Repeat After Me

This next story comes to us from a dear friend of mine. I simply couldn't resist to share it with you. She is a teacher for 9th grade English.

As I explained the directions for the test my ninth graders were about to begin, I told them that the first nineteen questions were multiple choice and they needed only write the letter to the correct answer on the answer sheet.  For the last question, I asked them to pick any story we read and give it a label (make an inference or judgment about the story). Then, they needed to provide three details from the story to support that assertion. To make sure the students understood, I used the movie we had recently watched as an example. We said that Stranger than Fiction was a funny movie. We then gave these three examples: he yells at the sky trying to figure out who is talking, a giant machine takes a bite out of his apartment while he watches tv, and he gives the baker he has a crush on a box of flours (not flowers). I reiterated that they should not use the movie as their example, but they should pick one of the stories or poems instead. I then had a student repeat that to me. When it seemed like a few students were not quite listening, I had the whole class repeat after me:
"I will not use the movie as my example on my test," ("I will not use the movie as my example on my test,")
"If I use the movie as my example, I will receive a zero," ("If I use the movie as my example, I will receive a zero,")
"I will not only receive a zero on the question, but on the entire test if I use the movie as my example," ("I will not only receive a zero on the question, but on the entire test if I use the movie as my example,")
"If I use the movie as my example, I will be publicly humiliated, not for being stupid, but for not listening." ("If I use the movie as my example, I will be publicly humiliated, not for being stupid, but for not listening.")

A quick side note: As I mentioned earlier, this is HIGH SCHOOL. That should be enough said. And while I'm sure you can tell where this is going, true to form...

When I graded the tests later that night, I found that five, FIVE, students had used the movie as their example.

Really...FIVE??? I'm not sure what wasn't clear about NOT using the movie as the example. They should be publicly humiliated for not listening AND being stupid. Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is the future of America. Or as we so fondly refer to it Amerka.

Until next time,
Zozo and Leggy J

"A handful of common sense is worth a bushel of learning" ~ Proverb quote

Temporarily Closed For Renovations....Or Is It Really?

Common sense –noun: sound practical judgment that is independent of specialized knowledge, training, or the like; normal native intelligence.

Origin:
1525–35;  trans. of L sēnsus commūnis,  itself trans. of Gk koinḕ aísthēsis

Welcome everyone to our very first official blog entry concerning the oh so unfamiliar term common sense.

Let the shenanigans begin!

A couple of months ago I was passing Samba Room and noticed that the chairs were up on the tables and no one was inside. On the door was a sign that said “Temporarily Closed For Renovations.” Fast forward to last week, I was walking to work like I always do and passed Samba Room like I always do. While waiting for the light to change, I noticed a lady and her husband approach the door. Like intelligent people, they read the sign. But to my dismay they proceed to yank on the door handle, dumbfounded that it won’t open. On the second try it still wouldn’t budge. Clearly they must have been confused by the sign the owners of the restaurant left in the window informing patrons that they were “Temporarily Closed For Renovations.” Maybe they thought that the sign was put there by mistake, and they would have dinner there. Or Maybe they thought it was all a rouse. No, no, no, I know, they thought that even though Samba Room was closed, that it would magically open just for them, after all, they were special people on a special date. Apparently reading and comprehending FOUR words proves too difficult for some. 

Until next time,

Zozo and Leggy J       

"Common sense is in spite of, not as the result of education." -Victor Hugo

Sources: picture, demotivationalpics.com . Quote, http://www.best-quotes-poems.com/common-sense-quotes.html        



Welcome to the blog that illustrates how common sense ain't so common!

We are two twenty something females living in Denver, Colorado who will share our daily encounters and observations of those who lack simple, probable, standard, familiar and typical know how of everyday life... a.k.a common sense. The purpose of this blog is to show just how stupid, yes we said it, STUPID some people can really be! We want you to know that you are not alone. There are others out there who know not to cross the street at a red light with oncoming traffic. To put a trash bag back in a trash can after you have emptied it. To flush the toilet in a public bathroom, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

Now, it's not that we are against mankind or anything, we know there are people out there who really do have the brain capacity to make the proper decisions necessary to survive this crazy, complicated and apparently formidable world.

Through stories and pictures will come the colossal tales of the people you share your everyday life with. Your neighbors, your boss and dare I say it, your family.

And if you are reading this, wondering whether you lack common sense or not, you do, so come back regularly for the common sense tip of the week. One week at a time we will teach you how to be a contributor to society, not a parasite of humanity, draining the rest of us of our sanity.

If any of you out there have personal stories or pictures that you would like to share, feel free to email us at csaintsc@gmail.com

Until next time,

Zozo and Leggy J