Current Events > It's really sad being a teacher now, since many students no longer believe that

(+) Yeah! (+)

hard work = success.

Now, I know that this does not account for everyone, but in my 5 years of teaching middle school, I have seen that disillusionment with future success taking over. I teach in a low-income neighborhood and a lot of students are planning to live at home and work at a small job the rest of their lives, knowing that it is nearly impossible to a) move up to the middle class, b) own a home, or c) attend a university and not drown in debt. Even our most brilliant students hold mild dreams for their future, often not realizing what they can achieve with their potential.

It's no wonder that young people are fascinated with get-rich-quick archetypes, such as millionaire Youtube content creators, breakout rap artists, viral social media influencers, etc. The concept of going to college --> getting a good job --> steadily amassing wealth is so rare and difficult to conceptualize now.

Furthermore, students whose parents are renting are being pushed out of the neighborhood by rent increases, and even with students who live in a mortgaged home, many are living in garages/living rooms as their parents are still living in their parents homes and they simply do not have enough space for everyone.

The worst thing that I see more of now is that students who hold such a blatant disregard for their academics believe that they are justified in being defiant, disruptive, etc. because they think that they are better and will still become more successful than the students who are focusing on their academics. And I can't really blame those students; rather, I blame the current political and economical climate in which they are growing up which has cannot promise a successful future for those students who "do the right things."

Just my thoughts! I love my job, but it's hard not to feel frustrated at times. I just need to vent!

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trumps america
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I mean that's kind of the reality of the situation right now though. Social mobility doesn't exist for the poor anymore.

When your parents have an uncertain future, you can't blame zoomers for not having much hope.

They know the American Dream is a joke at this point. Especially if you were born low income. There's so many extra things holding you back. "Just work hard and you'll be successful one day!" is a hard sell when you've personally seen/experienced the contrary.

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I partially blame parents for this. It is also their job to encourage and motivate their kids to strive to be better.

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Umbreon posted...

When your parents have an uncertain future, you can't blame zoomers for not having much hope.

They know the American Dream is a joke at this point. Especially if you were born low income. There's so many extra things holding you back. "Just work hard and you'll be successful one day!" is a hard sell when you've personally seen/experienced the contrary.

I think half the problem is we've lost sight of the American Dream. Today you're either super rich, or dirt poor. There's no concept of the middle ground of earning a comfortable living that is far more common than most think. So people doing decently feel like they've achieved nothing.

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Unknown5uspect posted...

I mean that's kind of the reality of the situation right now though. Social mobility doesn't exist for the poor anymore.

More like it never existed.

I was born lower class, and 36 years later, I'm not only still there, but I've dropped even lower being homeless for almost a year now with no end to that in sight.

If you weren't born of the right status, you might as well not been born at all because you just end up worthless otherwise. I'm literally surplus human garbage.
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The Catgirl Fondler posted...

More like it never existed.

I was born lower class, and 36 years later, I'm not only still there, but I've dropped even lower being homeless for almost a year now with no end to that in sight.

If you weren't born of the right status, you might as well not been born at all because you just end up worthless otherwise. I'm literally surplus human garbage.

You can do it, brother. There are decent job paying out there. You just gotta be motivated to do it.

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Yeah I'm going to pump the brakes on this topic.

Nothing is guaranteed in America, but if you have dedication and luck you can be quite successful and create great opportunity for future generations in several ways (going to college, getting into a trade, joining the military and creating a career for yourself in that, etc. and making education a top priority for your kids and future generations).

You may never be super rich but a few generations down the line could be.
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Okay Boomer

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/400-current-events/78346423

It's a global trend among adults too. Because it's true. More education+hard work was never the antidote to systemic poverty. It was just a way to flood the market with overqualified cheap and desperate labor.

Ps I teach too. The kids know what's up.

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It's not hard work but smart work that's important.

Good for all the youtubers and streamers out there, I'm sure they laugh all the way to the bank when people tell them they don't have real jobs.
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Damn_Underscore posted...

It's not hard work but smart work that's important.

Good for all the youtubers and streamers out there, I'm sure they laugh all the way to the bank when people tell them they don't have real jobs.

The tiny select few who make a living at it do. The vast majority make a little cash on the side at the absolute best and thats including dudes with a quarter million or half million subs.

Unless they got merch and sponsors and patreon that is. And once yer at that point it is literally runnin your own business so its not like they just make videos anymore.

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They're right. Hard work in school is extremely unlikely to pay off

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There absolutely no reason middles schoolers should feel that way unless their parents are feeding em crap. What the fuck does a middle school kid know about college loans and debt. Definitely not enough to get discouraged by it..

I still stand by my opinion that it's the parents fault. I grew up in a low income place and moved to a high income place. I was a good student regardless cuz my parents pushed work ethic in me.

DanHaren2019 posted...

What the fuck does a middle school kid know about college loans and debt.

Fortunately, a lot more than middle schoolers 20 years ago did

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I don't think anybody's believed that.

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Even if you are academically successful in a STEM field and get a great job. Its just a gilded prison.

if you can find the discipline and work for yourself, it just feels more rewarding

Yeah? Try being a student

But yes, of the people I know, they either recognize how fucked the system is, or are privileged upper class people that literally view stuff like public healthcare as a waste of resources

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Fuck hard work. I'd rather play video games and go on vacation.

Pretending this is new. Precious.

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Part of it is a skewed idea of what actually qualifies as middle class. Many parts of the middle class are what we think of as the working poor. The low end is around $40k per year for the household. Single person households will often struggle getting that, but there are a ton of possibilities including what we consider crap jobs in a dual income environment. Their expectations are lower than working at Target while your wife is a waitress.

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Conflict posted...

"It's not about how hard you work, it's about how smart you work."

People don't usually say this seriously but it is true. "Smart work" is much less replaceable than hard work and will last a person much longer.

Although I guess if you do both then you're in the best position.
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DanHaren2019 posted...

There absolutely no reason middles schoolers should feel that way unless their parents are feeding em crap. What the fuck does a middle school kid know about college loans and debt. Definitely not enough to get discouraged by it..

They are all on social media from the moment they get home to the moment they sleep. They may not consume the same media older people do, but they see the same news updates we do. Heck, they're watching Youtube personalities talk for 15+ minutes in each video, of course they're going to hear things about wealth in America, inequality, systemic racism, etc.

And yes, parents are often to blame for many things. Another thing that has shocked me recently is that some parents, in response to their kids getting low grades/behaving badly in school will not take away the kid's phone as a punishment. For the longest time I was so confused--take the kid's phone away! You're the parent! My parents would take away my video games and ground me when I was younger.

And then I learned that parents feel guilty about taking their kid's phones away, because they themselves have used the phone as a "parenting tool." In other words, for them to take the phone away from a kid would be hypocritical as they have relied on it in lieu of actually spending time with their kids.

Do I blame the parents? Yes, but I can also sympathize that many work long hours and simply do not have the time or resources to spend that quality time with their kids. It's a mess all around.

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Well thought out observation TC. This is the type of stuff I love.

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Look guys if a nobody like me can start from the bottom and get a 75k paying job then so can you.

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Veggeta_MAX posted...

Look guys if a nobody like me can start from the bottom and get a 75k paying job then so can you.

It's a good attitude to have, but the reality is that not everyone gets to win the lottery (or whatever analogy you want to use). There's always a few winners and many, many more losers. Not everyone can have a great life if they just "try a little harder."

Telling kids that is just selling them a lie (the expectation of happiness or that they deserve happiness). Then we wonder why there's so many mental issues, crime, drug use, etc.. when people try their best and still come up short.

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Well.... blame the internet. You have Youtubers that probably dropped out of high school making thousands of dollars a month. Welfare is given to almost anyone now days. High prices and low income also plays a part of it. Its better to have two part time jobs than one full time job, sometimes. As long as the part time jobs pays well. People are making bank in dispesaries too.

People are starting to realize that degrees doesnt always mean more money. Its the reality of things.

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Like what is yall talking about? You pick the major that you like. During college you intern for your major. Grind, struggle, play. Graduate and headhunters will come looking for yo ass.

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Unless you're bilingual and looking to become a doctor then college really doesn't mean shit.

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I can't stand this NEET logic.

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Veggeta_MAX posted...

Like what is yall talking about? You pick the major that you like. During college you intern for your major. Grind, struggle, play. Graduate and headhunters will come looking for yo ass.

Your instructions and the supposed result is extremely unlikely for the vast majority of majors

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It's unfortunate but no matter what you, or society do in life theres going to be loosers, alot of loosers. It's not just a fact of life but nature. And It doeasnt matter how many opportunitys or safety nets you provide, a s*** ton of people will inevitably fall through the cracks.

The differance now though is that more people then ever are becoming more and more self aware of this reality, dont know why it's a thing or why it's happening to them, and who to blame for their misfortune.

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Seems pretty depressing, yeah. Sucks they've got such a compelling argument to feel the way they do

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Your a government babysitter, with an easy degree

It is what it is
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You are very much appreciated TC. Being a teacher can be and is a very thankless job. Just know that for some of your students you are the brightest part of their day and count on you to be the best that you can be for them. Thanks for what you do.

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lightwarrior78 posted...

I think half the problem is we've lost sight of the American Dream. Today you're either super rich, or dirt poor. There's no concept of the middle ground of earning a comfortable living that is far more common than most think. So people doing decently feel like they've achieved nothing.

Yeah wtf are you talking about. I'm not super rich or dirt poor. I live very comfortably.

I mean... theyre not wrong.

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PrideOfLion posted...

Not really a great selling point here imo

You may never be "super" rich.

You definitely have the opportunity in the US to live comfortably no matter who you are.
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MonkeyBones23 posted...

You are very much appreciated TC. Being a teacher can be and is a very thankless job. Just know that for some of your students you are the brightest part of their day and count on you to be the best that you can be for them. Thanks for what you do.

Thank you so much for your kind words! Theyre greatly appreciated <3

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It's sad but not hard to see why people are disillusioned with society and existence in general. These feelings aren't coming from nowhere

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There was a recent article about it
https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/2020-edelman-trust-barometer-shows-growing-sense-of-inequality/11883788

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GoodOlJr posted...

Your a government babysitter, with an easy degree

It is what it is

such a good burn. But they dont get enough money and 2 months off in the summer is nothing to them

bobaban posted...

such a good burn. But they dont get enough money and 2 months off in the summer is nothing to them

I never said I disliked my job (in fact, I said I loved my job in the original post). I'm not sad because of money, I'm sad because I want the best for my young students and I see so many (not all) of them giving up any hope for the "traditional" higher education pathway to success

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Most of my coworkers graduated with a bachelor's in a highly demand field yet here we are working in blue collar jobs.