Tell me what you really think.
Oh, you heartless one, you! (Thanks to your heartlessness, however, I have begun my day with the best medicine of all: laughter.) 
That's so funny that someone would not show up for the final exam and that their parents would call. My oldest is starting her senior year of high school this year and my youngest kindergarten. I have to say I am having trouble with the letting go of both of them.
It is a shame that kids have to learn accountability in college. I have just recently moved to Mississippi, while this state is last in eductation, they do hold the kids accountable. I love that about my daughter's school. After years of getting 108% of all the points possible in all her classes, here she has teachers who require the kids to work for a grade. If this is a bad education I will take it any day.
Did you see this past Sunday's NYTimes article and pictures about BlogHer?
I am validated!! At the end of this school year, our twelve year old came to us whining about a project being due...he had been assigned the project six weeks before. He insisted we "had" to not just help, but DO THE PROJECT FOR HIM SO HE WOULD GET THE BEST POSSIBLE GRADE! I told him if he had come to us when the project was assigned and asked for some help, he would have gotten it...but we would NOT, under any circumstances help him now or do it for him because he had put it off and put it off. He had a fit, did the project and got a C. His first C ever after years of A's and B's. He had the nerve to blame us..so I trotted to the school with him and had a meeting with the teacher, telling her our response to our son's "demand". She told him she could always tell if a parent had done a project for a child and if she had seen that in his project, he would have gotten an F. She was very stern and clear that HE is responsible for HIS project's success. Then she thanked me for "holding his feet to the fire" and said it would serve him well. I am wearing my "Mean Mom" hat with pride today!
I think you are a good candidate to write a book on parenting called YES, IT IS YOUR FAULT.
Here's one of the Best-Of-Craigslist that is yet another indicator of times to come:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/.../
718260657.html
Love this post! I agree with Ruthless about the book. I'd want to pass it out to my parents at back-to-school night.
Oh my, you hit it right on the head.
I'm struggling with some new trends right now in the public schools- one of them is the "no zero" policy. It's been labeled as a "toxic grading practice". To me, if a student doesn't do an assignment, I have nothing to grade. Crazy, I know.
Helicopter parents are a pathetic joke at any level, but if this attitude extends into a kid's college years, heaven help the universe!
You haven't seen Helicopter Parents when Widdle Pwecious Mini-Me goes for a job interview, have you?
The all-time record was set by an applicant who not only had to call Mommy constantly on the cellphone during his/her/its interview, but handed the interviewer the phone so Mommy could do the interview for Mini-Me.
Wow, 18-22 students? I would kill to have that for my college courses. When I first started at my university, my college writing course maxed out at 25 students. They upped that 2 years ago to 28 students (supposedly for budget reasons, even though this class actually makes the university money, as opposed to those difficult engineering classes) and let me tell you, three more students is quite noticeable. That's 21 more papers to grade over the semester (per class) along with other work, getting to actually know the student, etc.
How bad that amount of students is becomes very clear during the summer session. Then, I am only teaching one class, usually of around 15 students. I can actually get to know these students, get to conference with them about their papers a few times (as opposed to once during a semester which is rushed and hectic due to 100 or so other conferences going on), which is a hallmark of a good writing class, etc. Ugh.
So disturbing trends for me at the university level are increasing class sizes like that as well as an increasing "business" attitude... part of which is treating students like customers that are always right.
As for forgetting pencils, most of my students wouldn't take notes unless I reminded them. Yes, I even say in my syllabus to have paper and a pen to take notes with, since this apparently isn't a common sense thing anymore. I've also had to deal with a couple of parents this past semester, which was unheard of for me until now. *shakes head* It's pretty crazy.
Love it, love it, love it.
You are right on; these kids (mine included at ages 20 and 22) need to GROW up and take the fall. I've been accused, especially with my youngest of being a helicopter parent but am letting that go; never got to the point of calling a prof of hers in college though...no way!
What I notice is that she, the youngest, makes her way just fine when she is far away and on her own (especially if I don't answer the phone when she calls to whine) but once she gets back home under my roof she forgets how to do everything and acts like a 5 year old.
I am holding my ground but it's harder than I thought.
Love your post!!!!
I'd flunk the parents, too. BTW, what grade did you give the noxious emission?
So am I to determine that without farting...it makes you mean. HUM...start eating broccoli? XXOO
...and Anne Sullivan only had one student her entire career. Just think what she could have done with one classroom x 30 students x 20-30 years.
I frequently WANTED to skip finals in college (after nights without sleep and too much coffee), I never actually did it. I marvel at the stupidity of someone who would throw away the hard work done over the balance of the course instead of just cramming through finals week like the rest of the slackers (me included). Will you leave a cheerful note on the classroom door for those who show up to class next week, announcing that they've missed the final and have, consequently, failed the course? (I would!)
I read about parents who are actually calling potential jobs to arrange Christmas vacation for their kids when they graduate from college. The most astounding part was the fact that employers aren't slamming the phone down, but making "parents information benefits packets" for new hires. Are you kidding?
I once woke up too late to take a final in college. It was my own fault-- I overextended myself and was taking 23 credit hours so that I could finish a five year program in four years because I didn't think I could afford another year. But anyway-- the scream that issued from my mouth when I blearily eyed the clock was The Sound of Ultimate Suffering.
And then I called my prof and grovelled. But I had been a hard worker all semester long, so he believed me. He did allow me to make up the final. But if I'd told my mother, she would have killed me.
My parents never made excuses for me. And now? As a teacher? I get to listen to that rot all the time.
Funny and clever use of words. I think your humor is a big point to your writing, and gives you an edge.
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