I love airports. No, Really. I love airports. I even get excited passing BY an airport. Even when I'm stuck in traffic on the Grand Central passing by LGA, I get a little twinge of excitement! Where's everybody going? What's everybody doing? And when is MY next trip going to be? But the best part is when I'm in the airport going on my very own journey. I love getting to he airport super early. I have no problem going to the Hudson Newsstand and picking up some silly magazine, stopping at the Starbucks for a decaf Mocha with soy milk or maybe a caramel apple cider sans the whip. I find my little place, a seat somewhere near my gate and just chill. It's really rather relaxing. I mean, there's nothing else I can or have to do at that very moment. It's almost like I'm forced to relax, which when I'm at home, is very difficult to do! I'm always finding something that has to get done. And although I'm surrounded by a multitude of complete strangers, I still feel like this is valuable "me" time.
I love watching all the people. I love secretly making fun of some of the people (in my inner voice of course, or at least low whispers with Vic.) I once saw a person waiting to board a plane who wore a spiked metal collar and other metal accoutrements all over his outfit and sneakers. I wished I had been around to see him walk through the metal detector. I still wondered how they could allow him on a plane at all. Other times, I watch women who are dressed to the nines. They have on spike-heeled boots that look like they were bought right off the runway (no pun intended) with uncomfortably-looking tight jeans, or sometimes they wear stilettos with skirts. I wonder how on earth they will be comfortable on the plane. I wonder why they'd actually opt to be uncomfortable on a plane ride. No one's really impressed with how well people are dressed on a plane, at least I'm not. This is of course different from men and women in business suits who are obviously flying right to a professional meeting without an opportunity to change. I see families dressed as though they're going out for an evening at the country club. the husband, (Biff) is wearing beige slacks, a Chaps sweater with a light blue, striped collared shirt underneath. The wife, (Muffy) pushing the double-wide stroller while carrying two oversized, designer bags is dressed in what appears to be a sun dress made for a morning jaunt on a yacht. The kids, well, they're miniature versions of Biff and Muffy.
I love looking at all the boards by each gate, reading all the different destinations, wondering if I'll ever go there. I wonder what each place is like-if I've never been. I imagine different trips I could take. I imagine what would happen if I just decided to get onto another plane to a completely different destination than my own ('cause sometimes I wonder if they really check those boarding passes carefully when when you're in the boarding line)
I'm intrigued when I hear people's names being announced over the intercom for final boarding. Why aren't they at the gate? Did they get held up in traffic? I always leave so much extra time to allow for traffic. Why didn't they? What happened to them?
I don't even mind waiting for my luggage once I've disembarked. Everyone rushes to the luggage belt as if their bags will spontaneously combust if they're not right there, leaning over the belt, "Is my bag first??" "Is that mine coming around the bend??" I know mine will come eventually. I just find a nice open area at the end of the belt and wait patiently, trying to contain the excitement about my trip.
I know not all trips to the airport can be this enjoyable or entertaining. I know not all people goign to the airport are going for pleasurable reasons. But for me, generally speaking, I love airports...Except of course when I'm there for my return flight back to reality!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Giving a shit about those who give a shit!
At what point did we as a society decide to take away all responsibility from our children? And at what point did parents decide to shed off their own responsibility in regards to said children? I'm so sick and tired of teachers being blamed for the deficiencies in our children's education. There is only so much a teacher can do. And let me tell you, we do A LOT! There comes a point though, when after our students leave school and go home, that they MUST use what has been given to them, and do something with it! We can provide the information, we can teach the skills, we can encourage. But our students are with us for such a short period of time comparatively. At what point will parents realize that THEY are the greatest influence in their children's lives? If a person decides to have a child, aren't they also making a choice to raise it? I feel as though so many people have children, and then just figure they'll raise themselves or just assume that the teachers will raise them. Teachers definitely parent. But part of that is just our nature.
I'd like to know at what point in history, a breakdown in parenting occurred. I'm pretty sure it's somewhere between the baby boomers and the gen-xers. What happened during that time that today's parents of school-age children let go of all responsibility and decided to play the blame game? By blame game, I mean parents who blame teachers and the educational system of failing their children. At what point will people begin to realize that it's not the educational system that is failing, but the students themselves! The government can pump as much money into the educational system as they like, but without parental involvement (and by involvement, I don't mean parents calling to complain, but parents willing to parent) our kids will continue to fail. If the skills and knowledge a child receives throughout the day in school is not carried through at home, there is only one, two or three people that can be blamed for that child's failure. The parents and the child him or herself. There are certainly some students out there who persevere despite their parents lack of encouragement, and God bless those kids! But statistically speaking, the more parental involvement and encouragement there is, the more successful a child can and will be.
I'm tired of parents blaming me for their child's lack of motivation. I'm tired of being blamed for not 'reaching out' to the kids more. I'm tired of being blamed, period. I work my tail off like so many other teachers I know. And I'm tired of being asked "What can YOU do to see that so and so passes?" Um, how bout so and so does their effing work and stops being a jack-ass!
Just yesterday I overheard a student telling a story about having killed a chicken. He told it with pride and laughter. When I reported this, I was told nothing could be done because there had never been a referral written on this student. When I explained I wasn't comfortable calling home because this student's father had been condescending, rude and threatening to the teachers in the past, I was basically told I had to call home anyway before anything could be done.
Another student who I also believe is a sociopath, gets kicked out of all of his classes on a near daily basis. Yet his teachers were told that we need to 'reach out' to this child and sit this student up front because that's what HE wants. I'm so glad that's what HE wants. (It's almost not worth mentioning and goes without saying that of course we've tried sitting him up front, and it hasn't helped. He loves having an audience.) But the biggest beef I have with this is that once again, the higher-ups are shedding THEIR responsibility, putting the onus on the already exasperated teachers and cowtowing to the student.
To finish, I will refer back to the title of this post. After we are done exhausting ourselves talking about these 'problem' children and irresponsible parents, what about the good ones? The ones with parents who give a shit? The ones whose parents teach their kids to give a shit? Well, they just get brushed aside. It's often implied that we should care more about the troubled kids than the ones who actually WANT their education. I feel terrible for these kids. Their time that they are entitled to is being taken away from them on a daily basis by these jerks. And yet we are encouraged to keep these jerks in class and do whatever it takes to make sure they are happy and comfortable. Just as they are entitled to fail, aren't my wonderful kids entitled to pass and entitled to uninterrupted class instruction? At what point will we get over the fact that assholes will almost always be assholes, there will always be assholes in society? At what point will we stop giving a shit about them and give a shit about those who actually give a shit?
I'd like to know at what point in history, a breakdown in parenting occurred. I'm pretty sure it's somewhere between the baby boomers and the gen-xers. What happened during that time that today's parents of school-age children let go of all responsibility and decided to play the blame game? By blame game, I mean parents who blame teachers and the educational system of failing their children. At what point will people begin to realize that it's not the educational system that is failing, but the students themselves! The government can pump as much money into the educational system as they like, but without parental involvement (and by involvement, I don't mean parents calling to complain, but parents willing to parent) our kids will continue to fail. If the skills and knowledge a child receives throughout the day in school is not carried through at home, there is only one, two or three people that can be blamed for that child's failure. The parents and the child him or herself. There are certainly some students out there who persevere despite their parents lack of encouragement, and God bless those kids! But statistically speaking, the more parental involvement and encouragement there is, the more successful a child can and will be.
I'm tired of parents blaming me for their child's lack of motivation. I'm tired of being blamed for not 'reaching out' to the kids more. I'm tired of being blamed, period. I work my tail off like so many other teachers I know. And I'm tired of being asked "What can YOU do to see that so and so passes?" Um, how bout so and so does their effing work and stops being a jack-ass!
Just yesterday I overheard a student telling a story about having killed a chicken. He told it with pride and laughter. When I reported this, I was told nothing could be done because there had never been a referral written on this student. When I explained I wasn't comfortable calling home because this student's father had been condescending, rude and threatening to the teachers in the past, I was basically told I had to call home anyway before anything could be done.
Another student who I also believe is a sociopath, gets kicked out of all of his classes on a near daily basis. Yet his teachers were told that we need to 'reach out' to this child and sit this student up front because that's what HE wants. I'm so glad that's what HE wants. (It's almost not worth mentioning and goes without saying that of course we've tried sitting him up front, and it hasn't helped. He loves having an audience.) But the biggest beef I have with this is that once again, the higher-ups are shedding THEIR responsibility, putting the onus on the already exasperated teachers and cowtowing to the student.
To finish, I will refer back to the title of this post. After we are done exhausting ourselves talking about these 'problem' children and irresponsible parents, what about the good ones? The ones with parents who give a shit? The ones whose parents teach their kids to give a shit? Well, they just get brushed aside. It's often implied that we should care more about the troubled kids than the ones who actually WANT their education. I feel terrible for these kids. Their time that they are entitled to is being taken away from them on a daily basis by these jerks. And yet we are encouraged to keep these jerks in class and do whatever it takes to make sure they are happy and comfortable. Just as they are entitled to fail, aren't my wonderful kids entitled to pass and entitled to uninterrupted class instruction? At what point will we get over the fact that assholes will almost always be assholes, there will always be assholes in society? At what point will we stop giving a shit about them and give a shit about those who actually give a shit?
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