So, last night, in my Algebraic Structures class (Modern Algebra), my teacher called out MY teaching skills. The situation went like this:
There was one student at the board trying to work out a problem. I was on the next of three problems assigned in class. She asked if I could help out, since no one in the class seemed to know the next step.
I glanced up, to see where she was, but she was directly in front of me, obstructing my view of the board. I used that little trick where you try to recall the last things you heard in the background before your full attention was gained. (It’s a skill I honed in the many boring high school classes I took.).
I said, “Undistribute?”. Well, more like I asked. Anyhow, she jumped all over this terminology calling it “factoring”. I agreed, and told her it was just something I commonly told my kids so they would remember what they were doing.
She said that I should not teach them that and that they need to know that it’s called factoring. I guess because she’s got a “PHD after her name”, she’s qualified to tell me what does and does not work in a high school classroom.
(For the record, she is the absolute WORST teacher I have EVER had in my life. She explains nothing. She is impatient with us. And she’s just plain mean to us. Everyone in class.)
And another “for the record” — I do teach my kids that it’s called Factoring. I just explain that this method of factoring is like undistributing something. So they can see the relationship between factoring and the distributive property. Because that’s what good teaching does. Helps them to UNDERSTAND. Not just memorize for the test. Suprised I know that, considering I’m PHD-less.
Anyways. She’s stupid. And that’s my story.
This post doesn’t even do her justice. I can’t wait until you talk to someone at that school about how bad she is.
Good story Sarah.
Maybe she was once a sweet, kind, math student who only wanted to teach elementary school children the wonders of Math before an evil Math professor stole her proof showing you can square a circle using a compass and straight edge and ever since her life is consumed with destroying everyone else’s mathematical dreams.
Or maybe she is just a psycho-b#%ch!
mom (the cynic)
Or perhaps she just went to the same college Mrs Corbelli went to.
This lady sounds like she needs a good slapping. That usually sets them straight.
Well Lidbom..sounds like you’ve got a problem on your hands. oh well, Do like you once told me…Get over it! lol..talk to you later!! 🙂
I just got this new Zen Micro (An alternative to an iPod). It can also record. I think I’ll be posting some digital versions of her rants.
Then I’ll slap her.
Maybe she’s really that teacher that had a nervous breakdown all because of you and Brandon Smyton. Then he had a sex change and decided to devote his life to ruining the both of you. I had heard Brandon Smyton was in a homeless shelter somewhere, drinking Wild Irish Rose all day. It all makes sense now.
If posts could kill…
Wait…. did you really hear that about Brandon Smyton or are you just embellishing your comments?
I can’t wait to write my post about today. Tomorrow, though.
I heard sort of the same thing. Only i heard that he RAN the homeless shelter somewhere, giving out roses all day. Now, whether they were wild irish roses or not i can’t speak to. But maybe i heard wrong.
Sounds like Debbie was watching the liberal media and Frankie was watching the conservative. How can we possibly learn the truth about Brandon?