Excuses

If there's one thing I hear more of than anything else in a given day, it's excuses. It's amazing the things I hear. Of course, most of them are also made up excuses. I can't believe how some people can look you right in the face and lie (another story for another day). Unfortunately for them, I have a pretty good b.s. meter so that doesn't work so well. Anyways, I know I always have excuses too and because of hearing them all the time, I am becoming more aware of when I'm doing it. So, my new moto is "no excuses!" I tell this to my students all the time. As soon as they start thinking of some reason why they are not being accountable, I just say "no excuses" and walk away. I have also been known to pull out a line from an old co-worker when I get sick of the excuses. Feel free to use as you see fit. "Excuses are like *buttholes*, everybody's got one and they all stink." In the real world I like to substitute words but I have to keep it appropriate.

It's easy to see where this lack of accountability comes from. Usually the parents are right there to back their child up and lie for them or make excuses. I thought of this all because of a forward I received today. I found it entertaining.

SCHOOL ANSWERING MACHINE
>
> This is hilarious - no wonder some people were offended! This is the
> message that the Pacific Palisades High School California staff voted
> unanimously to record on their school telephone answering machine.
>
> This is the actual answering machine message for the school. This came
> about because they implemented a policy requiring students and parents
> to be responsible for their children's absences and missing homework.
>
> The school and teachers are being sued by parents who want their
> children's failing grades changed to passing grades - even though
> those children were absent 15-30 times during the semester and did not
> complete enough school work to pass their classes.
>
> The outgoing message:
>
> Hello! You have reached the automated answering service of your school.
> In order to assist you in connecting to the right staff member, please
> listen to all the options before making a selection:
>
> To lie about why your child is absent - Press 1
>
> To make excuses for why your child did not do his work -Press 2
>
> To complain about what we do - Press 3
>
> To swear at staff members - Press 4
>
> To ask why you didn't get information that was already enclosed in
> your newsletter and several fliers mailed to you - Press 5
>
> If you want us to raise your child - Press 6
>
> If you want to reach out and touch, slap or hit someone - Press 7
>
> To request another teacher, for the third time this year - Press 8
>
> To complain about bus transportation - Press 9
>
> To complain about school lunches - Press 0
>
> If you realize this is the real world and your child must be
> accountable and responsible for his/her own behavior, class work,
> homework and that it's not the teachers' fault for your child's lack
> of effort: Hang up and have a nice day!


Have a great weekend!