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In Catherine Rampell’s article, “A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much,” the idea of the younger generation, known as Generation Y or Millennials thought of as lackadaisical and indolent by older generations has been quashed by Rampell’s explanations of the differing behaviors and ideas held by these two generations, causing a misunderstanding and misinterpretation of productivity. The era of computers has especially been a major cause of such a rift, specifically the dependence on technology of which has contributed to the growth of synergistic and collaborative dispositions amongst the younger generations- behaviors once thought of as ineffectual in the workplace. Starting her article, Rampell addressed the common ideas held of Millennials, …show more content…
Not So Much” had defended the actions of millennials of which had been misinterpreted as have other generations past. However, “A’s for Everyone” by Alicia C. Shepard had voiced the opposition’s side, focusing the student and often times parent harassment on professors for better grades of which student entitlement as well as the inflation of grades have been to blame. With these two articles, one could conclude that although this most recent generation has been misunderstood, certain factors has made this generation expect some comeuppance. To put it simply, Generation Y had been bashed by its elders for their behaviors seen as immoral, lazy, and even negligent in their roles of society. Although some may have proved to increase efficiency in the workplace as well as in personal relationships, the human trait of entitlement has, in fact, been ubiquitous, especially pertaining to academic …show more content…
However, such accusations such as laziness and entitlement, although common, have been prevalent amongst those of college age as proven in “A’s for Everyone.” Shepard had investigated the cause behind this and had put the blame on grade inflation in the years prior to entering college, the pressure to get superb grades due to high tuition costs, and most importantly the belief that “effort” constitutes a grade bonus. However, if one has entered the school system in America, one could see the relative ease in which one could improve their grades through inordinate amounts of extra credit. Multiple students have heard and even seen fellow students ask their parents to even come in for meetings of which equate to blaming their child’s poor grades on the teacher and harassing said teacher to allow their child, soon to be a hardworking, productive citizen of society, to get the “grade they
Every student Pope interviews explains that their high marks in their classes are a result of working themselves extremely hard in order to fulfill someone’s expectations. Kevin Romoni, a tenth grader at Faircrest, for instance, reveals his real intentions for high school are not to fully connect with his classes, but simply to just “get into college and make his parents happy”(9). The high amount of pressure put on Kevin distracts him from the primary goal of attending and excelling in school, which is to become engrossed in learning and motivated to succeed by a genuine interest in the subjects. Also seeking her parents’ approval, Michelle Spence feels so stressed about receiving excellent grades to be accepted into a college her parents will commend, she “[cries] all the time from stress….and contemplated dropping out of school”(83), despite already being a straight-A student. Although her parents might be attempting to encourage her, the competitive atmosphere at school is too frantic. It is devastating that students are completely overwhelmed by parents’ attempts at motivation, and I believe that their stress will not reduce until the expectations set for them are not pressed as forcefully. The stressful environment students live in leads to their disengagement in learning, which creates even more stressful
In his essay, “Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s,” Brent Staples argues that grade inflation in colleges results in college degrees becoming less valuable. Staples points out that grade inflation is happening among all colleges and there are many factors contributing to this problem. Colleges are willingly giving students good grades that they do not deserve so that the course will not be omitted from the lack of attendance. Part-time teachers’ jobs are at risk because their position is not guaranteed. These teachers were sometimes threatened by the students saying they will complain if their grades are not adjusted for a higher score. With this being said, students are putting pressure on teachers, causing their jobs to be in danger.
“A Generation of Slackers? Not So Much” written by Catherine Rampell is an informative article about today’s millennial generation after high school. It provides the reader with a deeper look into young people’s work ethic, or what some to think to be, lack-there-of. The author does a fantastic job using research, credible resources, and statistics to support her belief that Generation Y (children born in the 1980s and 1990s) is no less productive than previous generations. I will admit that before reading this piece, I was one of those who believed that Millennials were in fact the “coddled, disrespectful and narcissistic generation” (Rampell, 2011, para 3). After reading this article, my opinion has changed. It has touched on issues
The author's purpose is supported by explaining key issues of showering students with As. I believe that institutions should return to valuing the grading system so that those graduating can effectively utilize their earned degrees. Also, Staples asserts, "Individual professors inflate grades after consumer-conscious administrators hound them into it. Professors at every level inflate to escape negative evaluations by students, whose opinions now figure in tenure and promotion decisions" (Pg. 1065). At this point in the text, Staples talks the vulnerability of the teachers showcase to please students in order to satisfy their own needs. I find it quite ironic how teachers endure many years of schooling, only to prepare the future educators, nurses, and doctors to value their own salary and career opportunities. Additionally, with the student's opinions now being factored in toward promotion decisions, professors are now more lenient than ever to relinquish passing grades to all
Stating more than her own opinion, Ellin is able to convince the audience by administering facts to appeal to the logical side of the readers. After implementing her own thoughts, she uses evidence to strike a factual comparison between the generations. Since technology is a number one attribute in the modern world “45 percent” of Millennials associate “the lack or misuse of technology” (60) directly back to indigent administration. Ellin adds this element to assist the reader to understand the difference between the importance of technology then verses the importance of technology now. She also provides support to help the reader comprehend the transformation in the way Baby Boomers and Millennials work. While “80 percent of Millennials said they wanted regular feedback,” another portion of this generation stated that “75 percent longed for mentors” (60). This small survey confirms the teamwork type tendency shown in this generation even though people before them prospered
Why Colleges Shower Their Students with A’s” by Brent Staples argues on the current grading practices in the U.S colleges and universities. According to Staples, colleges and universities keep the students from attending the less interesting classes such as humanities. He says, colleges are issuing more A’s because of the increasing consumer demand and competition among colleges and universities. He asserts that the importance of college education is deteriorating because of the result of grade inflation.
We see a constant struggle between students and professors when it comes to the grading scale. These differences make learning a hassle. “I am placed in the position of having to figure out new ways to trick them into learning by designing ingenious new ways to grade,” says Vogel (339). The present grading system pushes students to take easy classes. Students on scholarships are afraid of taking hard classes because they run the risk of loosing financial aid if their grades don’t meet the average (Vogel 339). Farber agrees, “Getting graded turns people away from hard subjects,” (334). He offers his readers a utopia free of grades. This new...
The article “College Students Need to Toughen Up, Quit Their Grade Whining” is a persuasive piece written by college professor Robert Schlesinger. The article goes over the new expectations of college professors in respect to grading. No longer are the days of giving a C for someone doing the bare minimum, as students now expect to get B’s or above for just showing up and completing their homework or classwork with marginal effort. Most students these days attribute success to working hard, their justification being that they have worked hard, so they deserve a higher grade. Students desire that their effort put in should be reflected in the grade they receive. But, as Robert details in the article; effort is not a substitute for results. He then goes on to state that if
Modern education has many advantages as shown by David Basinger’s journal article, “Fighting Grade Inflation.” Basinger’s article explains how grade inflation disturbs college educators. His assessment results in the thought that college professors are troubled by rising grade levels. It appears that even though there is a significant grade increase, students are not acquiring greater amounts of knowledge. According to Basinger’s journal article, those who manage academic policy have an acute focus on enrollment, which is likely financially driven, rather than education. Consequently, faculty feel pressured to inflate grades. As a result, educators are concerned that their student’s grades have inflated and the students are awarded better grades
Brooks wrote this article to inform the new generation not to buy into the hype of the “baby boomers.” He uses a compare and contrast type of approach with contrasting explanations of people’s expectations versus reality. The author wants to convey a feeling of awareness, which almost feels foreboding. The intended audience is young American college students or those about to enter college. It's intent to them is to inform them of the dangers that follow graduation where expectations are concerned. This audience is comprised of both male and female readers of all races and
Many people have heard black is the new orange, or pink is the new green, but in the grading system, F is the new C. Many people from older generations tell me how easy I have it in school now days. They also tell me that they worked twice as hard as I do now to get an A. However, the younger generations have had to do less work to earn an A than the older generations. A great deal of the younger generation uses the Internet to find almost all their solutions to their homework problems without having to actually do much work. Some people do not believe that grade inflation is a problem, but the following research suggests that it points our younger generations towards anti-intellectualism. Grade inflation might occur or become problematic when teachers face pressure from “helicopter parents,” pressure from school athletic programs, or pressure from maintaining common core standards.
Everyone has had to deal with grades at some point in their life. Currently several faculty members and administrators across America are apparently in an uproar over grade inflation. In order for us to have a clear understanding on what grade inflation really is, we must know what it means. Grade inflation is an artificial increase of average grades systematically over a short period of time. According to a newspaper article in The Boston Globe, grade inflation is a serious problem in higher levels of education (Kohn 153). However, Alfie Kohn, author of “The Dangerous Myth of Grade Inflation,” has a different take in the matter of grade inflation and strongly disagrees with many claims about it. Throughout his essay, he brings to light to
The description given for my generation, the Millennials (Generation Y) is mainly accurate. We are the group who were born between the years 1980-1994, (ages 19-33), and considered young workers. According to the case study, Generation Y is known for changing employers and professions. I agree with this statement, and from my experience we are the ones who are trying to find a career that best fits us. Employees who are in the Generation Y category are more likely to change employers if they do not feel connected and appreciated by their employers. According to a researcher, Stephanie Kodatt from Northern State University, Generation Y employees are more likely to be loyal to their employers if employers are willing to guide them in developing skills (Kodatt, 2009). Generation Y-ers are also trying to find themselves and develop new skills as they gain experience in the corporate world. The case study fails to include that we are the generation (Generation Y) who are more likely to take advantage of technology. For instance, in the case study Raja, age 27, who is part of Generation Y, was the only team member who bought her laptop to look up information for the project team. For Generation Y, technology improves our lifestyle as far as information and communication. I believe that Generation Y is the least understood generation.
Are the new standards and expectations the world has for teenagers really creating monsters? The amount of stress that is put on students these days between trying to balance school, homework, extra curricular activities, social lives, sleep and a healthy lifestyle is being considered a health epidemic (Palmer, 2005). Students are obsessing over getting the grades that are expected of them to please those that push them, and in return, lose sleep and give up other aspects of their lives that are important to them, such as time with friends and family, as well as activities that they enjoy. The stress that they endure from the pressures of parents, teachers, colleges, and peers has many physical as well as mental effects on every student, some more harmful than others. The extreme pressure on students to get perfect grades so that they will be accepted into a college has diminished the concept of actually learning and has left the art of “financing the system” in order to succeed in its place (Palmer, 2005).
A flower does not get to choose its garden, and neither does a child his birthplace, but taking advantage of the opportunities given should be a priority in any human. Nonetheless here in the land of the free too often the words, “I cannot understand my teacher, I am going to drop.” Or “This is too hard, I will take it next semester” enter the thoughts of the youth of America. In other words, these phrases characterize the mentally weak society that has been corrupted by overindulgence. In this case some of these kids do not even grasp the concept of work ethic; understanding how hypocritical this may sound coming from a college student, an undeniable truth must be stated. Higher education is no longer a privilege to obtain enlightenment. Instead