can realize they goofed, and argue the point for themselves.

In university, on an engineering exam "To the best of your knowledge, explain...." one classmate ran his exam grading clear up the command chain. He eventually won full marks (just for that question) because "I have no knowledge of that." was a full and truthful answer to the question.

(Have I mentioned that I once got in trouble in grade school for answering a geography exam question "Where in the US is oil found" with "In the ground" rather than the intended answer of "Texas" or "Oklahoma"?)

Better than "On the Alaska coastline"

[vibrantabyss.livejournal.com]

My keeper from high school bio was: "[T/F] Evolution can be observed over a long period of time." An ernest "How long?" from a classmate was greeted with "Oh, about this long." (teacher holding hands apart as if sizing a fish that got away) That teacher didn't last out the year....

Re: That's a pretty positive picture

[meadmaker.livejournal.com]

Whether or not he gets it, you're still teaching it to him. He'll get it eventually.

[c1.livejournal.com]

The one thing I've learned recently is that teachers talk during their lunch period. I've learned more about my students over lunch than I'd ever imagined. (And it's finally given me pause to wonder what my teachers were saying about me.)
My guess is that K will argue his points eloquently, and the teacher will have no choice but to cave (I can't imagine K being the discipline case that would give cause for the teacher to withhold the benefit of the doubt when grading-- yes, this happens). Then, during lunch, teacher will tell the story of K to the other teachers, who'll have a chuckle about it.
And K will be thereafter marked as being a kid bright enough to have thought about his homework. This is not necessarily a Bad Thing.

[slfisher.livejournal.com]

I'm having similar problems with my child. They've been teaching them relative numbers, as in "About how much does a bicycle cost? $1 $10 $100."

The problem is, Maggie got all her bicycles at garage sales, so she checks $10 and is marked wrong.

[rdhdsnippet.livejournal.com]

So, what was the result? :)

He must've gotten away with it

[drwex]

Because we didn't hear anything further.

Trust me this child is SO going to be a contracts lawyer. I can't get more than 2 sentences into a situation before he starts trying to bargain the details of the corner cases.

[adrian-turtle.livejournal.com]

Have I mentioned that I once got in trouble in grade school for answering a geography exam question "Where in the US is oil found" with "In the ground" rather than the intended answer of "Texas" or "Oklahoma"?

I've had teachers (a geography teacher in middle school, and a Spanish teacher in high school) that would have considered your answer correct, to the extent of marking answers like "Texas" or "Oklahoma" wrong.