[lklawson]

So tonight I sat through an "event" which consisted of 11 different, unique, speeches, delivered by 8 different people, two of which were "joint" speeches delivered by two people at the same time, and one person delivering both an opening and a closing speech. This was bolstered by both a video slide show and a more traditional power-point slide show.

All while the long-enduring audience was held in a darkened theater.

It was my daughter's "graduation." Not from HS. No. It was her "graduation" TO high school from Jr. High.

Really?

ARRRG!

But I love my daughter, soooo...

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[histed]

Graduation has become a joke. One from preschool, the kindergarten, elementary school, Jr. High, High School. don't know about your AO, Kirk, but here it is impossible NOT to graduate unless you quit school. Totally meaningless. I did, however, appreciate the brevity of ours. NEVER longer than 40 minutes, often under 30

 

[RACHGIER]

I've been bitching about kids "graduating" everything but high school for years.

My buddy threw his kid a full on graduation ceremony and party, complete with cap and gown, professional photography/videography, lawn signs, a band, everything.... because he passed 8th grade...

I called him out. I was like, "For what? Because he f** finished middle school? Big f** deal! Congratulations for celebrating and rewarding your son's f** mediocrity."

His wife and mother-in-law don't speak to me anymore, and he's not allowed to hang out with me so his parents invite me over to parties so it's not his fault I showed up.

 

[Visper]

So tonight I sat through an "event" which consisted of 11 different, unique, speeches, delivered by 8 different people, two of which were "joint" speeches delivered by two people at the same time, and one person delivering both an opening and a closing speech. This was bolstered by both a video slide show and a more traditional power-point slide show.

All while the long-enduring audience was held in a darkened theater.

It was my daughter's "graduation." Not from HS. No. It was her "graduation" TO high school from Jr. High.

Really?

ARRRG!

But I love my daughter, soooo...

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

Yeah... did they hand out awards too? lol

It's the whole "everyone get s a trophy mentality" - really is a shame because they aren't teaching these kids anything doing this, they are handicapping them because when they start an actual job they will expect constant pats on the back and thata boys... that will never come... and they really shouldn't for "doing your job".

 

[Chef Duane]

This may PO some folks but I have a hard time with this GED thing. Kids are proud to get a GED!? Good Lord, a kid can't get through High School (which is has pretty much left any teaching of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic) so has to goes to a secondary school for a GED? C'mon man, high school ain't that hard with a little work. Also, it AIN'T a High School DEGREE. Its a diploma. Graduate from college and you get a Degree. I know that everybody's circumstances are different but, man, I would not be proud of having to get a GED.

 

[moona11]

This may PO some folks but I have a hard time with this GED thing. Kids are proud to get a GED!? Good Lord, a kid can't get through High School (which is has pretty much left any teaching of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic) so has to goes to a secondary school for a GED? C'mon man, high school ain't that hard with a little work. Also, it AIN'T a High School DEGREE. Its a diploma. Graduate from college and you get a Degree. I know that everybody's circumstances are different but, man, I would not be proud of having to get a GED.

The thing with a GED is you actually have to pass tests to earn it. Its actually harder to pass than just attendding high school to graduate. I never thought about it till I tutored a group of inmates. Most high school graduates can't just pass these tests. Thought it was easier till helping these guys out. It changed my mind.

 

[greg_r]

This may PO some folks but I have a hard time with this GED thing. Kids are proud to get a GED!? Good Lord, a kid can't get through High School (which is has pretty much left any teaching of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic) so has to goes to a secondary school for a GED? C'mon man, high school ain't that hard with a little work. Also, it AIN'T a High School DEGREE. Its a diploma. Graduate from college and you get a Degree. I know that everybody's circumstances are different but, man, I would not be proud of having to get a GED.

I have respect for a GED. Let me give some background.

Many here know my daughter died. Drugs and alcohol. I adopted my granddaughters. The youngest, who is now 17, was born addicted. This caused problems for her growing up. One of which it was hard for her to learn in a traditional school setting. We have had her in a local "academy" since middle school. While this is not one on one teaching, it is one on 3 to 5 depending on enrollments. She has been doing well in that setting. She will be receiving a GED, not a diploma. All she would be receiving from a traditional school would be failing grades.

This will set her up for what she has chosen for her profession. Actually, she has chosen a duo of professions. She wants to be a cosmetologist and a chef. The GED is going to allow her to continue her education and achieve her goals, since the GED is accepted just like a diploma in over 96% of higher learning institutions. She will be going to a Vocational college, already accepted, where she will earn a 2 year associates degree in both the culinary and cosmetology fields.

I was confused at first about Technical Colleges, Trade schools, and Vocatiomal colleges. Basically a vocational college is an umbrella that the technical colleges and trade schools fall under.

C'mon man, high school ain't that hard with a little work.

are you really sure about that?

I know that everybody's circumstances are different but, man, I would not be proud of having to get a GED.

I sir, am proud that my daughter will be receiving her GED in a few months. It’s going to be the difference between her spending her life in the fast food industry or as a greeter at a big box store, and having her own business / career.

 

[lklawson]

Yeah... did they hand out awards too? lol

A few of them. They did a "Dean's List" equivalent and a perfect attendance list. The Death-by-PowerPoint was the "superlatives" list; "most likely to [fill in the blank]" This includes "most likely to make you feel better," "best tick tocker," and "best smile."

It's the whole "everyone get s a trophy mentality" - really is a shame because they aren't teaching these kids anything doing this, they are handicapping them because when they start an actual job they will expect constant pats on the back and thata boys... that will never come... and they really shouldn't for "doing your job".

Yup. For decades and decades now.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

She will be going to a Vocational college, already accepted, where she will earn a 2 year associates degree in both the culinary and cosmetology fields.

That's going to be super tough. In most states a Cosmetology Certification requires the equivalent education credits of an Associates degree all on it's own. And a Chef's certification, depending on the culinary school, can be up to 4 years but is at least 2 years.

To combine two, 2-year-minimum certification tracks into a single 2-year educational experience is going to be very challenging.

I wish her good luck.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[adam01364]

@greg_r Your granddaughter has set her sights high. With your support, I'm sure she'll get there!

 

[Chef Duane]

The thing with a GED is you actually have to pass tests to earn it. Its actually harder to pass than just attendding high school to graduate. I never thought about it till I tutored a group of inmates. Most high school graduates can't just pass these tests. Thought it was easier till helping these guys out. It changed my mind.

If the GED is harder than getting through HS then why don't they get through HS? Extenuating circumstances, I suppose.

 

[Chef Duane]

... And a Chef's certification, depending on the culinary school, can be up to 4 years but is at least 2 years.

Correct.
Typically to be called a 'Professional' Chef requires a 2 year Associate Degree. It's actually an Associate of Applied Science - Culinary. Or you can go through an accredited program (like the CIA, Johnson & Wales, The Art Institute) and get a 4 year BA Culinary. In my situation.l I did the latter although it did not take me 4 years as I already had an undergrad and some of the requirements were already met. Although I will say that some of the best Chefs I have worked with have never been to Culinary school and were either self-taught or did an apprenticeship.

Edit/Add: There are also some schools that offer a "Certification" program that is a streamlined 90 day course that just gives the very basics. Mostly designed for the home chef that wants a little more in depth learning but who is not going to pursue Culinary as a career.

 

[Chef Duane]

I sir, am proud that my daughter will be receiving her GED in a few months. It’s going to be the difference between her spending her life in the fast food industry or as a greeter at a big box store, and having her own business / career.

Agree with that wholeheartedly. It is much more advantageous to have the GED than nothing at all. At least it demonstrates a stick-to-it mentality rather than dropping out and never getting anything, regardless of personal circumstances.

 

[greg_r]

That's going to be super tough. In most states a Cosmetology Certification requires the equivalent education credits of an Associates degree all on it's own. And a Chef's certification, depending on the culinary school, can be up to 4 years but is at least 2 years.

To combine two, 2-year-minimum certification tracks into a single 2-year educational experience is going to be very challenging.

I wish her good luck.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

She is up to it. She has been earning credits toward her degree for the past 2 years. She also has the help of her aunt who teaches culinary.

 

[cicpup]

If the GED is harder than getting through HS then why don't they get through HS? Extenuating circumstances, I suppose.

Could be. Perhaps some dumbass junior decided the school parking lot was the ideal place to set off a 2 liter chlorine bomb. And his reward for this genius maneuver was to be expelled and charged with terrorist activity. And just maybe the school would agree to allow this misguided youth to return if he agreed to mandatory weekly counseling. At which point, as any sane person would do, his father would tell them to perform an impossible sex act upon themselves and immediately withdraw his apparently evil seed. Maybe, shortly after this Bin Laden to be began his 6 month unsupervised probation sentence he would also have passed his GED and have a full time job. You know? Hypothetically.

 

[RACHGIER]

Speaking of...

Mine pulled off a miracle and gets to walk with his class...

 

[Dubar]

they are handicapping them because when they start an actual job they will expect constant pats on the back and thata boys

They already do.
My oldest daughter is a GS-13 supervisor for the gumint. When she was a supervisor (recently took a lateral position to get away from the crybabies) she got new people in without ANY job experience, fresh out of college, and they expected to be where she was at in 4 years. She's got 24yrs in so far. And as soon as she taught them something they were trying to leave to get a higher paying job, just didn't have the knowledge to do it yet.

I'm sooooo glad I'm retired.

 

[1024Megabytes]

My buddy threw his kid a full on graduation ceremony and party, complete with cap and gown, professional photography/videography, lawn signs, a band, everything.... because he passed 8th grade...
I called him out. I was like, "For what? Because he f* finished middle school? Big f deal! Congratulations for celebrating and rewarding your son's f* mediocrity."

The bar is set real high for some kids to clear. And we have people also complaining about not making a living wage at a fast food restaurant. Wow, I did not realize your life long dream was to work a life long career at McDonald's or another restaurant. Dream big out there.

 

[RACHGIER]

The bar is set real high for some kids to clear. And we have people also complaining about not making a living wage at a fast food restaurant. Wow, I did not realize your life long dream was to work a life long career at McDonald's or another restaurant. Dream big out there.

Well here's the problem with that stereotype. My step son has huge dreams. Video game developer, manga/animation, Air Force to become a fighter pilot..... but he's autistic. Body of a grown man, hung like a porn star, mind of a 13 year old. How do I know how well he's hung? I've already gotten him out of an alleged rape case, and sending pornographic material to underage female charges. He quite literally does not know any better than to do exactly what he's told. I got a frantic phone call from my ex because he stole her credit card and booked himself a train ticket to California because some girl told him to.

He's never going to excel beyond fast food or stocking shelves, but he does need to make enough money to survive.

 

[ajole]

This may PO some folks but I have a hard time with this GED thing. Kids are proud to get a GED!? Good Lord, a kid can't get through High School (which is has pretty much left any teaching of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic) so has to goes to a secondary school for a GED? C'mon man, high school ain't that hard with a little work. Also, it AIN'T a High School DEGREE. Its a diploma. Graduate from college and you get a Degree. I know that everybody's circumstances are different but, man, I would not be proud of having to get a GED.

It depends on the kid and the circumstances....

And you used the "W" word. WTH is wrong with you, suggesting people WORK for something? OK, boomer....

Sadly...that is a real argument I've seen used in the recent past. Only an idiot "works", when all you have to do is TikTok/Youtube/Influence. I mean....there are people cruising the reefs and spearfishing 300 days a year, while making money doing it, because of Youtube. Gun Jesus makes money talking about old guns, and Matt Carriker is worth over $10 million, on youtube and marketing for youtubers. A disk golfer recently signed a $10 million dollar contract, and corn hole has a professional circuit.

I mean...I'm with you...but are you SURE "work" is the answer?

The thing with a GED is you actually have to pass tests to earn it. Its actually harder to pass than just attendding high school to graduate. I never thought about it till I tutored a group of inmates. Most high school graduates can't just pass these tests. Thought it was easier till helping these guys out. It changed my mind.

I agree. At this point in time, school is EASY to pass. FAR TOO easy, in the opinion of most of us teachers. So taking and passing a test like that could easily be harder.

If the GED is harder than getting through HS then why don't they get through HS? Extenuating circumstances, I suppose.

There's also the thing about not having to sit and listen to Mr Jole's lectures, turn in homework on time, dealing with that asshat Johnny McFinnegan, get out of bed and get to school on time, etc, etc....

In SOME ways, for some people, the GED is easier, but it's the "other" stuff, not the learning.

My brother was playing with drugs and all the wrong people in HS, got kicked out and didn't graduate. A few years later, he's hooked up with a girl that has a kid (not his) but she's done with that scene, so they move to Portland, and she starts school, while he does the minimum wage thing. But he gets into a GED program, gets that done, then gets hired by the school to work in the program, then gets promoted to run the program, at a community college. So he's got a job, and free tuition...so he gets an associates degree, while his wife gets a psych degree.

Long story short, they both end up at the IRS, and 20 years later she's literally running the place making 6 figures, he's making less, but more than a HS teacher with a doctorate makes. Not bad for a GED and a 2 year degree.