I talked this week with the President of our local chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at the Cambridge Campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Tony Tong. While we discussed various grading methods and our opinions of their validity, a dicussion for another time, and the PSEO students present on our campus, I wondered what he thought was on the mind of all the students at the college. We kid about what the PSEO students have on their minds, I was one at UMD so I am allowed. Tony, my husband, and myself all being married with kids, we kid about what is on our minds. I asked Tony what he thought were the major concerns on the minds of all the various kinds of students attracted to the community college.
His response surprised me. I thought he would respond with parking or the spending of funds for campus improvements. These were both complaints I have heard made by students recently. He said, "I think they don't know what to do." I wondered what he meant. He went on to say that he thought that some were worried about the idea that they might be back in school again in five years and then again later. "The PSEO students just don't know what to do," Tony continued. He thinks that careers have taken a decided turn away from the path they were on in my grandfather's time. "You can't pick a career and retire on it." He also went on to say that a lot of students are finding that the career path they chose at the beginning will be low on jobs by the time they have completed their degrees.
It is true, I believe. I have noticed, more often than not, students lack conviction when they announce their major. They say it like a question. Science? I have changed my major three times. Each change has been prompted by the fear that when I finished I wouldn't have any job prospects and fail to pay my loans back. It is a pretty high pressure situation without kids to support and a house hold to run. It makes me wonder how much of the real work world is actually making into the high school class room. It makes me wonder if improvements in national standardized test scores and higher enrollment in college would really mean anything tangible for students.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Looking for work in this recession
When the news and others began to say that we were headed for a recession, I thought, "Well, we've been through others before." Of course, then I was not old enough to be looking for a job let alone holding one. This time around I was old enough. Since I have spent the last few years working in group homes and now at nursing home, I wanted to gain experience in some other field. So, I've been perusing the classifieds, most especially the job ads, over the last few years. I have been struck by decrease in inches for the jobs available line and an increase in the jobs wanted line.
I have also been struck by the types of jobs that are available. There are a lot of sales jobs. That didn't really surprise me, considering sales jobs mostly depend on commission earnings and people are more likely to spend less on the big items in a recession. There were also an incredible number of nursing assistant jobs. That one did surprise me, until I read a series of articles in the St. Paul paper about nursing assistant, especially those on the night shift, feeling understaffed. The purposed result being an alarming increase in resident falls. Then, I noticed things at my own nursing home, where I too worked on the night shift.
Our little nursing home was taken over by a large company from the cities that owns several from the lower cities all the way up to Crosby, Mn. The first thing was to change the supplies we were using to ones that, in the nursing assistants' opinions, were less effective. Then, we were told we could only use so many gloves and they ordered less. That was followed by rumors that we were only going to have one nurse between two halls. several of the staff on the night shift left, changed to a different shift, or lessened their hours. We were working with the absolute bare minimum of everything. Following that there were a couple of incidents. It is sad to say that people who have worked all their life and are paying to be taken care of, don't seem to be getting what their paying for in the current economic climate. It is also sad that so many nursing assistants feel so uncomfortable at work that they leave. The high turn over isn't good for the residents of nursing homes, especially the Alzheimer residents, the nursing assistants, or the company, who are paying for people on the floor and people training.
I have also been struck by the types of jobs that are available. There are a lot of sales jobs. That didn't really surprise me, considering sales jobs mostly depend on commission earnings and people are more likely to spend less on the big items in a recession. There were also an incredible number of nursing assistant jobs. That one did surprise me, until I read a series of articles in the St. Paul paper about nursing assistant, especially those on the night shift, feeling understaffed. The purposed result being an alarming increase in resident falls. Then, I noticed things at my own nursing home, where I too worked on the night shift.
Our little nursing home was taken over by a large company from the cities that owns several from the lower cities all the way up to Crosby, Mn. The first thing was to change the supplies we were using to ones that, in the nursing assistants' opinions, were less effective. Then, we were told we could only use so many gloves and they ordered less. That was followed by rumors that we were only going to have one nurse between two halls. several of the staff on the night shift left, changed to a different shift, or lessened their hours. We were working with the absolute bare minimum of everything. Following that there were a couple of incidents. It is sad to say that people who have worked all their life and are paying to be taken care of, don't seem to be getting what their paying for in the current economic climate. It is also sad that so many nursing assistants feel so uncomfortable at work that they leave. The high turn over isn't good for the residents of nursing homes, especially the Alzheimer residents, the nursing assistants, or the company, who are paying for people on the floor and people training.
Friday, February 26, 2010
While stopping by the Student Lounge
The Cambridge Campus of Anoka Ramsey Community College, like most colleges, boasts a modest Student Lounge. This lounge has a little coffee shop and eating area with several tables. In an alcove there is a flat screen television hook up the cable. The alcove is also fitted with the more comfortable seating options of a couch and a few matching chairs. These amenities draw various students to the Student Lounge throughout the day.
As I sat there one afternoon writing a poem, I absorbed the conversations going on around me. In the alcove there were several people in their late teens dressed in various shades of black. They were discussing art and a show that was in the early planning stages. One, in particular, expounded on the philosophies of art. I pegged him as the catalyst of the group. All the others were asking him questions about the show and art, in general. He always gave an appropriate answer. At one point he said, "I want this show to show people that there are different kinds of art."
In the cafe portion of the space, there were a couple of men in their forties. One wore a name tag bearing the emblem of the college. The other had a pile of books before him. He said, "They've changed the way they do everything since I was last in school." At the table behind him, A woman in her forties sat before an open book and a notebook. She furiously erased something written in the notebook. A young man came up to her. "How's it going," he asked. She blew out a frustrated breath and said that she was having trouble some problem in the book. She went on to say, "And the tutor isn't in the center when I can be here." He added, "Yeah, they don't even have a tutor for two of my classes." So, he sat down and tried to help.
Overall, the conversations were diametrically opposed. It was interesting to listen to the extremes play out in mere feet of each other. The art crowd in the alcove was hopeful. The enthusiastic catalyst thought the show was shaping up and they were hopeful that it would educate. He was most especially keen on the idea that it would show a new slant of the typical art standbys. The rest nodded eagerly. They exuded youthful hope. It was in sharp contrast to those in the cafe. They were somewhat discouraged, if not pessimistic. They were having a second go at higher education. Only this time around they are saddled with bills, kids, house care, and spouses. They were frustrated with trying to fit into an educational system that is built with fresh high school graduates in mind. All under one roof, so many varied people can be gathered with so many varied concerns.
As I sat there one afternoon writing a poem, I absorbed the conversations going on around me. In the alcove there were several people in their late teens dressed in various shades of black. They were discussing art and a show that was in the early planning stages. One, in particular, expounded on the philosophies of art. I pegged him as the catalyst of the group. All the others were asking him questions about the show and art, in general. He always gave an appropriate answer. At one point he said, "I want this show to show people that there are different kinds of art."
In the cafe portion of the space, there were a couple of men in their forties. One wore a name tag bearing the emblem of the college. The other had a pile of books before him. He said, "They've changed the way they do everything since I was last in school." At the table behind him, A woman in her forties sat before an open book and a notebook. She furiously erased something written in the notebook. A young man came up to her. "How's it going," he asked. She blew out a frustrated breath and said that she was having trouble some problem in the book. She went on to say, "And the tutor isn't in the center when I can be here." He added, "Yeah, they don't even have a tutor for two of my classes." So, he sat down and tried to help.
Overall, the conversations were diametrically opposed. It was interesting to listen to the extremes play out in mere feet of each other. The art crowd in the alcove was hopeful. The enthusiastic catalyst thought the show was shaping up and they were hopeful that it would educate. He was most especially keen on the idea that it would show a new slant of the typical art standbys. The rest nodded eagerly. They exuded youthful hope. It was in sharp contrast to those in the cafe. They were somewhat discouraged, if not pessimistic. They were having a second go at higher education. Only this time around they are saddled with bills, kids, house care, and spouses. They were frustrated with trying to fit into an educational system that is built with fresh high school graduates in mind. All under one roof, so many varied people can be gathered with so many varied concerns.
Friday, February 5, 2010
What I learned about my community.
I have lived in Cambridge, MN for six years. I thought I knew it fairly well. I can get to any place in town. I know where to go if I need new tabs. In the last week, however, I have discovered that I don't know it as well as I thought.
In the last week, I have learned that our community has wanted a community center for a long time. A thought I have had in the back of my mind and nothing more. This community has wanted a community center so much that they tried, unsuccessfully, to coax the YMCA to put a new center here. In the end, they joined forces with the National Guard, Armed Forces of Cambridge to build the new community center just south of the Cambridge Campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College on Spirit River Drive.
That last bit I knew, as the massive building is visible from the campus. What was news to me was that the City Council Planning Commission still has a task force working on the project. They hope to build on to what already exists at the site. I found that the leader of the Community Center Task Force is Dave Carlberg. And he has contact information available so that I could possibly follow up on the further development of the Armed Forces Reserve Community Center.
In the last week, I have learned that our community has wanted a community center for a long time. A thought I have had in the back of my mind and nothing more. This community has wanted a community center so much that they tried, unsuccessfully, to coax the YMCA to put a new center here. In the end, they joined forces with the National Guard, Armed Forces of Cambridge to build the new community center just south of the Cambridge Campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College on Spirit River Drive.
That last bit I knew, as the massive building is visible from the campus. What was news to me was that the City Council Planning Commission still has a task force working on the project. They hope to build on to what already exists at the site. I found that the leader of the Community Center Task Force is Dave Carlberg. And he has contact information available so that I could possibly follow up on the further development of the Armed Forces Reserve Community Center.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Blogging about blogging
1. What makes a blog a blog?
A blog can be a journal, a series of essays, or informative. It is more informal in nature than a newspaper. It is on the internet as opposed to being in print. There are other things that fall into these categories though. What makes a blog a blog is that it is more accessible to the everyday man. This is as true of the writer as it is the reader.
2. What's your favorite/energizing thing about blogging?
This is my first blog. Though in the idea of blogging, I find the prospect of anyone being able to do it exciting. I have no connections in the publishing world and I am still in school. Yet, here in the blogshere, I am able to publish my slant on things or to share knowledge that I have accumulated.
3. What's most challenging about blogging for you?
As exciting as the prospect of putting my writing out there is, it is equally challenging to put myself out there. All of my writing, including the most seemingly mundane article, is so wholly wrapped up in who I am as a person. It is somewhat intimidating to put what I have worked on up for the critique of the world.
A blog can be a journal, a series of essays, or informative. It is more informal in nature than a newspaper. It is on the internet as opposed to being in print. There are other things that fall into these categories though. What makes a blog a blog is that it is more accessible to the everyday man. This is as true of the writer as it is the reader.
2. What's your favorite/energizing thing about blogging?
This is my first blog. Though in the idea of blogging, I find the prospect of anyone being able to do it exciting. I have no connections in the publishing world and I am still in school. Yet, here in the blogshere, I am able to publish my slant on things or to share knowledge that I have accumulated.
3. What's most challenging about blogging for you?
As exciting as the prospect of putting my writing out there is, it is equally challenging to put myself out there. All of my writing, including the most seemingly mundane article, is so wholly wrapped up in who I am as a person. It is somewhat intimidating to put what I have worked on up for the critique of the world.
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