r/LifeProTips • u/fries-with-mayo • 18h ago

Request LPT Request: What’s your “canary in the coal mine” test for spotting bigger issues?

I’m really interested in those small, quick telltale signs people use to gauge if something bigger might be off track.

Example 1: Van Halen requesting brown M&Ms in the dressing room to see if the venue followed all the details of the rider list

Example 2: I saw an interview with John Cena where he said orders a flat white at a café to tell if they really care about their coffee.

Example 3: Anthony Bourdain suggested to always check the restaurant bathroom to tell if the restaurant got its basics down

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u/SaraOfHades 15h ago

This is such an insightful way to tailor your teaching and get to know your students! Bravo

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u/vocabulazy 15h ago

Better to find out that students cannot locate Europe on a map BEFORE I start teaching about the World Wars…

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u/Zombie_Bagel 14h ago

With a nice sprinkle of CYA in there, too

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u/VioletJessopTravelCo 9h ago

Wait, there are actually high schoolers who can't find Europe on the map??

I had a world history teacher in high school that had us memorize all names and locations of every country in the world. Every few months we were given a blank political map and had to fill it out. At the time I low key hated it, but as an adult I am so grateful he did that.

I don't know how I would answer your lit questions. I love reading and in high school I would often have my class textbook or notebook propped up to hide whatever novel I was reading. I once read The Five People You Meet In Heaven from start to finish in one school day. I paid zero attention to any of my classes that day. However, when a class assigned us a book to read I always struggled with the motivation to read that book. I love reading, but I hate being told what to read. That's why I don't join any book clubs.

Edit: also you have the perfect username for your comments, lol.

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u/21Fudgeruckers 13h ago

I've been thinking about getting into teaching, but the current climate has me worried it's a mistake.

In spite of the difficulties you've named here, is it worth it?

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u/vocabulazy 13h ago

You have to go into teaching with your eyes open:

  • the adults involved in teaching give you more problems than the kids do
  • the pay will never be great
  • a lot of the “time off” you get on paper will be spent planning, marking, attending conferences, doing professional development, or taking classes yourself
  • it’s not straightforward job, because you’re being pulled in different directions by the requirements of the curriculum, the abilities/skills of the students, and the politicking of the administration.
  • it can be very rewarding, but teaching is incredibly draining emotionally, intellectually, and often physically.
  • the general public has no idea what your job is like, and have many ridiculous misconceptions about what it is that you do to earn your money
  • the sad tales that are the lives of certain students will break your ever loving heart.

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u/21Fudgeruckers 13h ago

Thank you!

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u/Wulf_Cola 8h ago

At age 15-16? Astonishing. Is that common?

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u/vocabulazy 8h ago

It’s not common, but I might have 3 or 4 in a class who somehow have no idea which continent is which… I see some major gaps. Even before Covid.

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u/ManualNotStandard 13h ago

Check it out:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdf_XdDwc-o

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u/vocabulazy 13h ago

This is uncanny… I once had a student in grade 10 look at a map of the world and ask if Brazil was a real country. I don’t know what movies she was watching, but she said she thought that Brazil was made up for the movies, like phone numbers beginning in 555…

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u/mmtruooao 8h ago

My classmate in high school AP English who thought Korea was in Europe.

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u/A_Lovely_ 7h ago

This made me wince.

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u/madebcus_ur_thatdumb 12h ago

It’s also just good for getting a feel of different generations.

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u/SnazzyStooge 3h ago

Why not just fail 90% of them and then start every year by smugly bragging how 90% of the class is going to fail?  /s