@ Suona : Aww, I hope school isn't too overwhelming yet. :x <3<3 I'm glad you had a good day today though. ^^ And, as for me, busy as usual, but I still miraculously find a little time for Mene here and there for replies. xDD;; <3<3

Time spent in school is rarely wasted.
There's always something cool to learn.

(So says somebody who is so far past her school years, that she has forgotten how tedious it can be)

@ Ry - Just a lot of reading. lol
I've been trying to do all the reading, but I get so distracted with other things (such as Mene right now) and dont get it all finished sometimes. I should get off...

@ Jean - Learning is good; loads of homework is stressful

Yup. I guess I do remember the homework. Also studying for tests.

I loved open book tests. Many teachers had started doing those by the time I was leaving.
The idea was that instead of trying to memorize stuff, it was best if you just knew where and how to look the information up when you needed it.

Ours dont do that
They're quite dead set on memorization and drilling it into your brain

The problem with memorization is that you lose those items almost immediately unless you are actually using them.

Exactly
But try to convince my teachers that
They're all brainiacs with mulitiple degrees and like Ph.D's and what not

Well, a PhD does not make a genius.

Actually, the smartest teachers have the most trouble getting their knowledge across to the class. I had a math teacher once who was brilliant...but he couldn't teach worth a damn.

I dont think that intelligence makes a barrier to communication
I think that someones communication skills are what has a difference on their teaching. It just so happens that often times the ones that are rather brilliant, have spent more of their time studying and working hard to get those grades, that they haven't spent enough time with people to have good social or communication skills.

Hey!

Being a genius definitely doesn't mean you aren't a good communicator. It does depend on how much experience you have with speaking in front of others.

The math teacher that is head of the math department in my high school is smart but I hear from all my friends that he cannot teach at all. Math is a subject where you do need a good teacher otherwise you can get very confused if it is the first time you are learning the concept.

Memorization ≠ learning! It sucks when teachers make you memorize things and believe you are actually learning. D:

I hope you can keep up with all the learning Suona! I don't know if I will be able to keep up with my reading.

That's definitely true, Suona and Min.

Since math is such a singular type of field, many math people just haven't learned the communication skills necessary.

Altho the guy who got me interested in math was my high school algebra teacher. He was also the principal of the school (small school), and had lots of other interests, so he was a really good teacher.

What got me interested and excited was my very first test. I had somehow gotten all the signs mixed up (positive and negative). My answers were all correct, but they all had the wrong signs on them. Instead of marking everything wrong and giving me a zero, he wrote on the paper what I had done, and only took one point off. So instead of me being demoralized, I was ecstatic! (and I never made that error again)

What a great teacher...

Wow, that's a really kind teacher right there, Jean. =O <3<3

Not only kind, but smart. What he did not only did not alienate me, but it encouraged me.
Had I gotten a zero on the test I would have been totally demoralized and ashamed.

That actually, to me, seems like something that most math teachers would do
At least something that my teacher would have done

He could be a bit strict sometimes, but if you were totally confused (and if you really talked to him and told him what had happened) then he'd usually let things pass.

He was one of those teachers, though, that is rather bad at communicating. He doesn't love his job all that much, and it shows. He use to be a construction worker, and he loved his job, but he hurt his back. And he also loves basketball. So he was forced to become a teacher instead and now he's always a bit grumpy that he can't do his real passion, but he still gets to coach basketball. Yet, even though his communication skills suck and he was usually a bit grumpy, I was one of his favorite students (math wiz) and he'd let me get by on stuff if I'd actually talk to him and let him know what was going on, and I'm also a decent debator, so if he had a problem with things then I would just explain it logically to him and make him change his mind. ;P

@Jean: Aw that sounds like an awesome teacher! It's really nice of him to see that you were completely confused and not give you a zero. I know some teachers in my highschool that would give you a zero for something like that because they say there is only one right answer. Getting a zero on your first test would completely turn you off from math and you would stop trying or not try as much.

My math teacher was very nice and understanding. She would also try not to give you terrible grades if she sees you were on the right track but just made a big mistake.
I remember on one test there were some people that skipped a multiple choice question and she gave them the chance to answer it again instead of just marking it wrong.

@Suona: Aw it is very sad that his injury prevents him from really doing the things he loves. It is great that he listens to the explanations of students. Lol, it really helps to be the favorite of grumpy teachers.
The math teacher that I was talking about previously probably wouldn't listen to reasoning. I heard he is extremely lazy when it comes to teaching and marking. He will do anything to do as little work as possible.

Wow, Suona! Great avie! I love the way you and your little pixie are matching.

Yup. We remember the really good teachers and the really bad ones.

O I just noticed how cool Suona's new outfit is! It is very pretty, I like all the layering.

@Jean: That is very true. It is sad that the average teachers get brushed aside in your memory. It's pretty hard to name every single teacher you have had.

Haha. Thanks, guys. :)
I added the pixie, and had no idea what it would look good with, so I decided to copy it. :)

And yeah, true with the teachers comment
I remember the really good teachers, or just the bad things about others

I would have liked the pixie to be more colorful! A rainbow pixie!
Sprinkling rainbow dust everywhere...

Haha
Sounds like so much rainbow

I guess I'm just a colorful person at heart...

hey there su, how have you been recently darling?

A rainbow pixie would have been so cute! :> <3<3
But I doubt we're getting one anytime soon, what with these pixies not even a week old yet! xDD;;

True...

Is it my imagination, or does the white pixie look a bit strange?
Does it have its hands up on its face?

I think the pixie is raising its hands to cover his/her mouth. =O <3<3
Like when you go, "Oh!" or something. ^^;;