Entitlement

By reading Mr. Yip's blog, I finally learned how to log in and create a new blog post. I have been making comments to my own blog..who knows what will happen with the point system, but I have enough time to make up the points (something about five blogs in five days).

Anyway, referencing Mr. Yip's post about betrayal, I would add the word, entitlement. I have adult students, well, many of them are over the age of majority, but the maturity levels demonstrated by some often reflect those of middle school students...or even younger. I did have some marvelous students when I taught middle school, but for the most part, most felt that they should receive an A because they showed up for class. Since when did attendance correlate with academic performance? But I digress.

In week 10 (beginning on Monday) of an 11 week quarter, students who have done little but text message during class are now inquiring what needs to be done so they can get an A. Some are actually upset because I don't count off for late work, so any assignments they have not submitted is a direct result of poor time management on their part. Some are indignant that I will not read draft copies in week 10 for a research paper that is due week 11. The last week to submit drafts was week 8.

There is another issue. Too many students view collaborative work as a right. Too many cannot collaborate; what they really want is to parasite. I have at the very minimum a dozen students who can barely read and write. Some take no interest in learning to read and write using either Standard or Academice English, even at a cursory level. What they want to do is sit in a group, go out for a smoke, then return to the group...wander the hallway...return to the group...then leave early. They call this collaboration, and want the grade as the group members who have worked.

The sense of entitlement is also packaged with excuses. "I am a single mother." " I have three children." and "I work full-time." Going to school is a choice. Because some of my students do have rather grueling schedules, I implemented the "no points off for late work policy" last quarter. My top students have no missing work, many of them work full time and have family responsibilities, but they are in class working every week, and stay until the end of the class...working and seeking guidance. If such a student cannot attend class, I receive an email informing me of such, and usually there is an assignment attached. There is a perception of entitlement...when no work has been done..." I attend class every week"...that's right...you show up....take no notes, talk through the lecture and lesson model, do not ask questions...then leave at the break...you are your own revenge kiddo....if it were only that easy. Ha.

As to Mr. Yip's comments about the lack of "please" and "thank you" he receives, he should experience students who have been in the military. I am still surprised when I hear, "Yes, Ma'am" to a statement or request I have made. It's still foreign to hear, particularly after so many years of teaching K-12 and from the grunting responses I receive from so many.

The response of the AP teacher about cheating is saddening. Plagiarism is my "issue". Every quarter, at least three students plagiarize....knowingly. Some instructors do not read assignments, and some even train their students in the "art" of find and replace, or cut and paste then change the font. Therefore, I am not popular with a few instructors on campus, and less popular with students who plagiarize. I had one student yell at me, when he earned a zero on a plagiarized paper, because his Compostion I teacher had told him how good he was. Go figure.
He had visited three different websites and cut and pasted text from each. His Works Cited page did not list the websites...so this was no error. Sigh.

We spend too much time worrying about "engaging" the lackluster and the mundane, and too little time promoting and encouraging those who are eager to improve, learn, contribute, and seek excellence in their work, whatever it may be.

Now I am depressed...it's Sunday...I need to garden...