Reptile & Amphibian Forums

With all the Petstore problems that people mention I wanted to bring another pathetic and sad story.

My youngest son just started in the 5th grade. His teacher is actually a science teacher by background (which truely scares me). Prior to beginning the school year we went in to meet her and the subject of reptiles came up quickly. I told her we were in the process of getting a bearded dragon and already had a ball python and mountain horned dragon. I also mentioned that I was looking at dart frogs, she immediately interrupted with the fact that they were venomous... I tried to correct her (big mistake) with the facts a) they are posionous... venomous is injected (mostly through fangs) and b) in captivity they do not produce the toxins because they are dietary related. She corrected me with the fact that yes, they are vemonous since they inject via fangs... ok... I let that drop, at which point she said she did like the fact that we picked a snake that did not have teeth... I started to explain that they did have teeth just not fangs, but my wife (thankfully) stopped me. Had that been the end it would have scare enough but it got worse.

My wife and I are currently housing a rescued green iguana and when my son's teacher found out she ask if my wife would bring it in. My wife agreed to it and said that on other visits she would would bring in each of our other reptiles (including our beardie that we have gotten since then).

Once in the class the iguana put on an awesome display of cuteness that was pretty much ruined by the fact the teacher kept calling it a bearded dragon... My wife finally gave up trying to correct her... Green iguana = Green lizard... neat how that works! I fear for my son's education!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

That is pretty scary. I have a friend who just retired from 30 years as a 6th grade science teacher. Because they are required to know all the different sciences most teachers have their "area of specialization" and can really lack in others. My friend would work with the students if something came up that she did not know about or was questioned. Unfortunately, I think she is a dying breed (so to speak). I do know other middle school science teachers and have seen similar to what you describe. I have no children of my own, but do presentations on wild silk moths and some other wildlife/habitat issues so am exposed to all different types teachers and methods.

On a funny (maybe not) note, I am currently helping two neighborhood children with their insect collection for the 6th grade (I only condone it for education). One of them said his teacher claimed that a horntail wasp he had collected was not one, leaf galls were insects (well, OK, they are caused by and house insects), and was confused about a few beetles/true bugs and other 6-leggers. Glad I am helping so they get their info right and/or know where to go for questions that come up. It might not be so bad, but the teacher is requiring 8 orders and 30 insects. For a college enotmology class one year I had to do 8 orders and 70 insects. Hmmm...6th grade/university, oh, I suppose they are close enough ;-/

As for your son, I am sure you will be keeping a keen eye out for wrong info - and hey, maybe the teacher will learn something, too. We are ALL lifelong teachers and students and once we lose that perspective we just get stuck (and then complain about it.)

OK, off my soapbox!

lele
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

What is worse than a teacher not having the correct information but one that is unwilling to learn the correct information when offered. I would have to see what sort of grades she would give out on essay projects about reptiles and amphibians.

I am tempted to suggest letting your ball python bite the teacher, so she can find out that yes indeed, they have teeth.
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PHLdyPayne

That is funny because where I work everyone calls ALL of the lizards Iguanas no matter what they are. Even after correcting them they are all still iguanas. Just ignorance. I just think it's funny. Cara

yea, i had a male mali uromastyx on my arm when i went out to meet the mail lady for the mail. i didnt expect her to say oh! what a nice uro or anything but she refused to stop calling him an iguana. lol is it still really ignorance if you dont make an atempt to not be ignorant?
~icy

p.s. im not holding him in the pic, looks just like a 6 foot long green lizard doesnt he??

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1.0.0 bearded dragon
1.1.0 green iguana
0.0.1 black and gold tegu
1.0.0 knight anole
0.1.0 green anole
1.1.0 golden gecko
1.0.0 ball python
0.0.5 oriental firebellied toad
0.0.1 green treefrog
0.0.1 barking treefrog
0.0.1 cuban masked treefrog
0.0.1 gray treefrog
0.1.0 rat snake
0.1.0 eastern kingsnake

np
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
1-1-0 Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-1-0 Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

thanks for clearing things up - now I know that is a chameleon!

You have a good point about being ignorant if you do not even try to learn.
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Chameleon Help & Resource Info

0.1 Veiled Chameleon - Luna. She's now hanging from her big jungle gym in the sky
1.0 Beardie - Darwin
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Lita
0.1 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.3 Mad. Hissers (2 died ;(
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula - Rosa Leigh
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha