artist4perry wrote:Some students look at their lives as if they are entitled to receive high marks for little to no efforts.
It was progress report time. I had quite a few students mad at me. Their grades had dropped somewhat because of apathy towards their work.
It has been like pulling teeth to get them to do anything in class.
I had students today telling me they did not deserve having their grades dropped to a B. They deserved an "A!"
I said what did you do to deserve an A? They said I do work in class.
Let me describe the work of these students.
Little Johnny or Susie come into class, they sit down, knowing what there assignment is, and where all the supplies are, but don't get started till about 15 to 20 minutes into class. This is usually when I get fed up with their procrastination to work, and I have to tell them to find something to do.
They take a long time getting their paper, mostly because they spot a buddy and start talking to them about their latest date, or the TV show they watched last night. Mind you this takes 5 to 10 minutes on average. The urge to get to work again has to be coaxed out of them by me telling them to get on task.
They sit down, maybe draw a 2 inch circle, then throw something at their buddy across the room when I am helping someone at another table. Of course this gets the other student to get off task then they retaliate in kind. Wasting of another 5 minutes.
They laugh at a joke their friend tells, and their pencil never touches the paper for at least another 5 to 10 minutes.
The time has come for everyone to clean up and all they have to show for their work is a 2 inch circle. The class is 45 minutes long, and they have spent all of 1 to 2 minutes drawing.
An A means excellence...........a concentrated effort to do ones dead level best, to put your best work forward. To strive for neatness in your work, and using your class time wisely. You are not ...entitled to receive an A. You must earn it.
There's a cheesy 80's pop song in there somewhere ...Everybody Wants To Rule The World, TFF?!?
I cried like a baby for a big portion of our week-long trip (hey, I was only 14!). 
