Have you ever even heard of Stem & Leaf Plot or Box & Whiskers Plot? I had math thru calculus and never saw this or if I did it sure wasn't called these cutsie names. Both plots are for analyzing data...something 7th grader are not going to use for years and by that time they'll have forgotten it. Its one of the state standards so teachers have to waste time teaching it instead of things more relevant. And in 10 yrs when these kids are out in the real world anything close to it will be done on computers. I understand the need to know how to do things manually - but wait until it is relevant to teach it!!

Arrrgh it must be so frustrating to be a teacher!

I don't know those terms either.

Drives me crazy too. That I need a cheat sheet to help my kids do their spelling or math homework is a bit pitiful to me.

My kids can't just learn their spelling words, they have to break them down in these strange columns and sound families, etc...

Math is the same way and it changes each year (or semester) depending on what program/format the tests show they need to now implement. UGH!

You aren't alone. All I can say is thank goodness for Google.

yes google is great!