Things that piss you off Page 1,000

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 22 2012, 12:08 PM BST

I have read loads thank you very much from Shakespeare to Chaucer to Orwell. I just choose not to read books now as I don't have a long commute.

But your reasoning that reading books equates to learning is so incredibly myopic and supercilious that I don't know where to begin.

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It's one of the facets of education.

And one you reject at your peril.

Yes of course as I already said there is a central place for practical skills.
Dragging a 14 year old kid off of a building site to sit through a lesson in Chaucer is a lesson in futility. More to the point it'll inculcate a hatred of learningthat's counterproductive.

But where do you draw the line? How old is it book school for some and brick school for others?

And I more take the view that teaching the basics; reading, writing, rhythmatic and research is far more important than, CSE, PSE, RE and how to take a pee.

More less more focussed subjects with less of a sociological aim.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 22 2012, 12:08 PM BST

I have read loads thank you very much from Shakespeare to Chaucer to Orwell. I just choose not to read books now as I don't have a long commute.

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Believe it or not, the most egalitarian place to do ya learnings is an American High School. The one I went to taught a truly impressive range of subjects from Drivers Education to Touch Typing to Auto Shop and at the end of it, everyone received a High School dipoma regardless of preferred subjects. Obviously, certain subjects such as English, Math*, Science, etc. were required subjects for every student.

Where the system tripped up was on SAT scores, one bad exam and your chances of going to college were screwed - until you could take the exam again. However, all this showed was that you were good at taking SAT exams and wasn't a true measure of intelligence.

*Americans call it Math, so please none of this Maths stuff.

I have read loads thank you from South Harrow, to Chigwell to Orpington!

Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 22 2012, 12:25 PM BST

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Yes Matthew, I'm sure Twilight and The Hunger Games are cracking good reads, but digesting crap in book form does not magically transform it into intellectual gold.

Quote: Marc P @ June 22 2012, 12:26 PM BST

I have read loads thank you from South Harrow, to Chigwell to Orpington!

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That genuinely made me laugh out loud. Kudos old chap.

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 22 2012, 12:27 PM BST

Yes Matthew, I'm sure Twilight and The Hunger Games are cracking good reads, but digesting crap in book form does not magically transform it into intellectual gold.

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Not sure how you got to that post from mine, that's quite a leap, impressive.

I thank you!

Quote: Renegade Carpark @ June 22 2012, 12:25 PM BST

Believe it or not, the most egalitarian place to do ya learnings is an American High School. Everyone ducked under the same table when the black coated guys burst in with shotguns and pipe bombs. Except the Jews they had their own table, they always do.

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That is impressively egalitarian.

But you make a good point and about the same one I am. It's the group thinkthat's the problem with GCSEs and has been from the start. The current curiculum is a straight jacket.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 22 2012, 12:28 PM BST

Not sure how you got to that post from mine, that's quite a leap, impressive.

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I learnt it in a book.

Stupid books.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 22 2012, 12:33 PM BST

Stupid books.

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They're only good for kindle-ing.

No

Super Book!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBXgTZaT4tc

Quote: Matthew Stott @ June 22 2012, 12:28 PM BST

Not sure how you got to that post from mine, that's quite a leap, impressive.

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He's lashing out because he can't read.

Quote: zooo @ June 22 2012, 12:46 PM BST

He's lashing out because he can't read.

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Quote: zooo @ June 22 2012, 12:46 PM BST

He's lashing out because he can't read.

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And yes, I do realise that arguing against the merits of books on a comedy forum full of nerds is like pissing in a wind tunnel. But I shall argue on nonetheless.