tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190188.post3050552093005339321..comments2023-12-10T07:27:17.914-05:00Comments on Never a Dull Moment: Last DaysClaudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02057662343562530495noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190188.post-76962342734160149352011-06-13T20:03:46.122-05:002011-06-13T20:03:46.122-05:00I watched a documentary recently that stated that ...I watched a documentary recently that stated that while US students score dismally low in math and science, they score #1 in "thinking" their doing well in those (and many other) areas. They "think" they're doing well? What's that about? I honestly think we've been so consumed with bolstering their self-esteem that the kids start to think they can do no wrong, that their efforts are good enough simply because they show up. My oldest son was a great student, rarely cracked a book, always made honor roll, graduated very high in his class. My second child, a girl, worked REALLY hard to get good grades, I mean obsessively hard. Things did not come as easily to her - she had to study - and she did. My son dropped out of college, my daughter just graduated from college with a 4.0. That tells you something doesn't it? Now, I have 5 adopted children who are horrible students. They simply don't care to learn. They have very few interests and even less motivation. Everything is too hard, in spite of one having a very high IQ, two being in the mid-average range and two lower than average. The youngest is 7 and LOVES learning. He is a breath of fresh air after 5 kids and 13 years of torture trying to get them to do the bare minimum.<br /><br />I'm awfully glad school is done for the year as well!Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14612523674452864077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11190188.post-68787994848680980032011-06-08T23:00:48.729-05:002011-06-08T23:00:48.729-05:00I think that this generation of kids have erroded ...I think that this generation of kids have erroded work ethics. I would love to place the blame squarely on the public schools since they have continued to water down education and lower standards (and I know since I am a teacher.) But I think that is too simplistic. I would love to blame the fact that we have become too tolerant, but again this is simplistic.<br />When I taught on the border between the US and Mexico, I observed something fascinating. The first generation of people who immigrated to the US-legal or not- worked hard, learned English, purshed their children. They appreciated what they had obtained. Sometimes the second generation would do this as well. But by the third generation, most of the children of the children of the children of the immigrants and become complacent. And this continued.<br />I am not insulting a race, here. I have a point. In the generation of adults that started the 50's and 60's, people worked hard - the work ethic was strong, people cared almost too much.<br />In the 70's and 80's, people started to stop caring about how hard they needed to apply themselves. I started to work in this generation, and I remember college students going on trips, relying on their parents for help, cars, etc. By the 90's and into 2000, there is absolute complacency amonst students. Even in the poorest of students, there is an attitude that people deserve just because they are - not because of what they have worked for it....<br />Anyhow, Students have stopped working as hard - fewer and fewer put honest effort in - our hands are held by rules and regulations about what we can and cannot do about behaviors, attitudes and work. <br />Unless society changes their standards, we are bound to have our children's children become even more complacent. At least they get to deal with what they did. The old mother's curse, "I hope you have a child just like you" will most likely come true.momma-o-minniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07915082909133290105noreply@blogger.com