Today, I had to find simple words to explain to the idiot I was tutoring that "1/4" is not of a greater value than "1/3" just because the denominator is bigger. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, one of my students corrected the problem I had solved on the board, explaining that you do multiplication before subtraction. I teach the second grade. FML
Today, I was babysitting, and a little girl asked for help with her homework. I cheerfully began an explanation, only to freeze mid-sentence. I could not for the life of me remember how to do long-division. I'm about to graduate from Cornell University, and her little brother had to correct me. FML
Today, I had someone place two separate to-go orders, so that he could use two of his "25% off" coupons. He couldn't understand why it wasn't 50% off his total bill, no matter how many times I plainly explained it to him. FML
Today, disappointed with my results on a mathematics test, I went over it and realized my teacher had added up the marks incorrectly, leaving me with 17% less than I earned. The person who's supposed to be teaching me math can't even perform basic arithmetic. FML
Today, I was asked to dumb myself down so the people I was training could comprehend what I was saying. FML
Today, while home from college for the weekend, my sister started whining about how I keep using "big fancy college words" and making her feel bad. My sister is 27 and teaches elementary school. The word I used was "ludicrous." FML
Today, I was teaching a class when a student pointed out that I'd used the wrong "your/you're" while writing on the board. FML
Today, I handed a middle-aged woman her change of $0.75 with three quarters. She looked at the change bewildered and threw the coins down, asking if she thought I could get away with only giving her thirty cents. I had to explain to her how much a quarter is worth. FML
Today, I was helping my kid with homework after work. I tried to Google “third grade long division explained simply.” Autocomplete filled in “because I don’t understand it either,” which I read out loud without thinking. My kid stared at me and said, “So… who’s teaching who?” FML
Today, a McDonald's employee had to correct my math after counting out $2.37 in change. I'm in AP Calculus and am currently learning how to find the derivative of an inverse of a logarithm. FML
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Top comments
makaramiracles 18
Well, there's a reason why you're tutoring them.
iShanny 13
Those little pie pieces always helped me. Try using real pie or pizza.
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Comments (107)
makaramiracles 18
Well, there's a reason why you're tutoring them.
muzy 23
Agreed. How would you feel if someone called you an idiot for not being able to synthesise paracetamol after being given the basic starting materials? Don't be prick, OP.
kinky44 28
@59 To be fair, fractions are a lot easier than whatever the hell you just compared them to.
isisorchid 16
It's acetaminophen, aka Tylenol.
muzy 23
@73 may be so, but the principle remains the same. What might be fairly straightforward to some can be very challenging to b others. It's as easy as baking a cake, if you know what you're doing.
duckie227 22
Agreed. If OP can't handle someone not being able to understand something, OP shouldn't be a tutor. It's not FML for the OP, it's FML for the student. I feel bad for them.
iShanny 13
Those little pie pieces always helped me. Try using real pie or pizza.
iShanny 13
Those little pie pieces always helped me visualize it better. Maybe he/she is a visual learner too? You can try using real pie, or pizza.
iShanny 13
Ugh, FML fail. I definitely hit Edit, not Reply. Sorry for double post!
TheCookieComet 23
You aren't forgiven
lil_ham1644 29
They'd probably think you brought lunch & eat it
Moochi456 20
That's what helped me when I was learning fractions and multiplication. My mom baked cookies and cakes with me. We practiced doubling recipes (x2) tripling recipes (x3) and then cutting the cakes and cookies into fractions like 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and so on. Being a visual/hands on learner can sometimes be hard in a classroom, but it other aspects it's super fun!
zapte 7
But.. But... Bigger is better?
Duckzy 16
I thought that in third grade but learned the hard way when I only got 1/8 of a brownie :(
tigerisabelle 31
that's what she said no stop whats wrong with me
NeatNit 33
I wonder what grade this is in.
til_niagaraxfall 10
Well if he knew that you wouldn't be getting paid.
tantanpanda 26
Not everyone who tutors gets paid. I have to tutor this girl in maths for free because her mom's my mom's friend. The fml or ydi depends on whether OP gets paid. Since OP didn't specify the wages, I assume OP does get paid. Just putting this out there for people who think it's a black and white situation.
silentxninja 13
It shouldn't depend on whether or not they get paid. Either way, OP is supposed to be helping this student. Math may be difficult for the student, and OP should not be putting him or her down behind their back. There is a reason they are getting a tutor, and that tutor (OP) should be focusing on the best ways to help the student understand the material. If OP doesn't like helping people learn, then OP should not be a tutor.
eksyneet 23
isn't your entire job making sure that the idiots are not idiots anymore?
iShanny 13
Maybe he's not very good at it and that's why the idiot is still an idiot.
eksyneet 23
i'm more concerned about the fact that he's complaining about his student on FML. the student is probably a child and children sometimes need help to understand maths, and that's his job, and it doesn't warrant calling the child an idiot. and if somehow the student is an adult, it's commendable that they understand that they need help and are ready to hire a tutor and admit that they don't understand something that simple - most people would just continue living in ignorance. tutors definitely aren't paid to comment on their students' intellectual abilities.
NebulaNick 12
Sounds like he has about 1/4 of a brain
Scrambled 21
Could be worse, he could have 1/3 of a brain.
feven 32
Get a tutor #27
sicksadworld1317 30
@9- I do think you meant that jokingly; but I'd like to clarify things anyhow. Being terrible at math doesn't necessarily make someone overall less intelligent. Having a learning disability in math, I actually had to re-read the FML three times to understand it because fractions still confuse me. That said; when I took my ACT I ended up in the 15th percentile in math; and in the 99th percentile for the reading and essay portion. It's entirely possible to be a smarty pants in one way while lacking even basic understanding in another subject- and that doesn't make someone overall "stupid". Just my two cents.
the_fanciest_man 15
Don't complain, OP. It's all going to be worth it when you get paid later. There's a reason he/she needs a tutor.
milehigh52 22
I clicked you deserved it because you are a tutor! That is for job to teach them because obviously they don't understand. Don't be a d-bag about it.
DewTutorials 6
Jeez he/she is probably a kid op. No need to be a jerk