I'm addicted to the phone taps on z100. I love listening to the insane people and their even crazier reactions to stuff. This morning's phone tap was a real sign of the times.
One of the DJ's called a father, telling him his precious daughter would not be graduating as she failed a course. The father went ballistic on this person he assumed was a clerk and ended the call by spitting on her. The daughter then called the father and told him the truth about her grades and how they had been altered using photo shop. The father again went crazy, saying things no parent should say to a child and only calmed down after learning the whole thing was a joke.
This episode was not one I found funny, it was sad. The father blasted the clerk for something that was his daughter's doing. He was rude, crude and undeniably obnoxious. He never once stopped to think that this was not a mistake or that even if it was a mistake, it was not the caller's fault. It is not a wonder that certain of our students fly off the handle for no reason when the people that raise them do the exact same thing.
There was a cartoon hanging over the time clock this morning comparing a parent's reaction to a child's failing grade in 1960 to their reaction now. Then, it was the child's fault. Now, the blame lays on the teacher. With attitudes like this, we are all doomed.
4 comments:
I unfortunately have known adults who do exactly that, creating even more difficulties for their kids, never mind themselves. It's just mind-boggling how many people, not just the children, are so immature they don't stop to think about a situation before reacting. Every reaction for some people is a knee-jerk reaction. However, it's very troubling that the children are not treated as though they should be empowered at all. If you are truly held responsible, you try harder. If you are not, you don't feel you have any control at all over the situation. The children are not recognized as factors in their own learning!! "Oh, the humanity"......
This is also why too much reality is unhealthy. I'd rather listen to any kind of music than deal with the underbelly of human nature at 7 AM. I have the rest of my work day to deal with human nature.
That same cartoon was taped to the counter next to our sign-in sheet yesterday!
I photocopied that cartoon and gave it to every teacher in my building.
Dear Ms. Po'd,
I have been following your blog from CA for some time. It is fabulous. I think I either taught at or went to Packemin when I lived in NY. I too am concerned for the future of senior teachers (I now have 20 years in in LA)
I would love to read your other blog. May I be invited?
pgood@usc.edu
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