Boomerang

This is one of the sites I read because it's related to technology and education. I am so fascinated by how available technology is changing the way we learn, considering the sheer volume of information floating around out there. I think this post is really cute, and I can just picture this happening with some students I know...

Boomerang

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It's all in the chemistry

I hated chemistry in high school. My class was taught by Mr. K, who would say things like: “blah blah stochiometric calculations blah blah , but then we all know that don’t we?” And me, sitting clueless in the front row with a dumb-founded look on my face, would think: “If I already knew this then why would I be here?” But he wasn’t really asking, it was more like: “if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you are a complete moron”. And for the first time in my life I seriously felt like one.

I had absolutely no idea what the hell was going on in class. I was too scared to ask for help because Mr. K was so intimidating, so my midterm grade was a D. I’d never gotten a D in my life and as punishment my mom made me go to the parent/teacher interview with her. It was so mortifying, I think almost as much so for Mr. K who kept looking at me like I’d grown a 3rd eye for extra-credit. My mom asked Mr. K. if I wasn’t paying attention or skipping classes or not doing my assignments, Mr. K said I hadn’t been doing any of these things. So, my mom asked him why I was doing so poorly. Mr. K. said the wrong thing. He told my mom that some kids “just weren’t smart in school”. Holy chemical reaction batman! That was not the right thing to say. My mom said she couldn’t understand why an honour roll student (me) was almost failing his class. (Yea Mom!) She wondered aloud why the class average was so low (You tell ‘em!) and why I was too intimidated by my teacher to approach him for help. (You go girl!) She said that I would be happy to meet with him twice a week at his convenience for extra help until my grade improved (hey…wait a second). And that she would review the material and assignments with me each night. (oh crap)

So I met with him twice a week (torture) and my mom hounded me about my homework (nothing new) and eventually my mark improved. But I definitely didn’t take chemistry the next year. (I took drama instead…I wasn’t very good). Anyways, it always bothered me that Mr. K thought I was a moron, or worse, lazy. I’d like to go back and smack him with my Master’s degree but he’s long since retired.

Aaanyways…if chemistry had been taught like this maybe today I’d be splitting atoms like a champ (ok, probably not).

In the category of things you should never eat...

#1 on the list

Interesting Stats

I poached this from here.