What Public School Taught Me...

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I was in public school in the United States from 1968 to 1982 (With the exception of 2nd and part of 3rd grade, when I lived in Germany). Of course, I learned the basics... reading, writing, and arithmatic (well, printing... because of when cursive writing is taught in the two countries, and when I moved, I was never in a class that taught me how to do it). I also took the other general education classes. Some of the teachers were great, others weren't worth their paychecks. In come classes I was really never taught the subject on the cover of the textbook; in other classes I learned far more than the curriculum specified. But there were a few lessons I learned that were not in any textbook, or part of any curriculum... even so, they were almost universally taught in all my classes. I learned very early in my schooling that the less you do, the less you have to do. Because I was identified early as a "slow learner", my teachers would tell me to only do half the assignment. Not only didn't I have to do as much, they almost always gave me more time to do it. What lesson did I take from that? When I started working after school, I expected my supervisors to do the same. If I was having trouble with some part of the job, I actually expected them to tell me that it was ok, and I didn't have to do it all. After I graduated (with a 1.7 g.p.a. that never should have qualified me for a diploma), I worked with a friend of my older brother. We installed intercom systems for the new and growing "Drive Up Window" phenomon. He was fun to work with, and a fair employer, but he also wouldn't put up with any of my manipulative games... I learned a lot about work ethic from him. Later, a friend of mine (who was the administrator of a medical clinic), hired me to run the wire for the intercom system throughout the new annex being built. I was given a set of blueprints and went to work. As I was running the wire, I noticed that some of the places where the intercoms were supposed to go were pretty tricky to get wire to. I actually expected them to tell me, "that's ok, just run the wires to where it's most convenient for you and we'll put the intercoms there." It took me a long time (and the U.S. Army) to get passed the lesson I learned in school. There are times though that I still feel like I'm being put upon if I'm expected to do as much as everyone else. How do I combat it? By expecting more from myself than the minimum standard of the job I'm doing. I've worked a lot with people younger than me. I've noticed that the lesson I learned in school wasn't that uncommon... in fact, it seems almost epidemic.