|
Post by cmpeter on Aug 6, 2015 22:37:53 GMT
I just told my 15 year old DD that we needed to leave at a quarter to four. She asked me what "a quarter" meant. LOL. Honestly, she's a very smart girl (normally).
I remember listening to a great story on NPR awhile ago about knowledge gaps and young adults. One gal reported being in college and telling a group of friends that unicorns were extinct. Another thought that "XING" from the crossing signs meant "move really quickly"...as in cross the street before you get hit by a car. She was walking with a co-worker and they saw a momma duck and her babies and she told him they needed to put up a "zing" sign for the ducks.
Do you have any funny stories from your teens (or yourself)?
|
|
|
Post by anonrefugee on Aug 6, 2015 22:42:38 GMT
I can't think of a funny one, but know they exist. My 8th grade son came home complaining some classmates in honors history didn't know the planes struck WTC on 9/11.
|
|
|
Post by nurseypants on Aug 6, 2015 22:44:22 GMT
Unicorns are NOT extinct.
|
|
|
Post by gmcwife1 on Aug 6, 2015 22:44:35 GMT
LOL my 16 yr old has had the same thing happen with the quarter on a clock Several years ago, 3 or 4, she was in my parents RV we told her to roll down the window. She got very confused and told us she didn't know how, it was broken. Well she has only been in cars with electric windows and she didn't know how to roll down a manual car window
|
|
|
Post by danor98 on Aug 6, 2015 22:47:15 GMT
Similar to the window thing...my son learned to drive in a car that had automatic lights. He was driving an older car....and well, didn't know how to turn the lights on.
|
|
Nicole in TX
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,951
Jun 26, 2014 2:00:21 GMT
|
Post by Nicole in TX on Aug 6, 2015 22:55:28 GMT
My high school students have not known who Snoopy and Woodstock, Elizabeth Taylor, and John Lennon are.
|
|
|
Post by meridon on Aug 6, 2015 22:57:01 GMT
I have at least one student (senior in high school) who cannot tell time on an analog (not digital, not sure what else to call it) clock. And they are doubly screwed if said clock has Roman numerals rather than numbers because they don't know those either! So I have to teach 18year olds how to read Roman numerals so they can learn the amendments to the Constitution.
|
|
|
Post by anonrefugee on Aug 6, 2015 23:04:03 GMT
I have at least one student (senior in high school) who cannot tell time on an analog (not digital, not sure what else to call it) clock. And they are doubly screwed if said clock has Roman numerals rather than numbers because they don't know those either! So I have to teach 18year olds how to read Roman numerals so they can learn the amendments to the Constitution. Aack! this reminds me I need to review cursive with the aforementioned 8th grader. I'm not sure he remember it enough to read historic documents.
|
|
oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
Jun 26, 2014 12:25:29 GMT
|
Post by oldcrow on Aug 6, 2015 23:04:57 GMT
Unicorns are NOT extinct. How right you are. They are everywhere. But only the pure of heart can see them.
|
|
|
Post by anxiousmom on Aug 6, 2015 23:14:07 GMT
LOL my 16 yr old has had the same thing happen with the quarter on a clock Several years ago, 3 or 4, she was in my parents RV we told her to roll down the window. She got very confused and told us she didn't know how, it was broken. Well she has only been in cars with electric windows and she didn't know how to roll down a manual car window We had a similar experience with my son and a manual window. And my other son who was trying to call someone and heard a 'funny noise.' Turns out, the funny noise was a busy signal. Someone he knew parent's didn't have call waiting.
|
|
|
Post by gar on Aug 6, 2015 23:15:03 GMT
I see kids writing Facebook posts who obviously think 'are' is the same as 'our'....as in "We're going to pick up 'are' new puppy today!" Huh???
|
|
jenkate77
Full Member
Posts: 427
Jun 26, 2014 1:33:16 GMT
|
Post by jenkate77 on Aug 6, 2015 23:16:04 GMT
I'm sure I am, but I can't think of an example. (Except that they're always dumbfounded when they can't pause live TV in my room, we don't have a DVR in there.)
I AM always astounded by their excessive knowledge of random things. My 15 year old is a wealth of WWII information. And he knows all of the Greek & Roman gods, I'm not sure where that came from!
|
|
Anita
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,702
Location: Kansas City -ish
Jun 27, 2014 2:38:58 GMT
|
Post by Anita on Aug 6, 2015 23:22:14 GMT
Just this weekend, my daughter asked who Billy Joel was. "He sounds like a country singer." Oy. I told DH that was on him because she knows who Doris and Rock are. Music is his department. But I think it works both ways. We can poke fun at them for not knowing things from our past, but they pick up today's technology in a snap. My knowledge of "old timey" things (as my teen puts it) will only help me on Jeopardy. It won't help me fix my computer.
|
|
|
Post by gmcwife1 on Aug 6, 2015 23:24:42 GMT
LOL my 16 yr old has had the same thing happen with the quarter on a clock Several years ago, 3 or 4, she was in my parents RV we told her to roll down the window. She got very confused and told us she didn't know how, it was broken. Well she has only been in cars with electric windows and she didn't know how to roll down a manual car window We had a similar experience with my son and a manual window. And my other son who was trying to call someone and heard a 'funny noise.' Turns out, the funny noise was a busy signal. Someone he knew parent's didn't have call waiting. I can see that happening here too!!
|
|
|
Post by cmpeter on Aug 6, 2015 23:25:19 GMT
Too true Anita...I always go to my teens when I have a cell phone question!
|
|
scrappinwithoutpeas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,998
Location: Northern Virginia
Aug 7, 2014 22:09:44 GMT
|
Post by scrappinwithoutpeas on Aug 6, 2015 23:30:42 GMT
Friend whose DD had no idea what "add a can of water" meant when making...ahem...canned soup.
|
|
|
Post by anonrefugee on Aug 6, 2015 23:32:18 GMT
Too true Anita...I always go to my teens when I have a cell phone question! There was a FB image this week: Dear Teen, Don't complain about teaching me to use my phone. I taught you to use a spoon.
|
|
pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
Jul 12, 2014 21:58:10 GMT
|
Post by pridemom on Aug 6, 2015 23:33:09 GMT
Unicorns are NOT extinct. How right you are. They are everywhere. But only the pure of heart can see them. They're not extinct, they are mythical. So, Nurseypants is correct.
|
|
|
Post by jumperhop on Aug 6, 2015 23:34:35 GMT
I can't believe I am going to share this, don't hold this against me. My ADHD 4th grader didn't know how to tie his shoes. At least that's what his teacher told me but when I asked him if he knew how to tie his shoes he looked at me like I had just asked him if he knew his own name and told me that he has other people tie his shoes because it's easier. But honestly I don't think he had laced shoes until this year. Jen
|
|
|
Post by anxiousmom on Aug 6, 2015 23:36:17 GMT
Too true Anita...I always go to my teens when I have a cell phone question! There was a FB image this week: Dear Teen, Don't complain about teaching me to use my phone. I taught you to use a spoon. Ha. I say something like this about technology, except that I rather crudely suggest that I taught which ever boy in question to use toilet paper.
|
|
oldcrow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,828
Location: Ontario,Canada
Jun 26, 2014 12:25:29 GMT
|
Post by oldcrow on Aug 6, 2015 23:36:54 GMT
How right you are. They are everywhere. But only the pure of heart can see them. They're not extinct, they are mythical. So, Nurseypants is correct. If that is what you believe that is okay fine by me.
|
|
smginaz Suzy
Pearl Clutcher
Je suis desole.
Posts: 2,606
Jun 26, 2014 17:27:30 GMT
|
Post by smginaz Suzy on Aug 6, 2015 23:38:10 GMT
In a meeting today, someone used the phrase "I don't mean to be a broken drum" so I asked him if he used the term drum because he was not around in the era of records. I think a broken drum is not the same as a broken record, though, since the broken record analogy is that you keep repeating yourself, where I would think a broken drum doesn't make the right sound when you pound it.
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Aug 6, 2015 23:39:16 GMT
My son is going into Calculus 3 as a freshman in college. He asked me about a cup's measurements the other day. Eight ounces. What? No way. He proceeded to go up to a gallon in ounces just to make sure. I think his strong science/math background actually hurts his common sense. He's a metric boy.
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Aug 6, 2015 23:40:38 GMT
I can't believe I am going to share this, don't hold this against me. My ADHD 4th grader didn't know how to tie his shoes. At least that's what his teacher told me but when I asked him if he knew how to tie his shoes he looked at me like I had just asked him if he knew his own name and told me that he has other people tie his shoes because it's easier. But honestly I don't think he had laced shoes until this year. Jen I had a fifth grader that couldn't do it. His mom just put him in skater shoes so he wouldn't have to. They still had laces but he just want them to hang out.
|
|
scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
|
Post by scorpeao on Aug 6, 2015 23:40:57 GMT
The only thing that my dd has ever done that had me questioning her intelligence was...okay, let me back up. I'm horrible at my right/left. I hold up my left hand and make an L with my thumb and forefinger to verify it's my left hand. My dd, was 16 at the time, when she saw me do that said how it didn't make any sense because both hands made an L...she then proceeded to hold up her right and left hand and said "see, they are both Ls?"
|
|
|
Post by anonrefugee on Aug 6, 2015 23:40:50 GMT
In a meeting today, someone used the phrase "I don't mean to be a broken drum" so I asked him if he used the term drum because he was not around in the era of records. I think a broken drum is not the same as a broken record, though, since the broken record analogy is that you keep repeating yourself, where I would think a broken drum doesn't make the right sound when you pound it. That sounds like something I'd say if I spoke before deciding on "beat the drum" or broken record".
|
|
|
Post by mrsscrapdiva on Aug 6, 2015 23:41:33 GMT
Yes! We have had those conversations in our house too. It is comical but then like how did you get to this age and not know that! Oh the cursive. I am pro-cursive and I am annoyed when I write a grocery list in cursive and my son can barely read it.
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Aug 6, 2015 23:41:44 GMT
I do wonder what our parents would be saying about us if they were on this forum. I am sure I gave my parents reason to shake their heads too.
|
|
scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
Jul 8, 2014 20:17:31 GMT
|
Post by scrapaddie on Aug 6, 2015 23:43:19 GMT
I used to know a teen who had no clue how to use a manual can opener. But I am more appalled by the lack of knowledge of adults. An example, when I was traveling with my niece and sitting in Florence, she thought we were in Venice! Venice? There were no canals. Her son did not know what a quarter to 4 meant either.
|
|
|
Post by meridon on Aug 6, 2015 23:44:04 GMT
In a meeting today, someone used the phrase "I don't mean to be a broken drum" so I asked him if he used the term drum because he was not around in the era of records. I think a broken drum is not the same as a broken record, though, since the broken record analogy is that you keep repeating yourself, where I would think a broken drum doesn't make the right sound when you pound it. Maybe they meant "I don't mean to beat a broken drum"? As in "stop beating a dead horse"...doing something over and over that won't help? That said, I'm not entirely sure my kids know what records are, either. Might have to get out some LPs when we go to the grandparents' house next.
|
|