12:16 p.m. - 2008-05-19
What next?
Monday, May 19, 2008
I was reading our morning newspaper today. The paper is doing a series on school issues, why the dropout rate is so high, why the students don't seem motivated, what the new ideas are to make school more interesting to the students and so on. Yesterday, the article was following a sophomore girl. It discussed how she gets through her day. She does seem like a nice girl, interested in dance, softball, has a B average. She has softball practice every night and games 2 nights a week. She has a busy schedule and has to do her homework in the evenings.
The school she attends is one of the biggest in our area and most of the students come from an above average income level. The school has over 3000 students and the school grounds are called the campus....as if it were a college. My son went to this school and graduated the year before the school expanded and became so large. At that time, the community was more rural. And we were not of above average income. Now a huge upscale housing community has brought in a large amount of money and a larger amount of students. And a even larger group of problems.
However, my point is this. One of the teachers described this generation of students as being the "entitlement" generation. "They assume privileges instead of understanding the value of earning them." They expect to have what they want. And for the most part, they do. They have every technical gadget...the Ipods, the cell phones, Myspace, cars. They have no "good work ethic and no respect for authority." according to this teacher. She said that one of students interrupted a logarithm properties instruction in Algebra by asking..."what's the point?". The teacher replied...."learning patience." The students expect instant gratification and want quick answers. They haven't learned how to wait for anything. They want it and they want it now!
I was thinking about this article and I believe that teacher hit it right on the head. We do have a generation of young people who think they are entitled. Look at the television selections, MTV, My Sweet 16 Party with costs going over the top for a 16th birthday party. They want to party like a rock star, have the best car, all the latest clothes, all the DVDs and CDs as soon as they come out. The Senior trips resemble what most of us would have called our dream honeymoon in our day. Clothes cost more than a week's groceries, name brand jeans, shoes and purses cost a small fortune....not to mention what ever the latest fad is coming up this week.
I know it all comes back to the parents. If the child demands it and gets it every time, they have learned what we have allowed them to ask for. The skies are the limit as far as giving them what they want.
Of course, there are lots of young people who work hard and "get it" by earning it. It does make me wonder, though, about these "entitlement" students. They expect to go to college and they expect to have everything they want when they want it...which is NOW. But what is going to happen then.....if they do graduate, what kind of job are they going to get and if they get the job...can they hang onto it? What is going to happen to them when the bubble bursts? And someone, somewhere, some time finally says NO!
