Posted on 12/06/2005 12:51:27 PM PST by JZelle
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Remember when a noun was defined as a person, place or thing? In a teen magazine that is becoming part of the Baltimore middle-school reading curriculum, the noun is being redefined as "stuff." That makes a verb "what stuff does." It's part of a new approach in the Baltimore school system to teaching reading and writing in middle schools. Some say the new method doesn't have much of a track record. The change is being made after a dismal performance on state standardized tests this spring. The Baltimore Sun reported Sunday that officials have spent at least $2 million on Studio Course. The curriculum uses teen magazines, places grammar on the back burner and lets students write about whatever they want. The magazines the schools are using to engage children include Cosmo Girl, which has a feature this month called "Five Hot New Kisses," with explicit tips on making out, and Teen People, whose November issue includes the articles "Hot Boy Next Door" and "Flirt Better."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Any Freepers with kids in Baltimore city schools.....get them out now!!!!!
Know, yur speachlus.
Grammer is Gramper's wife.......
"Any 'Stuff' you want on your burger?"
Instead of nouns, we have "stuff", while the supernatural is now part of Kansas science. The US education system is going down the tubes.
Next step in the dumbing down process: Noun is sh#t and verb is when sh#t happens.......
"Stuff" is the proper ebonics word for "Matter". Axe anybody.
Ain't you glad that edgukators be on top of lurning?
Sounds like the Baltimore Board of Education needs to get STUFFED !
Baltimore Public Schools: Why Accept Success?
In Bawlmer, things are stuff. People are "Hon".
Remember, this is Baltimore City.
More likely, "Gimme yo stuff o I gwanna bust a cap in yo a$$."
The American standards are just to high for Baltimore. We need to lower the bar there a little bit so the kids do not get discouraged about failure.
Ironically, not a single middle school student received a failing grade in grammar class while this system of teaching has been in use. So it must be working.
Pick your logic.
A noun is not a thing, and a verb is not an action. Nouns and verbs are defined by their syntactical roles in sentences, not by their semantics as recorded in the dictionary.
"Sir, look at these test scores! This is bad! Our students know almost nothing!!"
"Take it easy! I have a solution -- I say we try to teach them less material."
"Brilliant!"
"A noun is not a thing, and a verb is not an action. Nouns and verbs are defined by their syntactical roles in sentences, not by their semantics as recorded in the dictionary."
Cool!
I went to high school in Baltimore in the 70's. The majority of schools were private, Catholic schools. A public school was unheard of. I don't know if much has changed but my Catholic High School accepted kids of all faiths. No one wanted their child to go to a city school.
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