Education Comic

Kevin Lang · Feb 9, 2014

I wish we lived in a time when an Ivy League degree meant that its "bearer" had received the most rigorous education in the land. Now it just signifies that the bearer paid a lot of money to get an indoctrination.

I'm not sure that I'd want a surgeon who isn't fluent either in his "native" language or English because of the communication breakdown. So, what language does he speak fluently? I'm not sure it links back to your point favorably as it makes the man sound like a sort of idiot savant, skilled in surgery but nothing else, not even able to effectively communicate; "Specialization is for insects"

H D · Feb 9, 2014

Sorry, I suppose that did read as if he doesn't speak fluently. His formal writing is not "fluent" or perfect. He can hold conversation very well and gives presentations before research boards frequently, so that isn't an issue (I didn't mention he is doing research on a disease that has only had two cases identified in the country). He was raised in Boston through the age of 13 and then Atlanta through high school, so his accent is Vietnabostlantan. Multicultural for sure but not difficult to understand. His research goes through multiple reviews so the writing gets edited to death before publishing in journals. His writing isn't 3rd grade level or anything like that, he just mixes tenses some and other common errors.

I'll put it this way, he "Passed Plus" on the English portion of the high school graduation test. Take that for ALL it's worth.

Gavin Allan · Feb 10, 2014

Quote:

But he was a cut-up, a troublemaker, and liked to chase girls, so math wasn't the first thing on his mind.

Seems as though that describes a great many exchange students here in the US. It certainly fits the ones whom I encountered. Yet the rest of the world seems to think that Americans are boorish, uncivilized cavemen.

A lady friend of mine said she had a Swiss girl exchange student in her high school. She said she was very smart, spoke fluently in 6 different languages, but did not know how to say the word "NO" in any of them...

H D · Feb 10, 2014

She probably has gotten pretty far in a career with those assets.

Thomas Rogers · Feb 12, 2014

Seems very few who do well on standardized tests think they were unfair, while most that do poorly think they are unfair. Just saying.

Is there a better way? Probably.

Judge Smails: Ty, what did you shoot today?

Ty Webb: Oh, Judge, I don't keep score.

Judge Smails: Then how do you measure yourself with other golfers?

Ty Webb: By height.

I'd just be happy if our children came out of school not being "stupid!" Give me a kid that can change a tire, change the oil in their car, make change, know how to answer the phone, can shake your hand properly, can look at you when they talk, are respectful, can write a convincing letter, can communicate intelligently and unemotionally on a controversial topic, can write legibly, can read with understanding and retention, know how to live within a budget, are courteous, understand our political system and how it differs from those around the world (and how it is different, not necessarily better or worse), know and show empathy, know to think before they speak, don't jump to assumptions, look at the world with wonder and seek to understand, recognize that you GET out of life (relationships, education, work, ____) WHAT YOU PUT IN, and above all treat people the way they want to be treated.

Have students that come out of school with the above and we will be successful.

TJR