Teaching Math

Teaching Math in the 2010’s

A logger cuts down some trees.  Open your Logger Cuts Down Trees app on your iOs or Android device (sorry Windows….losers…worst app store ever…the worst…and no one likes Windows more than me, really, I do…Bill Gates and I are so very close…very, very close…but your app store is a loser) and type “$100” in the sales section and “$80” in the cost section to calculate the needed information or what used to be called “math.”

Then proceed to share the result on Twitter, your location on Foresquare, your status on Facebook, what you think about this on Twitter, and Snapchat a video of you doing this on your device followed by a selfie of your expression before and after you completed the exercise.  A minimum of 3 irrelevent and useless #’s must be used.

If you can’t figure this out, it’s OK, you will pass anyway because I don’t want any trouble from your parents who don’t want to hold you accountable for anything.

Teaching Math Over 50 Years

Teaching Math In the 1950’s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.  His cost of production is 4/5 of the price.  What is his profit?

Teaching Math In the 1970’s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.  His cost of production is 4/5 of the price or $80.  What is his profit?

Teaching Math In the 1980’s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.  His cost of production is $80.  Did he make a profit?  Yes or No.

Teaching Math In the 1990’s

A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.  His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20.  Your assignment:  Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In the 2000’s

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands.  He does this so he can make a profit of $20.  What do you think of this way of making a living?

Topic for class participation after answering the question: “How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes?”  (There are no wrong answers.  Feel free to express your feelings, e.g., anger, anxiety, inadequacy, helplessness, etc.)

Should you require debriefing at the conclusion of the exam there are counselors available to assist you to adjust back into the real world.

Syria…. WTF!?

If you are like me and are struggling to understand Aleppo/Mosul/IS/etc and figure out who or what to root for … I found this excellent. Sorry I could not find the original author.

“In case you don’t know what’s happening in the Middle East:

President Assad (who is bad) is a nasty guy who got so nasty his people rebelled and the Rebels (who are good) started winning (Hurrah!).

But then some of the rebels turned a bit nasty and are now called Islamic State (who are definitely bad!) and some continued to support democracy (who are still good.)

So the Americans (who are questionably good) started bombing Islamic State (who are bad) and giving arms to the Syrian Rebels (who are good) so they could fight Assad (who is still bad) which was good.

By the way, there is a breakaway state in the north run by the Kurds who want to fight IS (which is a good thing) but the Turkish authorities think they are bad, so we have to say they are bad whilst secretly thinking they’re good and giving them guns to fight IS (which is good) but that is another matter.

Getting back to Syria.
So President Putin (who is bad, cos he invaded Crimea and the Ukraine and killed lots of folks including that nice Russian man in London with polonium poisoned sushi) has decided to back Assad (who is still bad) by attacking IS (who are also bad) which is sort of a good thing?

But Putin (still bad) thinks the Syrian Rebels (who are good) are also bad, and so he bombs them too, much to the annoyance of the Americans (who are good) who are busy backing and arming the rebels (who are also good).

Now Iran (who used to be bad, but now they have agreed not to build any nuclear weapons and bomb Israel are now good) are going to provide ground troops to support Assad (still bad) as are the Russians (bad) who now have ground troops and aircraft in Syria.

So a Coalition of Assad (still bad) Putin (extra bad) and the Iranians (good, but in a bad sort of way) are going to attack IS (who are bad) which is a good thing, but also the Syrian Rebels (who are good) which is bad.

Now the British (obviously good, except that nice Mr Corbyn in the corduroy jacket, who is probably bad) and the Americans (also good) cannot attack Assad (still bad) for fear of upsetting Putin (bad) and Iran (good/bad) and now they have to accept that Assad might not be that bad after all compared to IS (who are super bad).

So Assad (bad) is now probably good, being better than IS (but let’s face it, drinking your own wee is better than IS so no real choice there) and since Putin and Iran are also fighting IS that may now make them Good. America (still Good) will find it hard to arm a group of rebels being attacked by the Russians for fear of upsetting Mr Putin (now good) and that nice mad Ayatollah in Iran (also Good) and so they may be forced to say that the Rebels are now Bad, or at the very least abandon them to their fate. This will lead most of them to flee to Turkey and on to Europe or join IS (still the only constantly bad group).

Sunni Muslims will also see the lack of action by Britain and America in support of their Sunni rebel brothers as something of a betrayal (mmm…. might have a point.) and hence we will be seen as Bad.

So now we have America (now bad) and Britain (also bad) providing limited support to Sunni Rebels (bad) many of whom are looking to IS (Good/bad) for support against Assad (now good) who, along with Iran (also Good) and Putin (also, now, unbelievably, Good) are attempting to retake the country Assad used to run before all this started?”

So, now that you fully understand everything, are all your questions answered?