What should Ben's signature be?

[rah]

Mission accomplished.

[molly bloom]

They are aware I post here, yes. And they do check up from time to time.

And amazingly you're still allowed to teach those poor children 'history'- or your benighted version of it. Still, it's only Texas...

[molly bloom]

Christ, what an ass.

No, Yeshua rode upon on ass- Jeez Louise, you even get that wrong.

[Ben Kenobi]

And amazingly you're still allowed to teach those poor children 'history'- or your benighted version of it. Still, it's only Texas...

I'm not quite sure what's so hard to understand about it - they know my politics and it's considered an asset for where I teach.

[molly bloom]

I'm not quite sure what's so hard to understand about it - they know my politics and it's considered an asset for where I teach.

How dense can you be ?


It's not your politics I'm at all concerned by when you're 'teaching' history- it's the fact that there are so many vast, echoing, gaping lacunae in what should be your historical knowledge.

[kentonio]

And amazingly you're still allowed to teach those poor children 'history'- or your benighted version of it. Still, it's only Texas...

I think you forgot the rule about everything he says being immediately and obviously untrue.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's not your politics I'm at all concerned by when you're 'teaching' history- it's the fact that there are so many vast, echoing, gaping lacunae in what should be your historical knowledge.

I'd have been fired year one if that were the case. My students are doing well this year. Either these percieved 'gaps' are irrelevant to modern historical knowledge, or they simply don't exist.

[molly bloom]

I'd have been fired year one if that were the case.

They employed you in the first instance- that speaks volumes for their quality control.

My students are doing well this year.

Whta, by your standards ? So if they don't mistake the France of Louis XIV for an oligarchic republic and correctly point out that Oliver Cromwell wasn't King Oliver I that's a top grade, is it ?

Either these percieved 'gaps' are irrelevant to modern historical knowledge, or they simply don't exist.

Oh please, Mary! Leave out the pincers around the word gaps- we've seen the evidence posted in all its humiliating gut churning inadequacy here. You did it post after post, even after being corrected, so don't try and wish that all away, because we can easily retrieve it from the old posts and keep ourselves well-entertained at the crevasses in your historical 'knowledge'.

[Ben Kenobi]

They employed you in the first instance- that speaks volumes for their quality control.

Indeed, our students do significantly better than their peers. They have great teachers here, and I'm very happy to work with them.

Whta, by your standards ?

They have standardized testing here in Texas and my students have to write their exams at the end of the year. I have no control over the marking - that's done by a variety of organizations here in Texas.

So if they don't mistake the France of Louis XIV for an oligarchic republic and correctly point out that Oliver Cromwell wasn't King Oliver I that's a top grade, is it ?

My assessment is based on how well they do relative to their peers in the school on these exams. As there are relatively few differences across individual classes, any serious discontinuity is picked up pretty quickly. I've never been the best, but I've always been up there, and certainly not the worst.

Oh please, Mary! Leave out the pincers around the word gaps- we've seen the evidence posted in all its humiliating gut churning inadequacy here. You did it post after post, even after being corrected, so don't try and wish that all away, because we can easily retrieve it from the old posts and keep ourselves well-entertained at the crevasses in your historical 'knowledge'.

And yet I remain gainfully employed within my chosen profession. Remind me, what qualifications do you have to assess history teachers? Oh right - you don't have a history degree, yet alone anything associated with pedagogy. Perhaps you should speak to my boss who has a doctorate.

I daresay she is much more qualified to assess me than you.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Apolyton lives because of me!

[molly bloom]

They have great teachers here, and I'm very happy to work with them.

I'm sure you are- like the below average looking bloke who stands next to his handsome male friend, hoping his dullness will be overlooked in the dazzling gleam of his pal's smile.

I have no control over the marking

For this relief, much thanks.

I've never been the best

Oh well done, Uriah Heep.

And yet I remain gainfully employed within my chosen profession.

A) It's Texas.

B) They employed you in the first place. As I said, quality control...

Remind me, what qualifications do you have to assess history teachers?

Let's see- I was taught by better ones than you, and I've gladly and free of charge corrected your numerous obvious errors. Errors, which by the way, any self-respecting history teacher should not be making.

Perhaps you should speak to my boss who has a doctorate.

Perhaps your boss should look at the posts where you repeatedly call Mary Stuart Elizabeth I's 'heir apparent' and endow William Of Orange (William III of England) with non-existent children. Then petulantly blame the Dutch for not being real republicans at heart, and mistakenly identify their 17th Century republic as a kingdom.

Not as if 17th Century Dutch history is a particularly obscure or recondite subject (it was called the Golden Age for a reason)- neither for that matter is the Elizabethan Succession crisis.

Still, you did your level best to get them both comprehensively wrong- and for once you can be proud of your achievement.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm sure you are- like the below average looking bloke who stands next to his handsome male friend, hoping his dullness will be overlooked in the dazzling gleam of his pal's smile.

Kenobi fanfic? That's a new one.

Let's see- I was taught by better ones than you

I daresay that's not the case. Recall I attended the university of british columbia, and I had an excellent professor on english history.

Errors, which by the way, any self-respecting history teacher should not be making.

The uneducated correct errors and vindicate themselves in their corrections.

Perhaps your boss should look at the posts where you repeatedly call Mary Stuart Elizabeth I's 'heir apparent' and endow William Of Orange (William III of England) with non-existent children. Then petulantly blame the Dutch for not being real republicans at heart, and mistakenly identify their 17th Century republic as a kingdom.

She actually agrees with my thesis that the Dutch wanted a king, just not the Habsburgs because they hated Catholicism. The Stadtholder was a temporary expedient, and an aberration.

(it was called the Golden Age for a reason)

Not by Dutch Catholics. Remember where I teach. It's taught (and poorly so), that the Dutch were wealthy and well off once they cast of the shackles of the king and Popery. History - provides a far different assessment. The Dutch were very wealthy and well off under the Habsburgs. Better than Spain for that matter, and the monarchy had deep ties to the region. Things that the Protestants claim to 'forget' because it contradicts their thesis that the Church is evil.

- neither for that matter is the Elizabethan Succession crisis.

What of it? Elizabeth is not popular there given her execution of Catholics.

Still, you did your level best to get them both comprehensively wrong- and for once you can be proud of your achievement.

You're shocked that a Catholic school would take the position of the Catholic church on these historical disagreements?