Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartAugust in Middle Georgia – and You Know What That Means. . .
People are talking about starting back to school. I’m sure there are some who know that school used to start after Labor Day. Kids everywhere are loading up their backpacks, breaking in new shoes and texting each other to see what classes they are taking.
But what if you’re a teacher? You are loading up your briefcase, breaking in new shoes and grabbing those class rosters to see which students are in your classes – saying silent prayers about some as you peruse the list. But that’s not all. Oh, haven’t we all heard, “I wish I were a teacher. I’d love to go home at 3:00 every day and have my summers off.” After you mentally whack them over the head, you put on a smile and say how the never-ending years of education are worth it. You, then, head to the lounge the next day and start off the conversation with, “You won’t believe what someone told me…”
Teachers, good teachers, are always working. They are constantly looking at their notes, teacher’s editions, and researching facts to find information with which to dazzle their students, trying to keep at least one student’s attention. There are times that I forget that the kids graduating today have never sat in front of a television with only three channels, have never been without plastic grocery bags and have never realized flying by airplane now closely resembles riding by bus years ago. But did you know someone puts out a list ever year informing us of things that today’s graduating classes have never had to consider? This is a sure-fire way to make you feel old. (A few years ago I told my students that 8 1/2-inch floppy disks were once used for storage, only to have them look puzzled and say, “What’s a floppy disk?”)
I found the following as I was surfing the net? (By the way, have you noticed how much our language has changed?) “Each August since 1998 Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college this fall. It serves as a reminder to faculty to be aware of dated references.” (http://www.beloit.edu/mindset/)
These are some of the things you would find:
- Few in the class know how to write cursive.
- Email is just too slow, and they seldom, if ever use snail mail.
- “Caramel Macchiato” and “Venti half-caf vanilla latte” have always been street corner lingo.
- Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess.
- They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone.
- Computers have never lacked a CD-ROM disk drive.
- They’ve never recognized that pointing to their wrists was a request for the time of day.
- Having hundreds of cable channels but nothing to watch has always been routine.
- The post office has always been going broke.
- Leasing has always allowed the folks to upgrade their tastes in cars.
For a complete list visit http://www.mindsetmoment.com/Mindsetlist.html
Makes you wonder what that list will look like in 10 years!
About the author
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Maxine Davis | http://TBAsoon! I am a writer. PRO in Ga. Romance Writers and RWA, working toward publication. I am also a retired educator--teaching and administration. Native Georgian, thank goodness! Married; no children. I love traveling, especially with my husband or with my brother and sister to Maine (THAT was a fun trip.) I love reading, swimming, crocheting, life in general and friends.
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August 23rd, 2010 at 12:30 am
Few in the class know how to write cursive? I can’t believe it. And I used to get so much flack from my teacher because my little a’s weren’t perfectly round.
I don’t think I want to know what that list will look like in 10 years, but thanks for the insight, Maxine. I won’t say it makes my day, but it was eye-opening, LOL.
August 23rd, 2010 at 6:17 am
Thanks Linsey–you’re up early
That list left me thinking how much they missed – it also leaves me thinking learning can never stop. (whew!)
August 23rd, 2010 at 7:45 am
Oh, Maxine. I did my time as a high school teacher, and your words are oh-so true.
I’ve wanted to smack more than one person who suggested my day ended at 3. For the record, folks, I had to do a log one year, a very depressing log. The results? On average, I spent just over 60 a week in school or working on school work–more than enough to make up for my vacations–and that wasn’t counting the work I did over summer vacation.
Anyhoo, it never ceased to amaze me what kids know or don’t know. When I taught preschool, I soon discovered that each time I took a picture, the kids would come running and want to see the back of the camera. Three-year-olds have a really hard time with the concept of a “fun-saver.”
My high school kids never wore a wrist watch and would risk breaking the “no cell phones in sight” rule to check for the time. Even though there was a clock on the wall.
Once I sang part of a Stones song to them, and they informed me they couldn’t possibly know it because it was before their time. since it was “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” I informed them it was before my time as well.
Oh, this looks like a fun list to bookmark–thanks, Maxine!
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:30 am
Of course they don’t know cursive! It’s not tested and today’s teachers are so pressured about testing that taking classroom time to teach cursive just isn’t practical.
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:53 am
As a substitute teacher for the last 17 years, yes I should’ve gotten a real job, I see the stuff on the list all the time. No cursive and no one can tell time that isn’t digital. My favorite is no one knows who John Wayne is. You can learn all kinds of life lessons from John Wayne.
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:19 am
Ladies, you’ve made me feel really bad about the teachers who had to deal with my kids and grandkids. (g)
Never taught school, just adults in specific subjects at the St of Calif. Yes, they knew cursive and all wore watches and some of them had been around when no one would miss the episode of I Love Lucy when she was due to go to the hospital.
Sandy
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:54 am
Sally,
I would have loved seeing you explain a fun-saver to three year olds! And 660-hour weeks are so very typical – it’s a shame.
Debbie,
You are so right. They keep adding tests but never take any away! Oh Lord, don’t get me started on that!
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:55 am
Oops, not 660 hr weeks. Dang! How do you make corrections on these posts?? I, of course, meant 60-hour weeks!!!
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:57 am
Susan,
I always thought substitutes deserve a special place in heaven!
You are right. John Wayne was a walking life lesson. Sure do wish they could have seen/known The Duke.
August 23rd, 2010 at 10:59 am
Sandy,
Not to worry, I imagine you had your kids trained-and-then-some before they went to school!
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:59 am
Hey Maxine! This is soooo very true. I hate the fact that I can read my son’s cursive writing and not his regular penmanship, BUT that the schools don’t require them to write in cursive anymore. Also, we were listening to a song on the radio the other day and my son asked us to turn it up. Hubby and I just looked at each other and asked how he knew the song because it was an older one. He said it wasn’t OLD, it was one of the new ones off the new Rock Band. Thank heavens for Rock Band or he might not have been able to enjoy some my favorite songs…grin…
My heart goes out to teachers. That was one of the professions I seriously thought about when I went back to school. A couple of weeks of substitute teaching knocked that decision right out of me…
Thanks for a fun post!
Tami
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Sometimes it’s a good thing to stop and think about those lists.
I was born before color tv.
And I remember the first computer we got in the office, how we all gathered around to see ALL the fabulous information available through the online yellow pages.
The first cell phones were the size of a brick.
I was in grade 9 when my school had a controversial vote to allow girls to wear….PANTS to school.
Okay, stopping here, suddenly feeling old!
Back to teachers.. horray for you and your amazing view of life and change. (School here doesn’t go in until the day after labor day so my teacher friends are scrambling to enjoy their last days of rest.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
I hear that so many times, “Teachers are so lucky they get off at three and have summers off” and although I’ve never been a teacher, my sister was, and I understand how upset teachers get to hear that sentiment from people who have never been teachers.
The item on the list about not teaching cursive really surprised me. Is that true? How can that be?
I can’t believe no one doesn’t know who John Wayne is.
I thought it was interesting to learn that teachers look at their toster of new students and say their “silent prayers.” I remember saying a good silent prayer hoping I would get a particular teacher.
I enjoyed your thought-provoking post.
Marilyn
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:27 pm
You know what’s scary? Not only can kids not write in cursive anymore, they can’t READ cursive anymore! My son had a letter from my aunt, who had perfect copperplate cursive handwriting, clear as day, and he couldn’t read it — he had to ask me to read it for him! I was floored.
And I still can’t convince them that it takes more time to fumble your cellphone out of your pocket, flip it open and press the button to see the time than to just flip your wrist over. They say wristwatches get in their way.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Tami,
I think you made a great career choice – moving right up that ladder!
Katt,
I understand. We didn’t get a tv until I was six. A huge box, lots of tubes and a tiny screen . . .
I make up for lost time wearing pants now instead of very many dresses.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Marilyn,
i think kids just see so much texting and other typed material – and not enough cursive.
Thank you for your comments.
EC,
That is a shame about the letter. A real shame. I know what you mean about the phone and the watch. I’m lost without my watch! Thanks for stopping by.
August 23rd, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I’ve never taught school, but I have a good friend who teaches high school and she’s constantly working on lesson plans and grading and loading grades into their online system in the evenings. It’s crazy how much time teachers have to put in.
It’s just as crazy to think that we’ll soon have a generation that won’t be able to communicate in the traditional sense with their parents and g’parents. My son prints everything, but I didn’t think much of it because his dad does the same thing. My daughter does a combo of print/cursive. Printing everything is too choppy and takes too much work. No wonder they text everything!
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Carol
LOL, you have a good point about printing! Thanks for commenting.