Parents and electronic gadgets have something to do with it, too, Frank!
You could be right G/Grandma although I saw my children the victims of various educational schemes that failed, one being they did not need to spell?? As long as the word looked something like the sound it was OK. Joan and I spent hours teaching my daughter the correct spelling which did pay off for her in a good job at a large firm, quite a few of the other kids were not so lucky. ICI sent me back to college for 26 weeks of Quantum Mechanics, three of us older men and a group of very much younger students, to say I was astounded at their lack of English puts it mildly. We had to explain the reasoning and findings using blackboards and drop sheets, most of the young ones could not do that. When we relaxed in the union building with them it came across they did not really care and at the end of the course it showed, there was a huge gap in results, the three oldest getting highest and diploma's the rest a re-sit. Where are they now I wonder. "Hm" I write G/Grandma, just thought that could be Galloping, Glamorous, Glorious, Gregarious or Gnome, I better watch it and write it out in full Gardenia /Grandma.
OK Derek, how is this. Why oh why do garden centres fill up with bedding plants way too early and no explanation about not putting them out before the last frosts are gone. The number of times I have advised people they need to take great care and may need to keep them sheltered for some time especially up here on the North East Coast. Then they go out in beds and baskets and are gone over because new gardeners do not realise some are quite short lived. Sowing your own seed every couple of weeks and you have a long showing as you remove the older plants and put in the new ones. Much cheaper too.
Frank,the voice of experience it only come's with age. The garden centers need to make money and since there is no guarantee with many bedding plants I suppose they will get repeat custom , if you look at the other threads a lot of people keep asking the same questions when can I sow this or that the most experienced amongst us know that Feb' and March can be dodgy months I myself made that mistake last year when I sowed my Parsnips in the middle of March and they failed because we had a very wet last two weeks that month , then again a lot of young Adults look upon older people when they give advice , what does he/she know ? the saying "Don't re-invent the wheel every time you do something new" is I believe they never heard off.
Derek, I have no idea why, probably the grey head but in Garden Centres I usually end up advising, often women on how to look after a plant or what to look for. Last time I was in the big centre a woman picked up a plant and asked me to check, dropping it out of the pot vine weevil fell from the root ball. I informed the attendant who was not very happy about it, I am afraid I have an acid tongue at times so he lost that one and the sale. I normally use a Nursery just a couple of miles up the lane from me and even there you need to check the plants although they will replace them no questions asked. I will start to sow seed in around two weeks time as light is just as important as heat, by then the sun will be higher and more light. We all make mistakes hopefully only once, sowing seed early I found from experience did not give you much of a start, well in this area, they are all different.
Well, what a lot of interesting and entertaining stuff since I last looked!!!
Highland Jeannie, I just lerrrrve the poem! Never seen the point so well made!
To return the spelling for a moment, the fault (as Palaisglide has pointed out) is not with the schools so much as with the education system and the way it is run. Methods of teaching come into fashion, every teacher has to follow them or else - then they are exposed for their weaknesses and replaced. In the meantime, teachers have to do things against their better judgement and children suffer.
Burt here's another point - there are actually five hours of actual lessons every day. If you have lots of subjects on the national curriculum, each has to be given time and the time given to traditional subjects like English and maths is squeezed. There is general rejoicing because gardening now has to be taught at all schools. Which subjects will lose time for it? Something will have to give. I'm not against teaching gardening at all - just pointing out the realities.
I was taught spelling the traditional way and found it easy anyway (unlike maths) but my son was taught by methods that regarded creativity and oral ability as more important. He has degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge and is still frustrated by the fact that he cannot spell or punctuate as well as he should.
This is such a long post that I'll post again about the other topics!!!
I had such an experience last October, I went with the intention of buying leaf mold from a local Garden center/Nursery/Agricultural Collage , as I entered the G/C till area I came across two shop assistants who were very busy on their I phones their thumbs going at a fast rate of speed , do you collect leaf's to make leafmould I asked , the look I got you would swear I came from Mars the place was empty .No. one of them said but you'r well come to make your own , why don't you collect the leafs I asked we are two are too busy was there joint reply this place I am talking about is huge , most of the trees are deciduous and all the grass borders where covered with fallen leaves so I went home got loads of plastic refuse bags and a leaf rake then returned to An Grianan in Termonfeckin 5 km away, and spent the day collecting leaves which will be put to good use when I am planting my spuds in three weeks,.
I reckon the private GCs are better. Our local Wyevale closed recently and the building was reopened privately by the landowner, a well-known Welsh tv personality. Suddenly, it had better, healthier plants, men around to give advice and even a vastly better cafe. I love going there now and usually find something interesting to buy - yet the prices are around the same. I guess that if it does not succeed, they'll all be out of a job, so they have a vested interest in making it succeed?
I usually end up advising, often women on how to look after a plant or what to look for.
No sexism please Frank.
My little GC used to have an abundance of knowledgable staff but, sadly, that's changed. Whether it's to cut costs by employing untrained people, I don't know. I commented last year that half the plants looked dead, through lack of water. Such a shame. Never buy any summer bedding until end of May however tempted I am to pick up the offers as I have nowhere to keep them.
Regarding education, I am appalled at what goes on in the schools these days and I'm not knocking teachers. I agree GG that the days are busy, busy. When I look at my childrens' reports, which didn't start until they were in Junior School and view those of my grandchildren, I wonder how they manage to cram everything into a day. Son's girlfriend is Finnish and I believe they have the best educational system in the world. It certainly shows where she's concerned. They don't sanction children being taught at 3 or whatever it is here! Far too young, IMO.
Posts
me thinks we need a new rant what say ye
Derek
You could be right G/Grandma although I saw my children the victims of various educational schemes that failed, one being they did not need to spell?? As long as the word looked something like the sound it was OK. Joan and I spent hours teaching my daughter the correct spelling which did pay off for her in a good job at a large firm, quite a few of the other kids were not so lucky.
ICI sent me back to college for 26 weeks of Quantum Mechanics, three of us older men and a group of very much younger students, to say I was astounded at their lack of English puts it mildly. We had to explain the reasoning and findings using blackboards and drop sheets, most of the young ones could not do that.
When we relaxed in the union building with them it came across they did not really care and at the end of the course it showed, there was a huge gap in results, the three oldest getting highest and diploma's the rest a re-sit. Where are they now I wonder.
"Hm" I write G/Grandma, just thought that could be Galloping, Glamorous, Glorious, Gregarious or Gnome, I better watch it and write it out in full Gardenia /Grandma.
Frank.
OK Derek, how is this.
Why oh why do garden centres fill up with bedding plants way too early and no explanation about not putting them out before the last frosts are gone. The number of times I have advised people they need to take great care and may need to keep them sheltered for some time especially up here on the North East Coast.
Then they go out in beds and baskets and are gone over because new gardeners do not realise some are quite short lived.
Sowing your own seed every couple of weeks and you have a long showing as you remove the older plants and put in the new ones. Much cheaper too.
Frank.
Over to you Derek. What would you like to rant about?
Frank,the voice of experience it only come's with age. The garden centers need to make money and since there is no guarantee with many bedding plants I suppose they will get repeat custom , if you look at the other threads a lot of people keep asking the same questions when can I sow this or that the most experienced amongst us know that Feb' and March can be dodgy months I myself made that mistake last year when I sowed my Parsnips in the middle of March and they failed because we had a very wet last two weeks that month , then again a lot of young Adults look upon older people when they give advice , what does he/she know ? the saying "Don't re-invent the wheel every time you do something new" is I believe they never heard off.
Derek
Derek, I have no idea why, probably the grey head but in Garden Centres I usually end up advising, often women on how to look after a plant or what to look for.
Last time I was in the big centre a woman picked up a plant and asked me to check, dropping it out of the pot vine weevil fell from the root ball. I informed the attendant who was not very happy about it, I am afraid I have an acid tongue at times so he lost that one and the sale.
I normally use a Nursery just a couple of miles up the lane from me and even there you need to check the plants although they will replace them no questions asked.
I will start to sow seed in around two weeks time as light is just as important as heat, by then the sun will be higher and more light. We all make mistakes hopefully only once, sowing seed early I found from experience did not give you much of a start, well in this area, they are all different.
Frank
Well, what a lot of interesting and entertaining stuff since I last looked!!!
Highland Jeannie, I just lerrrrve the poem! Never seen the point so well made!
To return the spelling for a moment, the fault (as Palaisglide has pointed out) is not with the schools so much as with the education system and the way it is run. Methods of teaching come into fashion, every teacher has to follow them or else - then they are exposed for their weaknesses and replaced. In the meantime, teachers have to do things against their better judgement and children suffer.
Burt here's another point - there are actually five hours of actual lessons every day. If you have lots of subjects on the national curriculum, each has to be given time and the time given to traditional subjects like English and maths is squeezed. There is general rejoicing because gardening now has to be taught at all schools. Which subjects will lose time for it? Something will have to give. I'm not against teaching gardening at all - just pointing out the realities.
I was taught spelling the traditional way and found it easy anyway (unlike maths) but my son was taught by methods that regarded creativity and oral ability as more important. He has degrees from both Oxford and Cambridge and is still frustrated by the fact that he cannot spell or punctuate as well as he should.
This is such a long post that I'll post again about the other topics!!!
I had such an experience last October, I went with the intention of buying leaf mold from a local Garden center/Nursery/Agricultural Collage , as I entered the G/C till area I came across two shop assistants who were very busy on their I phones their thumbs going at a fast rate of speed , do you collect leaf's to make leafmould I asked , the look I got you would swear I came from Mars the place was empty .No. one of them said but you'r well come to make your own , why don't you collect the leafs I asked we are two are too busy was there joint reply this place I am talking about is huge , most of the trees are deciduous and all the grass borders where covered with fallen leaves so I went home got loads of plastic refuse bags and a leaf rake then returned to An Grianan in Termonfeckin 5 km away, and spent the day collecting leaves which will be put to good use when I am planting my spuds in three weeks,.
Derek
I reckon the private GCs are better. Our local Wyevale closed recently and the building was reopened privately by the landowner, a well-known Welsh tv personality. Suddenly, it had better, healthier plants, men around to give advice and even a vastly better cafe. I love going there now and usually find something interesting to buy - yet the prices are around the same. I guess that if it does not succeed, they'll all be out of a job, so they have a vested interest in making it succeed?
I usually end up advising, often women on how to look after a plant or what to look for.
No sexism please Frank.
My little GC used to have an abundance of knowledgable staff but, sadly, that's changed. Whether it's to cut costs by employing untrained people, I don't know. I commented last year that half the plants looked dead, through lack of water. Such a shame. Never buy any summer bedding until end of May however tempted I am to pick up the offers as I have nowhere to keep them.
Regarding education, I am appalled at what goes on in the schools these days and I'm not knocking teachers. I agree GG that the days are busy, busy. When I look at my childrens' reports, which didn't start until they were in Junior School and view those of my grandchildren, I wonder how they manage to cram everything into a day. Son's girlfriend is Finnish and I believe they have the best educational system in the world. It certainly shows where she's concerned. They don't sanction children being taught at 3 or whatever it is here! Far too young, IMO.