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‘I was a teacher for 17 years, but I couldn’t read or write’
BBC ^ | 4/15/2018 | John Corcoran

Posted on 08/16/2022 7:05:29 PM PDT by simpson96

John Corcoran grew up in New Mexico in the US during the 1940s and 50s. One of six siblings, he graduated from high school, went on to university, and became a teacher in the 1960s - a job he held for 17 years. But, as he explains here, he hid an extraordinary secret.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Education
KEYWORDS:
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To: ExNewsExSpook

In the early eighties, a school-teacher friend came over and said, “Sit down and do these problems.” Handed me ONE sheet of paper and a pencil. She timed me. It took me 8 minutes to do the problems on both sides of the paper. She graded it, I had 100% correct.

She then told me that THIS was the math proficiency test the teachers in the State (NC) were fighting against. They were given 60 minutes and only required to get like 50% of them right.


41 posted on 08/17/2022 2:26:13 AM PDT by FrogMom (Time marches on...)
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To: Robert DeLong

That’s happening all the time. Graduating has nothing to do with knowledge. Just look around and that should be obvious.

It has everything to do with quota’s to get money.


42 posted on 08/17/2022 4:02:17 AM PDT by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
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To: simpson96

I don’t think congressmen and senators can read. They never read the bills.


43 posted on 08/17/2022 4:26:01 AM PDT by Gaffer (Infidel, and proud of it!)
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To: maddog55

You are comparing now to 17 years ago, I would have thought it was somewhat better than that. So, I am still somewhat surprised, but not completely. 😋


44 posted on 08/17/2022 4:41:54 AM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: Robert DeLong
Still does not explain how this guy passed High School & College with neither the ability to read or write.

I read many years ago about a college dean who was found to be illiterate.

Says tons about our education system.

45 posted on 08/17/2022 5:10:45 AM PDT by TangoLimaSierra (⭐⭐Public hangings will wake 'em up.⭐⭐)
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To: simpson96

Good story....an old story...but a good story. A good old story.


46 posted on 08/17/2022 5:26:55 AM PDT by Mashood
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To: ProtectOurFreedom

Always wondered why the Virginia Dept of Transportation never paints the world “ONLY” in turn lanes...

...then I realized what they have to work with as far as their labor force is concerned.


47 posted on 08/17/2022 6:00:20 AM PDT by brianl703
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To: grey_whiskers

Thank you.
It’s been a trip, I’ll tell you that.


48 posted on 08/17/2022 6:00:54 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Sta, si cum canibus magnis currere non potes, in portico. )
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To: RoosterRedux

Yes indeed!

Happy riding!


49 posted on 08/17/2022 6:03:08 AM PDT by Mad Dawg (Sta, si cum canibus magnis currere non potes, in portico. )
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To: Ken H

I remember seeing that sign.


50 posted on 08/17/2022 6:07:45 AM PDT by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: martin_fierro

I was in the sign business for 25 years. One of the trade magazines had sign goof pictures and there was one that said; Pubic Library


51 posted on 08/17/2022 6:17:55 AM PDT by Pollard (Worm Free PureBlood)
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To: martin_fierro

I often pass a low-rent motel in my daily travels.

Their sign ALWAYS has misspelled words and I believe it catches the eye of drivers who would otherwise pass by without looking their way.


52 posted on 08/17/2022 6:22:12 AM PDT by newfreep (“Leftism, under all of its brand names, is a severe, violent & evil mental disorder.”)
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To: Robert DeLong
He was "socially promoted" through high school. He was a jock and a fratboy who knew which courses were easy and reused the same exams every year and had a friend write out the answers for him in advance.

He was a typing teacher. From my experience, typing teachers didn't have to know anything (look, people learn to type now without even having had lessons). He could copy a text on the typewriter quickly because he couldn't read it and wasn't distracted.

I don't quite believe the story though. It reads like a satire or something. I can buy the college and teaching story, but if he turned in a blank page in a school exam, some teacher or other must have been concerned, even 50 years ago.

53 posted on 08/17/2022 6:23:28 AM PDT by x
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To: Mad Dawg
I've already put 1,000 miles on her, mostly on semi-tricky dirt roads.

Already put her down once, very slowly, learning how to ride in deep sand. I now know to feather the clutch lightly in deep sand, so, hopefully, I won't make that mistake again.

Speaking of neuroplasticity, I can almost feel my brain twisting and stretching as it gets used to handling my new motorcycle. At my age, I'm not a speed demon, but riding slowly on country roads is more fun anyway.

54 posted on 08/17/2022 6:26:42 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: RoosterRedux
"That's why I bought a new motorcycle at 73."

I was 72 when my brother and I went on a bike ride out west. We went from central Ohio out through the Dakotas, Yellowstone, Flaming Gorge, through Colorado and back to Ohio.. About 10 days.. It was the ride of a lifetime..

Two years after that, we went from Columbus Ohio to New Orleans and back. He died shortly after..

55 posted on 08/17/2022 6:45:52 AM PDT by unread ("It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." W. Churchill.)
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To: unread

That sounds wonderful.

Sorry about your brother’s death.


56 posted on 08/17/2022 11:04:15 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
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To: DannyTN

I doubt that.


57 posted on 08/17/2022 11:17:33 AM PDT by HIDEK6 (God bless Donald Trump. )
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