Archive through March 21, 2002

The ClubHouse: Archives: I have a dumb question: Archive through March 21, 2002

Weinermr

Saturday, December 29, 2001 - 03:44 pm Click here to edit this post
Juju - Par for the course. Getting a little rusty?

Karuuna

Saturday, December 29, 2001 - 03:44 pm Click here to edit this post
When working with the second graders, I've found that some kids have an aptitude for spelling and some don't. Spelling is a pure memory skill -- remembering individual words, remembering the phonetic rules, and then remembering all the exceptions. Frankly, one of the things I liked about learning German, was that their whole spelling scheme made so much more sense than English! :)

Bookworm

Saturday, December 29, 2001 - 05:14 pm Click here to edit this post
I have been teaching Head Start since 1998 and of course we don't teach spelling there. But (intentional fragment Oregon ) when I student taught during the spring of 1997 the second graders did have spelling. This consisted of 10-15 word lists given as a pretest on Monday and a posttest on Friday. Tuesday through Thursday they did practice-type stuff (using the words in a sentence, etc.). This is much like I had done in the same school district years before. I did a semester of substitute teaching before taking the job at Head Start and believe spelling was taught in all 5 of the school districts with I was involved.

Like Tess said above school districts run the gamut from strict 'phonics' approach to reading/spelling to the more loose 'whole language' approach to reading/spelling, with most falling somewhere in the middle, using some ideas from both extremes.

Schoolmarm and Sunshinemiss, I totally agree with you. I worked on the school newspaper in high school and can not stand obvious spelling/grammar errors. (Of course I am probably making some in this post and not realizing it. ) Schoolmarm, the kinds of errors in your college student's (who are studying to be teachers, no less) work amaze me. I do live in Iowa, Schoolmarm. Are we considered 'Upper Midwest'? I remember learning in school that we had some of the highest test scores here, but I think we have slipped since then.

I hope I have shed some light on things for everyone. Send any other teacher questions my way and I will try to help out with them.
(BTW, I only spent maybe a week or two in 8th grade diagramming sentences, but also remember studying parts of speech and grammar throughout school in the subject English.)

Schoolmarm

Saturday, December 29, 2001 - 09:52 pm Click here to edit this post
Hey Bookworm...
I taught in Iowa for 9 years before moving to Indiana to get a PhD and now to Pennsylvania to teach in teacher ed.

What amazes me is that I taught in a very rural district, I taught in Iowa City (a VERY literate district) and I taught at a magnet school in the inner city of Des Moines.....AND most of my elementary students were as literate as the high schoolers I've encountered in other states.

Where are you teaching? My folks are from Winnebago County. I grew up in Illinois, but went to Iowa State and then to Iowa for my masters. I feel like Sybal for the Iowa/Iowa State football game, but I'm a "clone" at heart!

By the way, the research shows that the whole language approach works best with kids who are read to OR to kids who have had six weeks of phonics and/or decoding skills. So, if your school district is weak on spelling and language skills, make sure that you read to your kids! Parents are the first teachers!

I still think that the best way to learn grammar is to take a foreign language. Karuuna is right...the memory skills are very useful in these subjects.

By the way, I'm a lousy speller...but continue to work at it. I NEVER write the word "sentence" on the chalkboard, because I almost always mess it up!

I agree with oregon about the fragments. The only thing that is worse is a whole page that is one sentence (sp?) and runs on worse than (fill in the blank).

Axman

Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 06:25 pm Click here to edit this post
Well, as usual I'm late, but here goes anyway. Yes they teach spelling in school. Up until the eighth grade as far as I remember. Then they stop teaching it. It's kind of like teaching kids to write in cursive. They teach you how to do it and then, they stop. The less often you use it the worse it becomes till you can't tell your signature from your father's. I used to pride myself in my great spelling but, since the eighth grade my spelling has gotten worse. Now I really don't care anymore unless it's for a paper of some sort. As long as it gets the message accross that's what counts.

And that's what people seem to think when they spell online. I mean, their teachers aren't here to spell check. Also, there is peer influence. If some people don't care about it then, why should you?

Oregonfire is right about the stream of conciousness writing. When teenagers go online, it like they are going to their own little world more or less. It's some place where they can get away from their normal life to talk to friends Why worry about normal restrictions that they have in school like grammar and spelling?

I hope that answers all of your questions. Oh and Weinermr, a sarcastic question deserves a sarcastic answer. Don't tempt me.

Juju2bigdog

Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 07:42 pm Click here to edit this post
Thanks, Ax. That is interesting. You are supposed to know how to spell everything by 8th grade. Well, come to think of if, I guess I did know how to spell everything by 8th grade. Maybe it has always been that way. My father's spelling certificate would have been for when he was 13 years old, 8th grade. Hmmmmmm.

For the record, Ax, I didn't think Weinermr was being sarcastic. He is often silly*, seldom sarcastic (hahahahahaha, and this is what you call damning someone with faint praise).



*okay, and I love him to pieces

Weinermr

Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 09:57 pm Click here to edit this post
Ax, thanks for elaborating, and adding alot of good additional information. For the record, my original question contained a bit of sarcasm, but I was also quite interested in the answer, and was very glad that many responded seriously and earnestly. I don't know how many of my posts you have read, but so you know, I'm equal parts serious and goofy, depending on my mood, and the context.

Juju, thank you for defending my honor. That was much appreciated and definitely noted. And for the record, the feeling is mutual.

Evilnurse

Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 10:16 pm Click here to edit this post
Weinermr since your original post came directly after my post, which did contain errors, I wondered if that remark was aimed at me.

My only defence is that my brain knows how to spell
but my fingers don't always do what the brain says, they are rebellious that way.

I would use spell checker but I can't abuse my poor spell checker in that way. Maybe when I can type 30 words with only 15 errors I'll give it a try.

Weinermr

Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 10:44 pm Click here to edit this post
Evilnurse, please be assured that my post was most definitely NOT directed at you, in any way, shape, or form. I read your posts with interest, and cannot ever remember noting anything in them related to their spelling.

My question was posted in the general sense, although it was sparked by certain posts I've read recently, but not yours. Please do not think I directed at you. I didn't.

Evilnurse

Sunday, December 30, 2001 - 11:04 pm Click here to edit this post
Thanks Weinermr. I'm glad to hear that. I was probable being over sensitive due to my typing impairment.

When I was in school it was a big deal that we were given "electric typewriters" to type on. I never seemed to catch on. I still type with two fingers today.LOL

Dahli

Monday, December 31, 2001 - 02:48 pm Click here to edit this post
I tutor adults in spelling and reading, and my eye must be more sensitive (critical?) because of that.

I am dismayed by the incorrect use of certain words. Eg: their, there, they're... loose instead of lose you're, your and so on.

Whenever I see this type of error I wonder how old the writer is and where they were schooled, but small spelling mistakes I usually figure are just typos.

Axman

Tuesday, January 01, 2002 - 06:16 pm Click here to edit this post
**Axman tips his hat to Juju and Weinermr**

Oregonfire

Tuesday, January 01, 2002 - 07:43 pm Click here to edit this post
That's a good boy, Axman. Your momma done raised you right!

Grooch

Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 01:58 pm Click here to edit this post
Here's a stupid question, but one I would like to know.

If a Canadian citizen wants to move to the US and work here, are they allowed? I mean, do we have a special agreement with the Canadian govt that lets its citizens get a work permit very easily?

Or is it the same like most other countries?

Max

Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 02:27 pm Click here to edit this post
Well, you can go to the INS website and look at the Immigration and Nationality Act text to try and decipher the details.

It looks to me like you can enter the country and be here for 90 days without any problem or much paperwork. However, to legally work, you'll need a visa. I believe that's the same if an American went to Canada, but I'm not sure. If you have a job offer, the employer can sponsor you on an H-2A visa.

Wink

Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 04:46 pm Click here to edit this post
Grooch I TOLD you I'm not moving to the US and I'm definitely not going back to work

Grooch

Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 05:28 pm Click here to edit this post
Dang it, Wink. You know, there are no squirrels around here.

Thanks Max. But I have never been able to make heads or tails out of their website.

Oregonfire

Wednesday, January 02, 2002 - 05:47 pm Click here to edit this post
It might be difficult to get a work permit. A friend of mine has a Canadian boyfriend, and he does moving/labor type work, less than 40 hours a week to stay legal. I think he has a hard time making ends meet, becuase he's always scrambling for various part time jobs. I'm not sure as to the legality of what he's doing, probably a grey area type thing.

This is sort of related, but I had an Australian friend who married her British gay best friend so she could work in London (I know, it sounds like a sit-com). Unfortunately, I think working in the U.S. on a long term and full time basis is a bit of a long shot, unless you can fall in love with a Yank or pull an American gay best friend out of your hat (or the closet--HA HA). JMO.

What about the opposite direction, in Canada? This American loves the Vancouver Island area, as well as the Canadian Rockies, and would like to work and live up there for the summer. There's also a little place called Salt Spring Island which was a great vacation spot a few years back.

Sunshinemiss

Thursday, January 03, 2002 - 12:02 am Click here to edit this post
I would be interested in the answer to the American-to-Canada version too, I am getting really frustrated with the complete lack of affordable housing here in California, and I have a sister living near the Canadian border.

Grooch

Thursday, January 03, 2002 - 06:13 am Click here to edit this post
Sunshine, someone emailed me last night about a friend's experience. It seems that there is no special arrangement. It looks like Canadians have to go through the same process as everyone else.

Oregonfire

Saturday, January 05, 2002 - 10:48 pm Click here to edit this post
I have another dumb question. I got a new tv the other day, and two lines keep scrolling up the screen. I've tried messing with the picture adjustment, but to no avail. I don't really want to take the tv back if I can help it, but those two lines are really distracting. I don't remember the TV doing that at the store (it was the display model). Anyway, and advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Juju2bigdog

Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 08:25 am Click here to edit this post
Take it back. You have already tried everything you can do. (unless, of course, somebody comes along today and says oh, yeah, just twiggle the foozer control, that always works) You are a smart person. The machine obviously has a defect or you would be able to figure it out. If you really, really don't want to take it back, borrow the neighbor's teenage boy as a last resort. Don't even ask how this works. It is one of life's mysteries.

Car54

Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 08:50 am Click here to edit this post
Oregonfire, do you have cable? I had that problem on one of my tv's and it was the connection to the cable. The cable man came and did something (known only to cable men and neighbor's teenage sons) and the lines went away.

Oregonfire

Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 09:19 am Click here to edit this post
Hi, thanks Car 54, I do have cable. The lines do not appear when I pop in a movie (it has a VCR built in too). I'll call both the tv company help line and the cable company before I deal with returning it, still on a 30-day warranty from the store.

Whoami

Thursday, March 21, 2002 - 11:28 pm Click here to edit this post
Hey, I thought this thread had been archived by now. Anyway, I have a new dumb question.

How much (if any) liquid should there be (that needs to be drained off) once you brown a pound of ground beef that is labeled "5% fat." This is the lowest fat percentage I have ever seen at the supermarket. At the store I used to frequent (that I swore off of cause they tried to accuse my mom of stealing cigarettes), when I'd brown the ground beef, there was sometimes no liquid at all to drain off.

Now, the last two batches of meat I've browned have yielded a full 1/3 cup of liquid that I had to drain off. I call it liquid, cause I don't think it's fat, seeing as it never hardens as it cools.

Could it be that this new store is adding water or something to the meat as they pack it? Tonight's meat never saw the freezer, so it is'nt frost build up. And, if they are adding water, WHY? Is there a logical reason, or could we be getting taken by a crooked meat department (1/3 cup of water can add some weight to a product sold by the pound).

Any meat experts out there?