SEE A PENNY, PICK IT UP THEN ALL DAY...; WHO ARE THE PENNIES IN THIS WORLD? WERE YOU? LEAVE A PENNY, THAT'S BAD LUCK

By Bill Springer

Perspectives:

Cheap Advice

Have you ever been told to "Hang in there"?

That's trite and stupid.

Hanging has a negative conotation. A hung man, a hanging picture, hung meat -- don't do anything. Just "hang."

There: where's there? -- someplace else.

Bad, trite advice! Stupid.

Be in here - be active, involved, don't just -- "Hang in there."

Surely you're better than a side of meat.

Change:

Some folks just can't tolerate any change.

I've seen people drop a penny and walk off -- WALK OFF! "It's just a penny. Who care?"

Perhaps we need to quit making pennies.

Makes cents, makes change.

Ever need a penny -- look on the floor.

"Traditional Values"

Some folks who don't want change want to return to "traditional values."

The past has passed, sorry H.G.

Growing up in the 50's -- many completed only eighth grade, segregation was a fact of life. Tailgunner Joe was a hero...

I remember Tommy, a high school classmate who was suspended for three days for refusing to pray the "Lord's prayer" in homeroom.

Was it against the law?

The "REAL" World:

"Just wait 'til you get in the real world!"

"You'll see. Wait 'til reality strikes you!"

"Get real, man!"

Real.

What's real?

Spanish for road (interesting, but irrelevant).

We all live in the real world. Every day.

Every real day.

What if one expires before...graduation?

"Oh my, he never lived in the real world!"

This folks is real -- real beef -- no beef -- real life.

Schools -- in general

Believe it or not, Ripley, American schools are the best schools in the world.

No Way.

Yep!

Difference in the world's others? We educate everyone. (It's a democratic "thing.")

At eighth grade -- we're not separated into brains and brawn. Everyone goes forth.

Everyone should...go...first.

Problem?

Not everyone cares.

("When I was in school, 'tis said, everyone loved school..."

Bull, Bull, double Bull. (The horns of a dilemma.)

Don't idealize your past. Go sing your song to someone who love a "One note Samba."

True:

Many of our students today are unmotivated...they have the Gatsbyesque idle-ness, idol-ness, idol...

You're in idle.

Shift into drive.

How can you convince a "Kid" that school has value? Keep the change, I don't know...but care...try...

Challenges:

1. A married 16 year-old mother being abused by her 18 year-old husband.

2. Smoking grass during lunch, taking the afternoon off...way off.

3. Working 39 hours a week flipping burgers, trying to stay in school.

4. Being on your own -- supporting yourself -- going to school. And apart-ment.

5. Having a mother admit she can't do anything about a 14 year-old kid.

6. School not being the number one (that's 1) priority from 5-17. (Pre-life).

7. Trying to be a grown-up. (Don't.)

Grown-ups never really grow up.

Solutions:

None? (Get real.)

Suggestions:

1. Read.

2. Think.

3. Laugh.

4. Enjoy.

5. Take a nap.

6. Run a mile (then take a nap).

7. Daydream.

8. Sleep.

9. Reason.

10. Be sensitive. (Not touchy.)

11. That's odd.

End, justified:

I've wanted to be a teacher since I was...6.

I remember sitting in third grade watching an incompetent woman trying to teach me the multiplication tables.

Question: "Why?"

Answer: "Pay attention." (Isn't there a reason why?)

I suffered. I've made others suffer. I shall suffer. I shall make others suffer.

Hope:

Balm -- drop the balm on some. Relieve the suffering.

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KABOOM!

Bill Springer is an English teacher at Central Senior High School.