I had to stay after school today. And I didn't even do anything wrong! What's up with that? Here's the thing, you people who carry on about, "Well, you have three months off in the summer." That doesn't matter. Last summer my three months off was only 10 weeks, thank you very much. Although that's because we had two week of snow days. That doesn't matter, either. Or the fact that I stay after school working on my own time for no extra pay for 90 minutes or more every day except Friday, even though I don't have to. That's just so I can have time to do my regular work. Nothing fancy. Grade papers. Make copies. Plan lessons. Gather equipment. And on rare occasions, I even take work home.
Today, I had made arrangements after school to take my children to my mom's house so I could do some shopping for my advisory students. Each Christmas, I give them a little bag of treats with candy and my world-famous Chex Mix and some cheap gewgaws that cost me an arm and a leg. So I was skipping out as soon as #1 got off the bus at Newmentia, because he had practice at 6:00 a.m. today. But no. What to my wondering eyes should appear but a faculty announcement that my grade of advisory teachers was expected to stay after school for a 'short' meeting. It was scheduled last week and I planned for it, but it was canceled that afternoon. Today, when I didn't plan for it, it was rescheduled. I was there for 45 minutes. I call shenanigans! There I was, trying to leave early for once to spend money on kids that are not even mine, and I had to stay after against my will!
We watched a story that was on 60 Minutes a while back, about the new work force. How they do not think like our generation, how they do not understand that they have to show up to work on time, and...um...actually WORK, yet still expect promotions, and fast. How WE are the ones who need to adapt to THEM, because they will just get fed up and leave if they aren't praised for nothing and given promotions for doing nothing. And somehow that hurts US. We are supposed to start a dialog with our students about his subject.
I've got their dialog right here. I even posted something about this back when it was on TV. I say that by giving in, we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. How can you run a business or a country if people show up to work when they feel like it, and are not held accountable? We used to give kids 9 absences a semester before kicking them out. The kids took 8. Now we give them 6, and they take 5.
This segment talked of how some companies have 'nap rooms', provide free food, have parades and parties, etc., and the work gets done. Whooptidoo! Think how much MORE work would get done without the frills. What's this about the United States workers working more hours than any other country? Is the pendulum supposed to swing the other way? Shall we do the least work? What is that going to get us, besides props from our non-working employees? Do you want to drive over a bridge built by workers who are given such free reign? Not me.
Maybe this is what's wrong with our economy. Apparently, this slacker generation thinks they can also buy a home and not pay for it. A car, too, perhaps. Oh, and over half of all college graduates move back in with their parents. They are not ready to live as adults yet. No wonder they can tell the employer to take his job and shove it. They have a safety net. Of course they quit. Because they can. Because their parents enable them.
I say it's time for some tough love.
But who had to sit and watch this namby-pamby- I'm-OK-You're-OK- touchy-feely-everybody's-a-winner-no-child -left-behind crapolafest? THE OLDIES WHO STAY LATE AT THEIR JOB AND DON'T HAVE A NAP ROOM OR FREE FOOD OR PARADES OR PARTIES. Because we won't quit. We have a strong work ethic. And we need to learn that we will do even more work to cover for the workforce of the future.
Something has gone horribly wrong with our society.
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7 comments:
Oh, boy, are YOU right! Good post.
Betty,
Thanks for the voice of reason. We Old Dogs have to stick together. ;)
Woof woof...the college kids get three absences and take 20. or they only show up 3 times and expect an A. please excuse my lack of punctuation and proper grammar. i used it all up on the research papers of three Comp I classes that bless their hearts, should go back to elementary. i am on a soapbox constantly over the fact that the remedial classes do not hold the students accountable for their grades...(hey, you came 10 out of 45 times -that's passing!)...and the kids are in the remedial class FOR A REASON!!! we are like rehab if you will, but too many educators just let the kids skate through ultimately setting them up to fail in a university and in real life.....OOOPS, i apparently brought my soapbox with me. please forgive...
If that's how they want to act when they're on the job, I say let 'em try it. PLEASE! When their lazy asses get fired, that's one more job I've got a chance at getting - and I actually work when I'm at work.
Also, I'm smart enough to wear something a tad more formal than pajamas and crocs to the office.
One more thing - if the Chex Mix you give those kids doesn't have those Scooby Snax dog bones in them, then you don't deserve to call yourself a prankster.
HM, If I ever start my own religion, this post is going to be our bible.
I would say something about how being forced to pass kids who don't do sh*t all year is contributing to this mentality, but I won't. I won't.
Wait, I did, didn't I?
My bad.
TriMarsh,
I read some comments a few months back about how college teachers are getting parents calling about wanting their kid to get an 'A' even though they haven't attended class or done the work. And they are told by administration that the parents paid the money, and expect the grade they want. It's a can of worms.
StewyouneedtoputtheHAMMERdown!
Somebody needs to teach these young whippersnappers a lesson. We had to tell the kids last year that they can not wear pajamas to school unless it is theme day for a club.
The kids getting my royal Chex Mix are not the same ones who cooked up the dogfood caper, so they are out of the loop. They are kids from my advisory group who will be mine for 4 years. I treat them well, and in turn, they don't pull my chain.
Miss Ann,
By all means, start your own religion. We will make it the national religion of Hillmomba. Then when one of our citizens runs for President of the U.S., we will deny that he/she was ever a member of that religion.
Maybe you can even come in to present a guest sermon about HH's chickens being too dumb to come home to roost.
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