[leeman]

Little Tommy was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything;
tutors, flash cards, special learning centers, in short, everything they
could think of. Finally in a last ditch effort, they took Tommy down and
enrolled him in the local Catholic School.

After the first day, little Tommy comes home with a very serious look on his
face. He doesn't kiss his mother hello. Instead, he goes straight to his
room and starts studying. Books & papers are spread out all over the room
and little Tommy is hard at work. His mother is amazed. She calls him down
to dinner and to her shock, the minute he is done he marches back to his
room without a word and in no time he is back hitting the books as hard as
before.

This goes on for sometime, day after day while the mother tries to
understand what made all the difference. Finally, little Tommy brings home
his report card. He quietly lays it on the table and goes up to his room and
hits the books.

With great trepidation, his Mom looks at it and to her surprise; little
Tommy got an A in math. She can no longer hold her curiosity. She goes to
his room and says: "Son, what was it? Was it the nuns?" Little Tommy looks
at her and shakes his head. "Well then," she replies, "was it the books, the
discipline, the structure, the uniforms, WHAT was it?"

Little Tommy looks at her and says, "Well, on the first day of school, when
I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around."


------------------------------------------------

The evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:
>>
>> Teaching Math In 1950
>>
>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>> cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his
>> profit?
>>
>>
>> Teaching Math In 1960
>>
>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>> cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What
>> is his profit?
>>
>>
>> Teaching Math In 1970
>>
>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>> cost of production is $80. Did he make a profit?
>>
>>
>> Teaching Math In 1980
>>
>> A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His
>> cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20 Your
>> assignment: Underline the number 20.
>>
>>
>> Teaching Math In 1990
>>
>> A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is
>> selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the
>> habitat of animals or the preservation of our
>> woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of
>> $20. What do you think of this way of making a living?
>> Topic for class participation after answering the
>> question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the
>> logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong
>> answers.)
>>
>>
>> Teaching Math In 2005
>>
>> Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100.
>> El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas
>> se puede comprar?

[Fairiedust]

Little Tommy looks at her and says, "Well, on the first day of school, when
I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around."

:lool: