ARGGGHHH!!!

I hope I haven't turned into some old fogey who's always saying things like, "Kids today just don't...(fill in the blank with inadequacy here)." Is this some right of passage we all enter eventually, regardless of what generation we inhabit? Is this something I've been noticing in myself just because I work with one of the more stereotypically difficult age groups? Am I just really ready for spring break?

It seems to me like quite a few of my students (not all, or anywhere near all for that matter) have a pretty ingrained sense of entitlement. These are not kids who come from a ridiculous "my super sweet sixteen" amount of wealth and privelege either. Yet time and time again I find myself up against various students expecting that rules and procedures don't apply to them---That if they whine or argue enough about something being unfair (when the real issue is they just don't feel like doing something) that eventually I'll realize it was wrong to hold them to the same expectation as everyone else. I'll realize that it IS unfair of me to want them to actually produce some art. Just because this is Art class, who am I to expect that my students produce art? Its a pretty unrealistic, hair-brained idea of mine, isn't it? (note the sarcasm, please)

Has anyone else had similar feelings about "kids today", or is it just me?

I also suspect that parents today have either created or at least worsened this trend. When I was little, had I ever gotten in trouble at school (I'm a first-born, only child...so it was virtually impossible for me to break a rule), I know I would have been in trouble at home. I hear stories every week from other teachers I work with of parents defending whatever crazy/disresectful thing their kid did---to the point of yelling at teachers. I've had some minor experience with this, too, don't get me wrong.

AND another thing ( :) ) I've asked kids about what they dream of for their future and heard over and over some variation of the following:

I want to be rich.

How?

Have lot's of money.

How do you hope to make your money?

I dunno, but I want a Hummer.

Okay. Clearly I'm a little perturbed today. Honestly though, it worries me to hear so much of what I consider to be misguided, shallow values. What happens if the generations below us care more about bling than they do about the environment? If they care more about money than happiness and fulfillment? If they care more about winning a fight than they do about doing the right thing? More about big cars and houses than helping people in trouble? It's rare that I see an act of compassion occur, and far too frequent that I see kids hurting each other (and themselves, though they don't see it this way) in order to GET more, or BE right. I talk to parents and sense that instilling their kids with character, perseverence, compassion, kindness, self-respect, etc. is not what they view their job to be.

It all makes me sad. On some days (like today), it makes me angry. It's an emptiness in these kids' world that I don't know how to combat effectively. It of course (in my mind) leads to bigger issues and questions about God. Where do these kids see God? How do these kids see that LOVE when they are only taught to want and get MORE. Consume, buy, win, slack. These things are in opposition to everything God calls us to. Give, love, sacrifice. How do I convey to kids who's whole lives have been about getting what's theirs, the indescribable joy that comes from giving, loving, SACRIFICING. How can I expect that to make sense?

a night out and you might be a middle school teacher if...

Last weekend Gabe and I met up with some friends we don't see enough of. It was Kendal's birthday on Monday, so we all met up at a local place called McCabe's to celebrate.  It was so nice to be out for a change.  We laughed a lot and had some great appetizers. Here are a few pictures from our night out:

Mel & Sonya

Eric & Chrissie, and Dana

Neil & Emily, Kendal, and Hern

On Monday I actually had a discussion (let's just call it that) with a 7th grader who had just called his friend a "gay homosapien."  My student maintained throughout our discussion on appropriate/inappropriate comments that he was simply calling his friend a happy person.  Ahhh, middle schoolers...gotta love em. ...Right?   

F * R * I * D * A * Y !!!

Have a great weekend!!!

dinner plans

Gus, Keri, Ellie

Tonight we're going to have dinner with our friends Keri and Charlie.  This undoubtedly means we will eat better than we have in a long time.  This also means we will laugh until our faces hurt and be entertained by three small, hilarious dogs.  Life is good.

s'more

memphis

We're back from Memphis and happy to be home.  Neither of us had ever been to Memphis, and I have to say, we were under-whelmed by the experience.  It seems like it maybe used to be a cool city, and has the potential to be, but isn't currently.  Every third building downtown is vacant.  There was trash everywhere.  Things seemed kind of run down, and uninspired.  Maybe we got an atypical view the day we explored, who knows.  Other than that we had a great time.  It was about 75 degrees out on our last day, so walking around was very enjoyable.  Here are some pictures from the trip:

Back again

Alright, it turns out I'm not defective when it comes to operating a computer/blog.  I took a few hours to -breathe- after getting frustrated at not being able to navigate this blog.  Having returned, I have found that it wasn't me.  The internet wasn't exactly holding up its end of the deal earlier, therefore confusing such an inexperienced blogger into thinking she was perhaps the only person incapable of producing a blog. 

I'm not quite sure what this blog will be, why I've decided to start one, or whether it will continue to survive after today.  Gabe is out running amok in Memphis with old friends.  His good friend is getting married Saturday, hence some good old-fashioned running amok was called for.  So I'm sitting in our hotel room alone(for about the 7th hour in a row) starting a blog.  Basically this blog has been born out of sheer boredom. 

I have titled this blog "noteworthy" in the hopes that if I manage to keep up with it, occasionally I'll record something from my day that is noteworthy--in one way or another.  Hopefully this will happen more often than not, but I'm not making any promises.  

My eyes are drooping, so I think I'm off to bed.  

Unsure

Hmmm...trying to figure this all out.  We'll see if this ends up how I want.