Is it just me, or do each group of students who come through seem less willing to think on their own? We've been working on slope, y-intercepts, linear equations, for forever now it seems. Yesterday, I gave them a problem comparing 2 yearbook companies, one which charged $10 per book, the other, a $50 setup fee plus $8 a book. Pretty basic problem - needed to create table for given amounts of books, graph the 2 lines, and make some conclusions such as which place is better deal, explain what the slope and y-intercepts mean in context of problem, etc. I thought it would be super easy.

No way... most of them couldn't even make the table for the values!! come on... give me a break already. So after getting them started on that, then, they can't graph the lines. Then they couldn't write equations.

grrr.....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....................... they DO know how to do all that. Why won't they? Why is it sooooo much easier to feign inability, soooo much more appealing to be helpless, than the actually do it on your own and take a risk at being wrong??

Outside today for shadow rendering? think they can do that... please.... let them be able to do that!!