General Discussion

Captain Stern

(2,201 posts)

84. Sample size.

Sun Feb 23, 2014, 09:41 AM

Feb 2014

Seeing actual proof does mean something. But the fact that one student out of millions couldn't do an easy math problem in her head isn''t proof....it's just an anecdote.

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Really sad after buying Girl Scout cookies. [View all] COLGATE4 Feb 2014 OP

I asked my third grader and knew how much change you would recieve. nt ZombieHorde Feb 2014 #1

Maybe she was hoping you'd give up and buy 5 boxes. winter is coming Feb 2014 #2

Yeah. Chiseler. Hassin Bin Sober Feb 2014 #3

And if she'd been really really good at her job, she would have offered him petronius Feb 2014 #28

This teacher would have foisted a math lesson on her. roody Feb 2014 #4

Thin mints could probably contain 10% razor blades... Lost_Count Feb 2014 #89

I made a huge mistake. That's usually what I get, blades last weeks! LOL! But, I should RKP5637 Feb 2014 #107

Is the palm oil hydrogenated? MrScorpio Feb 2014 #95

Don't think so. But it is still roody Feb 2014 #126

I give a donation - enlightenment Feb 2014 #177

People need to know how destructive roody Feb 2014 #181

Then stand on the other side enlightenment Feb 2014 #182

They were terribly offended by roody Feb 2014 #183

I'm sure the donation enlightenment Feb 2014 #187

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #5

my first grader could have figured that out... ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #6

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #7

$20-8=? is too advanced for high schoolers? Uh huh uppityperson Feb 2014 #8

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #11

If she was a special ed student, narnian60 Feb 2014 #142

good fucking grief... ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #145

Could you please explain your vulgar response to me? narnian60 Feb 2014 #146

yes; you received that response because ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #147

Neither one, narnian60 Feb 2014 #148

see #151 n/t ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #152

Your response was extremely polite, and I noticed you senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #149

Thank you. I did get a response if you'll go back and look at it. narnian60 Feb 2014 #150

I saw that. It was posted while I was responding to you, I think. senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #153

i am quite sure that the person posting the OP ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #151

I've been a teacher for thirty years, and happen to have a lot of experience senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #154

Thank you sense, I was writing while you posted. narnian60 Feb 2014 #157

did you even read my post? ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #160

Ok, I think I get it now. narnian60 Feb 2014 #156

i was rude... because you didn't read the OP ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #161

Same thing I thought, goldent Feb 2014 #172

I hear ya! narnian60 Feb 2014 #179

That thought occurred to me also. She may have been doing the best that she could. meti57b Feb 2014 #171

Perhaps you missed a teaching moment, I know Grandpa did Brother Buzz Feb 2014 #9

Maybe he explained it to her after the customer had walked away. SMC22307 Feb 2014 #10

As opposed to a teabagger: Spirochete Feb 2014 #39

Heh heh. I'm guessing they're boycotting Girl Scout cookies... SMC22307 Feb 2014 #42

It's the new merit badges in satan worshipping, MADem Feb 2014 #51

Damn, these new scouts sound a lot more fun... SMC22307 Feb 2014 #59

Thank you. onyourleft Feb 2014 #15

Possibly, but the schools missed years of teaching moments. joeglow3 Feb 2014 #62

I will never sell my local schools short Brother Buzz Feb 2014 #65

They have heard the teachers explain roody Feb 2014 #129

The why did teacher graduate them to the next grade? joeglow3 Feb 2014 #138

It is not up to the teacher narnian60 Feb 2014 #143

Yes, he should have said it's $15 Renew Deal Feb 2014 #85

I can do you one better. llmart Feb 2014 #12

I'll be honest, when our daughter was in fifth grade she would come down and madinmaryland Feb 2014 #13

3 x 8 Jesus Malverde Feb 2014 #14

Math skills went down after letting them use calculators. hobbit709 Feb 2014 #16

We were not allowed to even use a calculator till we got to Algebra II LostOne4Ever Feb 2014 #19

I see first graders using them here. hobbit709 Feb 2014 #20

We got to use slide rules in 8th grade. BarbaRosa Feb 2014 #55

Reminds me of this laundry_queen Feb 2014 #114

In 4th grade our school principal visited our math class & called out questions, CrispyQ Feb 2014 #120

Maybe she was nervous Matariki Feb 2014 #17

Nope. Not in the least nervous. COLGATE4 Feb 2014 #18

The rescue is a clue to her lack of math skill. roody Feb 2014 #133

My nine-year-old is wicked-smart Codeine Feb 2014 #21

I once went to a baby shower filled with female grad student engineers, and when someone pnwmom Feb 2014 #33

I'm ok with using your fingers. Robert Gallager, the famous and brilliant goldent Feb 2014 #173

You might be interested in this article, about how different cultures have different pnwmom Feb 2014 #175

The counting on fingers thing makes me crazy dflprincess Feb 2014 #48

Maybe that's why it drives you crazy -- because you were strictly forbidden not to do it. pnwmom Feb 2014 #174

The girl may have a learning disability penultimate Feb 2014 #22

That's what I see as the danger here too. CBHagman Feb 2014 #23

That was my first thought. Either that or an "invisible special need" like autism. Butterbean Feb 2014 #25

Thanks. n/t lumberjack_jeff Feb 2014 #109

Almost the same thing here, but... Maeve Feb 2014 #24

The problem isn't basic education pintobean Feb 2014 #26

Sure, but does it have the recommended daily allowance? n/t Beartracks Feb 2014 #74

Oh shit! Incitatus Feb 2014 #167

Yes pintobean Feb 2014 #168

Bought them twice so far (two different locations,) girls had no trouble making change. Gormy Cuss Feb 2014 #27

Maybe she has a learning disability. JaneyVee Feb 2014 #29

Exactly. Or she was very anxious. HuckleB Feb 2014 #132

Easiest way to make change supernova Feb 2014 #30

When I was a young girl in retail, that was the *standard* way clerks etc were taught to make change El_Johns Feb 2014 #43

Remember before electronic cash registers indie9197 Feb 2014 #110

Maybe she's bashful about dealing with adults and just had brain freeze. pnwmom Feb 2014 #31

Exactly treestar Feb 2014 #101

Yes, that can happen to anyone at anytime. stevenleser Feb 2014 #106

Exactly peabody Feb 2014 #115

I had a sister who did just fine except when she felt she was put on the spot. pnwmom Feb 2014 #116

Your GS cookies are only $4? Newsjock Feb 2014 #32

Weird. All four bucks here in California. Codeine Feb 2014 #35

Only? Curmudgeoness Feb 2014 #36

I have been paying $3.50 per box. nt avebury Feb 2014 #41

$4 in PA. WinkyDink Feb 2014 #57

Mine are $2 JVS Feb 2014 #81

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #191

Sucker Renew Deal Feb 2014 #87

Did you buy them outside your dispensary? CrispyQ Feb 2014 #121

A teacher from a local high school who is a friend of mine was complaining the other day... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #34

Unbelievable. avebury Feb 2014 #44

Parents nowadays never side with teachers. Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #47

They seem to not realize that learning begins at home. avebury Feb 2014 #56

There's little parenting going on nowadays. Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #58

And too many schools wuss out and won't fail kids joeglow3 Feb 2014 #63

They would have to fail all kids that aren't doing their homework, reading the books, etc... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #66

What does moving them on gain? joeglow3 Feb 2014 #71

Here's the thing - the parents think the kids are not learning because of "bad teachers..." Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #135

So, what is the answer? joeglow3 Feb 2014 #137

I don't really know. Maybe exposing the fact that parents expect their little darlings... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #140

I remember a story quite a while back where a teacher caught avebury Feb 2014 #141

Exactly. avebury Feb 2014 #82

True, and there's a second problem... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #134

It's like that in University too!! laundry_queen Feb 2014 #117

Absolutely! Students nowadays complain about any schoolwork at all, but even worse... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #127

Yeah, I'll never understand that laundry_queen Feb 2014 #163

It's hard to instill the desire to make any effort on a child, when he/she is surrounded... Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #166

I joined a fiction writers group recently. CrispyQ Feb 2014 #122

That sounds great! nt Sarah Ibarruri Feb 2014 #128

I agree with what you said Captain Stern Feb 2014 #37

Why not? seattledo Feb 2014 #72

The plural of anecdote is not anecdata. nt Democracyinkind Feb 2014 #79

Sample size. Captain Stern Feb 2014 #84

My guess is that the youngster got panicked at the moment and went blank. nt ladjf Feb 2014 #38

it is not unheard of Skittles Feb 2014 #53

Does the price of Girl Scout cookie vary by location? avebury Feb 2014 #40

Or maybe pipi_k Feb 2014 #45

You just described me! catchnrelease Feb 2014 #67

I'm just plain terrible at math, too. I have LibDemAlways Feb 2014 #78

"Sometimes people's brains are just not wired for certain subjects/skills" deutsey Feb 2014 #86

I work with adults that have that issue Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #92

For all who pipi_k Feb 2014 #105

Math requirements catchnrelease Feb 2014 #184

Me too... pipi_k Feb 2014 #189

I ran a concession stand at HS football games for four years Fumesucker Feb 2014 #46

My 4th grade teacher made me stay after until I learned multiplication tables..... L0oniX Feb 2014 #49

This will make you even sadder jmowreader Feb 2014 #50

This message was self-deleted by its author mucifer Feb 2014 #52

You don't know this child. madaboutharry Feb 2014 #54

People cannot do simple math anymore... awoke_in_2003 Feb 2014 #60

the girl could have been learning disabled or something along those lines dlwickham Feb 2014 #61

Some kids haven't mastered basic math. MissB Feb 2014 #64

I wouldn't worry to much Notafraidtoo Feb 2014 #68

^^^This. Iggo Feb 2014 #103

She might have dyscalculia jeff47 Feb 2014 #69

Maybe she was nervous. Or maybe she caught a whiff of your judgemental bullshit Beausoir Feb 2014 #70

uncalled for Liberal_in_LA Feb 2014 #73

^^^ and This. Iggo Feb 2014 #104

^^ha! indeed. nashville_brook Feb 2014 #124

Awwww do feel good about looking down on a little girl abelenkpe Feb 2014 #75

I don't think we can really let one kid be the meter of our education system. Deep13 Feb 2014 #76

Where do you live? The kids in my town are smarties... Walk away Feb 2014 #77

They don't have some kind of math merit badge? JVS Feb 2014 #80

I learned math from these guys tinymontgomery Feb 2014 #83

I learned how to run a register by doing the math in my head Renew Deal Feb 2014 #88

Why would you do that? Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #93

To get a bigger bill (a 5 instead of 4 ones) and keep my coins under $1 Renew Deal Feb 2014 #97

It's so simple to figure out. How can you not see that? valerief Feb 2014 #113

Yes, I am "ancient" too Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #159

The way we calculated change was valerief Feb 2014 #162

I did it that way too. Madam Mossfern Feb 2014 #169

i always counted it back to the customer ProdigalJunkMail Feb 2014 #170

The OP is an overreaction to the math performance of one child. nt ladjf Feb 2014 #90

Have you ever taught math to 5th graders? (I have.) Sancho Feb 2014 #91

Actually I ran three of the State Department COLGATE4 Feb 2014 #99

Politely, you're making my point... Sancho Feb 2014 #144

I have taught them also. roody Feb 2014 #180

Then you know it's not always simple... Sancho Feb 2014 #186

dyscalculia can occur in normal-IQ kids mainer Feb 2014 #94

Just another opportunity to throw down a shaming demwing Feb 2014 #96

I believe that calling attention to a patent example COLGATE4 Feb 2014 #98

But it's NOT a "patent example of our failing educational system" demwing Feb 2014 #100

If it's indeed pipi_k Feb 2014 #108

The plural of anecdote is not data. HuckleB Feb 2014 #131

Same here! I bought one box, gave the little girl a 10, and she could not figure out the RKP5637 Feb 2014 #102

Probably a home schooler or charter schooler. nt valerief Feb 2014 #111

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #123

It may have been performance anxiety. antigone382 Feb 2014 #112

Your post made me remember pipi_k Feb 2014 #118

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #119

I, on the other had, bought 2 boxes Control-Z Feb 2014 #125

Please don't generalize from an individual kid. HuckleB Feb 2014 #130

That is kind of hard for a 5th grader. Cleita Feb 2014 #136

Last night I was watching a local high school quiz show called "The Brain Game" Boomerproud Feb 2014 #139

She could have had a disability, reminds me of this scene from Rain Man. edbermac Feb 2014 #155

I see a lot of alternative explanations being offered fried eggs Feb 2014 #158

Buy something at McDonalds say for $5.50 then give them doc03 Feb 2014 #164

They should have Girl Scout cookies vending machines SummerSnow Feb 2014 #165

Florida hates it's public schools DonCoquixote Feb 2014 #176

I know. When we had our little factory, I had to teach them how WhiteTara Feb 2014 #178

To be fair, she may not have been taught on regrouping. joshcryer Feb 2014 #185

ew things get me feeling so warm, incredibly so fuzzy, so absolutely validated... LanternWaste Feb 2014 #188

Great post. senseandsensibility Feb 2014 #190

Message auto-removed Name removed Feb 2014 #192