A reflection on our education

There have been numerous tales in the media recently relating to the simplification of exams for 14 yr -18 yr olds, one such question that highlights the issue being - 

"Name the power source for a solar powered mole scarer"

However, there has also been a viral email doing the rounds which sums things up in a far more cohesive manner. 

1. Teaching maths in 1970

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

2. Teaching Maths In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 80% of the price. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Maths In 1990

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80. How much was his profit?

4. Teaching Maths In 2000

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

5. Teaching Maths In 2005

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. Your assignment: Discuss how the birds and squirrels might feel as the logger cuts down their homes just for a measly profit of £20.

Now, we all can assume that this is a made up spoof but it does indicate (IMHO anyway) where the public perception lies in relation to exams and dumbing down and we CAN see the effect in every day life. Just look at some of the advertising hoardings (billboards),  all pretty pictures, properly spell checked etc- but what are we to make of such platitudes as -

"Sensodyne, No.1 Selling Sensitive Toothpaste"?

I never knew that toothpaste has feelings. I've never given any thought to the process of unscrewing the cap, giving the tube a squeeze - or the pump a pump - screwing the lid back on and putting it back in the cupboard.

Do I need to be more aware of the feelings of the toothpaste as it is dragged, blinking and screaming, from the darkness of the cupboard in to the bright light of the bathroom, as the lid is unceremoniously wrenched from its shoulders, as the tube is given a hefty squeeze, only for the process to be reversed, the lid screwed back on, not caring about any toothpaste that oozes out, and finally to be consigned back to the dark dungeon from whence it came, to be left, all on its lonesome, until the following day.

And to think that this happens with unremitting certainty every day of the week until every last inch has been squeezed out and the used tube is just discarded and thrown in the bin.

How stressful must that be for the toothpaste! Should I be talking to it every time I clean my teeth, be saying soothing words as bright light floods its wooden hovel on the wall and perhaps gently caress its tube whilst I squeeze the toothpaste out?

Should I give the top a loving wipe to make sure that no toothpaste is left out to go dry and crusty and to ensure that the top is gently put in to place and carefully rotated until fully closed whilst I wish it a happy rest on its return to its calm and peaceful living quarters

Nah, I'll just continue thinking that certain members of the advertising profession are numpties.

Halloween

So Halloween 2009 is rapidly becoming history and the mad dash to Christmas is upon us. I even saw that Asda Walmart in North Swindon have their Christmas tree up [ALREADY!!]

Anyway, back to Halloween, this time last week , there was a frenzy of activity, pumpkins to be carved, candy to be purchased, costumes checked out and special effects to be organised.

I've been carving two pumpkins a year for a couple of years now, getting more and more ambitious with each passing year. This time, things were a little stripped back, a simple skull and ghost with the greeting carved in to the skull pumpkin [above]

Rachel was going trick or treating as a scary clown, the clown from Stephen King's "It" to be precise whilst Emily was trick or treating as the devil. Mum was on trick or treat duty whilst I was home minding the store. This year though I had rigged a little "surprise".

I downloaded a number of spooky Halloween sound effects from the Internet, ghostly "whoos", screams, spooky greetings, creaking doors, footsteps, heartbeats etc. Then, with a small speaker in the porch and laptop just inside the door I was able to play suitably Halloween music, "Thriller", spooky music TV show and film theme tunes etc and then when trick or treaters reached the door, they were greeted with a spooky sound effect or 2.

However, the number of trick or treaters this year was significantly lower than last year and the amount of candy the girls managed to collect was also way down, perhaps 2009 was the credit crunch Halloween