High school kids answering basic questions on geography and politics

[Black]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=M2fHQ9eULzk

[spoiler=Some these answers kill me . . .]
Utopia!
[/spoiler]

[jdc]

meh.

[Article Accelerator]

Sad.

[graylocks]

i often confuse the number of states with the number of varieties of Heinz ketchup.

[Ombligo]

As someone who has taught high school history - there is no question that some students are that dumb. Every school has them, they don't know, don't care and have no interest in learning. They believe it is cool to be stupid. Yet we are judged by these idiots.

To be fair, I could put together a video showing how smart some students are about this identical subject. I have had students who can answer and extrapolate on various aspects of history to an amazing degree. Most students know the basics and could answer the questions given in the video, but it always fun to focus on those that cannot. Unfortunately it paints a bad picture of all students.

[MartyStickle]

Ombligo wrote:
As someone who has taught high school history - there is no question that some students are that dumb. Every school has them, they don't know, don't care and have no interest in learning. They believe it is cool to be stupid. Yet we are judged by these idiots.

To be fair, I could put together a video showing how smart some students are about this identical subject. I have had students who can answer and extrapolate on various aspects of history to an amazing degree. Most students know the basics and could answer the questions given in the video, but it always fun to focus on those that cannot. Unfortunately it paints a bad picture of all students.

As a teacher, I couldn't agree more. BUT--some answers were pretty awful, no?

[Black]

Ombligo wrote:
As someone who has taught high school history - there is no question that some students are that dumb. Every school has them, they don't know, don't care and have no interest in learning. They believe it is cool to be stupid. Yet we are judged by these idiots.

To be fair, I could put together a video showing how smart some students are about this identical subject. I have had students who can answer and extrapolate on various aspects of history to an amazing degree. Most students know the basics and could answer the questions given in the video, but it always fun to focus on those that cannot. Unfortunately it paints a bad picture of all students.

The video included your "smart" students answering the questions correctly. I didn't get a sense that there was much of an "agenda" here beyond the entertainment value of some spectacularly unlikely answers. Are you still teaching? If not, how long ago were these student experiences you're referencing?

[Black]

MartyStickle wrote:
[quote=Ombligo]
As someone who has taught high school history - there is no question that some students are that dumb. Every school has them, they don't know, don't care and have no interest in learning. They believe it is cool to be stupid. Yet we are judged by these idiots.

To be fair, I could put together a video showing how smart some students are about this identical subject. I have had students who can answer and extrapolate on various aspects of history to an amazing degree. Most students know the basics and could answer the questions given in the video, but it always fun to focus on those that cannot. Unfortunately it paints a bad picture of all students.

As a teacher, I couldn't agree more. BUT--some answers were pretty awful, no?
I'm sure someone will come along and declare that we're all idiots for not realizing the whole thing was scripted (cough billb cough)

[Black]

graylocks wrote:
i often confuse the number of states with the number of varieties of Heinz ketchup.

Well, 53 is technically correct if we count Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

[Grace62]

This is a spoof people, filmed for entertainment and carefully edited for maximum humorous effect.

I can't believe how many media outlets have picked this up without bothering to do a little investigating.

Right wing blogs were using it to say that teachers don't deserve pay raises. Huffington Post picked it up, and the local Fox station.

That kid from Olympia High School, the filmmaker, is pretty clever. He's got a great future. Oh and his mom is a lawyer. :wink:

Olympia High School is a great school, filled with bright and creative students.

Here's what the student-run school website had to say about it. Check this out and decide if you think these kids are dumb.
http://www.theolympus.net/ae/2012/01/30/lunch-scholars/