Student Apathy

Apathy-lack of interest or concern

Today, I just couldn't help but to think about student apathy. Let me explain. In my years of teaching, I have always questioned what it is that makes certain students want to excel, while others are OK with just getting by. This thinking process has come about because of two things:

1) My students had the wonderful opportunity to recite from memory, lines from the Shakespearean play that they studied in class. Students chose which specific lines they wanted to recite. Well, I had those students who were all about it and in turn, did wonderful. And then, I had those students who were not as thrilled and because of that, kinda failed to fully memorize all of their lines. As a teacher, of course, this just saddens me beyond what the students will ever truly comprehend unless of course, they too become teachers.

2) Secondly, I am in the process of reading this WONDERFUL book called, "Do Hard Things". The basis of this book is that students today need to "rebel" against low expectations. This book is written by two teenagers who finally got fed up with low expectations and in turn, have started a "rebelution" to get other students to rebel against low expectations. This is actually a book I am looking at having not only my students at school read, but also, those students I work with as we journey through the college/career process.

The authors of the book make some very valid points within the chapter that focuses on students and mediocrity. Let me share some of them with you:

1) Students today are known for what they don't do rather than what they do do. "Being considered a good teen only requires that we don't do bad stuff like taking drugs, drinking, and partying. But is it enough to be known for the negative things we don't do, or should we also be known for the positive and difficult things that we do?"

Isn't this the truth? Students today are known as "good students" when they don't do the stuff that they shouldn't do. But what if students started being known for what they do rather than what they don't do? What kind of impact would this make?
"To live by God's standards for young people and to enjoy the blessing He promises, we must go beyond simply avoiding bad stuff. We are not just supposed to avoid sinning; we are supposed to pursue righteousness in a way that others will want to imitate."

2) Pursue Excellence, not Excuses
The authors go on to share their thoughts about the amount of emails they receive from students complaining about "getting corny awards at school when all that they have done is turn in their homework and pay attention in class while everyone else goofed off." One girl in particular stated, "It's sad how little I had to do to earn this award."

This really struck a cord with me, because I see this happening all the time. Today, students are awarded for things that they should just naturally do. As a teacher, I seldom give out awards because when someone does get an award from me, I want them to know that they truly deserved it; that they went far beyond what was expected of them. Too many students today are being awarded for things that should just be expected of them. And unfortunately, students are getting rewarded for "just getting by". There is no extra effort involved; they do just enough to get by and in turn, are rewarded for it. What kinds of disappointments are we setting our children up for in the future? As adults, we know that we are not awarded for every little thing we do. What will happen when students enter college and the work world expecting to get awarded for everything they do? It will be a huge let down and wake-up call.

This really saddens me because I feel that as adults, we have helped create this atmosphere of apathy and mediocrity. We reward kids for things they should just naturally do, or, if they don't do what they are supposed to do, we in turn do it for them. I see this all the time with students who are struggling in school. Parents who want nothing more than to see their child pass (which of course is only natural)but in turn, end up completing the work for them so that the child can avoid failure and disappointment. While it may seem like the right thing to do at the moment, the reality is that we are only setting up our child for failure in the future.

Let me close with this-spend some time really talking to your student about apathy/mediocrity. Ask them what it is that causes them to not want to excel in certain areas of their life. What is it that holds them back? You might be surprised at the answers you get. Also, I have listed some questions below that you may want to explore with your child. These questions are in the book, "Do Hard Things."

* What areas of my life do I not care about that I know should care about?
* In what areas have I fallen short of God's standards and my own potential?
* In what areas have I settled for just getting by when I know I could do better if I really tried?
* In what areas have I decided that things "will always be this way" without ever putting in the kind of effort that really changes things?

Lastly parents, let me encourage you to answer these questions also. Our actions speak louder than words. Do you tend to exemplify apathy and mediocrity in the things you are involved with? Have you shown your children what it looks like to go the extra mile? Are there areas in your life that you need to care about more? If you feel as though you have failed within this area, it's not to late to change. Have a heart talk with God and then, have a heart talk with you child. Be open to what he/she has to say and be willing to hold each other accountable.

Let's all join the "rebelution" and make an effort to no longer live with low expectations!

Until next time,
Jen