Saturday, December 14, 2013

The Most Important Class

My oldest started driver's ed a couple of weeks ago. The day before the first class, there was a mandatory parent meeting. The lead instructor gave a dry presentation on what to expect, etc. He said one thing, though, that really struck me.
"This is the most important class your child will take. Yeah, math and science are important, but when it comes to growing up and being independent, this is the most important."
It baffled me, really, because I just don't understand this notion at all, especially coming from a teacher. Does he truly think that learning to drive is more important than math and science and English and all of the other things kids should be learning in school? Is a kid who gets C-grades in all of his classes, but learns to drive better off than a kid who maintains a 3.5 GPA, but doesn't learn how to drive? Learning to drive an automobile is important, but there are many other methods of transportation available. A student who doesn't apply themselves to their basic classes is setting themselves up for long-term problems. It's much easier to learn to drive a little later in life than to make up for learning not done in secondary education.

I guess I can see someone making this argument (because there's someone out there for every point of view), but I can't believe a teacher said it. I know he's not saying that other subjects aren't important, but it's disheartening that an educator would say that driving is more important. Misguided priorities make me wonder if this sort of attitude slips into his regular classroom duties. I hope not.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

10 Things I Learned from Moulin Rouge!

1. Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself. It always ends badly.
2. Girls are excited to sleep with you if your title is 'Duke.' If it's 'writer,' they are a little more hesitant.
3. You can go anywhere and do anything if you have a huge...talent.
4. One dude spontaneously singing a Madonna tune to another dude is an effective distraction.
4a. Frogs are also a useful distraction.
5. The Bohemian revolutionary lifestyle may be sinful, but it is lots of fun.
6. Singing to a girl on foggy rooftops is best when the moon is singing backup.
7. Drinking absinthe is an effective method for gathering the courage to follow your dreams.
8. Dwarfs dressed as nuns and narcoleptic Argentinians make for the best neighbors.
9. Freedom, beauty, truth, but above all things love.
10. Love may be messy, but if you can sing it will all work out.