Conference time just past, and students scrambled to seek approval for work they should have done, all along, but did not. Some oddly, thought they should get something good for little or no effort. They want positive approval – no one wants negative – at least, they would rather hear nothing at all, if negative was the only option.
Still, the big question that comes to my mind is, why don’t students do their best all of the time? Why do they slack and do less? Is it because the bar is lowered like the bar of a limbo dancer; and students quickly realize that they can get away with doing less – far less sometimes, until they fall. They look up to see that they have learned nothing new and that those who did applied themselves are standing head and shoulders above them. Surely, they can’t enjoy that view.
Sadly, when adults are rated, ones effort doesn’t always determine the higher rating – it’s who you know or how far are you willing to compromise your standards. It’s sometimes a popularity game. Sometimes you can do your best and discover that – it just doesn’t make the mark, because you don’t have the proverbial “sparkle” that the boss is looking for, (and that, sometimes doesn’t really exist). Or sometimes, adults, like students simply prefer to have the bar lowered… which has natural consequences in the real world – pink slips.
So, all around the standard goes down when people don’t try – the bar gets lowered… The expectation is sometimes so low that everyone passes – then why do we have grades and evaluations?
Because - mankind is competitive by nature. We run for fun in the hot, hot sun – to win! However, when we are producing a product, why can’t we consider producing as if that product was to last forever, or be the end of all papers, all projects? What would be the result of such an attitude towards ones work/product – sights that are set on the stuff of legacies. That stuff we leave behind – the aftertaste, (which doesn’t always have to be bad – it can be a pleasant memory – like a scent from perfume).
Students don’t get this. Adults don’t get this! If most people, young and old did, the affects would be phenomenal. People would take care. People would consider and ponder the right action, before starting, (a.k.a. plan). People would be thoughtful of others. Problems would be solved. People might experience a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment. People would see pass themselves. There would be something standing long after the producer were gone onto the next thing – the next great thing.
Legacies – what are we leaving behind? Do we make the mark that matters most?
Still, the big question that comes to my mind is, why don’t students do their best all of the time? Why do they slack and do less? Is it because the bar is lowered like the bar of a limbo dancer; and students quickly realize that they can get away with doing less – far less sometimes, until they fall. They look up to see that they have learned nothing new and that those who did applied themselves are standing head and shoulders above them. Surely, they can’t enjoy that view.
Sadly, when adults are rated, ones effort doesn’t always determine the higher rating – it’s who you know or how far are you willing to compromise your standards. It’s sometimes a popularity game. Sometimes you can do your best and discover that – it just doesn’t make the mark, because you don’t have the proverbial “sparkle” that the boss is looking for, (and that, sometimes doesn’t really exist). Or sometimes, adults, like students simply prefer to have the bar lowered… which has natural consequences in the real world – pink slips.
So, all around the standard goes down when people don’t try – the bar gets lowered… The expectation is sometimes so low that everyone passes – then why do we have grades and evaluations?
Because - mankind is competitive by nature. We run for fun in the hot, hot sun – to win! However, when we are producing a product, why can’t we consider producing as if that product was to last forever, or be the end of all papers, all projects? What would be the result of such an attitude towards ones work/product – sights that are set on the stuff of legacies. That stuff we leave behind – the aftertaste, (which doesn’t always have to be bad – it can be a pleasant memory – like a scent from perfume).
Students don’t get this. Adults don’t get this! If most people, young and old did, the affects would be phenomenal. People would take care. People would consider and ponder the right action, before starting, (a.k.a. plan). People would be thoughtful of others. Problems would be solved. People might experience a sense of satisfaction, accomplishment. People would see pass themselves. There would be something standing long after the producer were gone onto the next thing – the next great thing.
Legacies – what are we leaving behind? Do we make the mark that matters most?