[Winona Online Democracy]
But my point was that while a few students get jobs as nursing aides or work
in a family business, most are not doing anything particularly educational
beyond the realm of basic life skills, which I won't minimize. The majority
of my working peers work basic, part-time, very simple jobs, some of which
seem to actually contribute to the loss of skills through atrophy. Working
the counter at McDonald's consists of entering simple information into a
computer that calculates prices and change due, and giving back the
appropriate currency. Certainly this doesn't help the employee's math
skills, and most of the counterpersons I encounter don't seem to be learning
communications skills very well. In some places, the registers' keys even
have pictures on them, not written words--God forbid we demand the kids be
able to read. yes, they have to be there on time, but there are lots of
things that require punctuality. (like high school) I worked very briefly
in a retail job and was told to stop calculating prices and change in my
head, because the register kept records based on the items assigned
price-lookup keys. This seems to be the way many student-held jobs run, and
the routine of not using one's mental skills can't help in the development
of young minds.
As for sports, I will make the comment that at least a student can hold a
job and still come to school and encounter an environment designed around
intellectual development, but athletic distractions are implicitly promoted
even while the student is in school. Student athletes regularly leave
classes to go to events, and I've had more than one teacher devote classtime
to discussion of school sports and "school spirit" activities. Several
times every year I am pulled out of my classes for the purpose of
celebrating the school's sports teams. What does this say is important?
Interestingly enough, most of my classmates who confuse Cambodia with
Colombia, associate Thomas Jefferson with the Civil War, or don't know how
to read a periodic table are major participants in school-sponsored
athletics. (All of these actually happened in classes I've been in.) It's
because football (or track, or dance team) is more important to them, and no
one tells them othwerwise.
>From: "Joliene Olson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "andrew thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: Re: [Winona] Teen Employment
>Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 21:35:32 -0600
>
>Again Andrew, it all depends on what you mean by "educational" and what you
>mean by "valuable". All of the points I made in my first response to your
>letter would/should be considered "part of a person's education and
>valuable". If an individual doesn't know something, learns about it,
>masters a skill around it etc etc then you are being educated. (example:
>importance of being to work when scheduled, and on time, seeing 'other
>work', besides assigned work, to do)
>
>I agree however, that in some cases, students devote time to work or
>curricular activities at the expense of their education. That should be
>the
>responsible parents job to watch and see that there is a balance.
>Joliene Olson
>507-454-1236
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "andrew thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent: Friday, January 05, 2001 2:51 AM
>Subject: Re: [Winona] Teen Employment
>
>
> > [Winona Online Democracy]
> >
> > I was by no means implying that these jobs are valueless. Indeed, we
>would
> > be nowhere without the people who cook and clean up for us. My point
>was
> > that the picture some may have of teenagers going out into the community
>for
> > hands-on educational experience to acquire skills for life is not
>accurate
> > in many cases I have seen. Computer technology has eliminated the need,
>and
> > therewith the training, for intellectual aptitude in the jobs teenagers
> > typically hold. I was not implying that these jobs are not valuable,
>only
> > that they not be viewed as educational, meaning many adolescents should
>be
> > encouraged to take some time off of work (and sports, and shopping, and
>drug
> > use) and devote it to their education.
> >
> >
> > >From: "Jerome Christenson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >To: "Winona Online Democracy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >Subject: Re: [Winona] Teen Employment
> > >Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 09:00:24 -0600
> > >
> > >[Winona Online Democracy]
> > >
> > >
> > >Let's be careful about equating "menial" with "valueless." We all enjoy
>the
> > >clean toilets, hauled trash, and uncluttered floors "menial" workers
> > >provide
> > >us with.
> > >I daresay, a good trash man, cook and janitor contributes more to the
> > >common
> > >good than the average school administrator, store manager or newspaper
> > >pundit.
> > >Our kids are out there doing some of the most important work there
>is...too
> > >bad they don't get paid in proportion to its true social significance.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >----------------
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