Work Smart .. Not Hard

Reading Mike Rowe's "Work Smart Not Hard", struck a particular cord in me.  When you think of the the title of the article,  it makes you think of many different things.. Like for instance, how often do you see people thinking they are working smart just so they don't have to work hard or trying to make a quick buck as easy as possible.

 Now, Mike Rowe is really looking at the quote based on those going to higher education and receiving their degree for more of a white collar job vs going out in the real world and getting experience in a trade working a hard job in the middle class.

What are my thoughts?  What is my personal experience?

I for one never went to college until this past May.  Why you ask?  One simple answer, if I want to move up in the company I work for I need a degree.  Is it important?  Maybe, circumstances in my life back then helped guide me to making the decision to go back to school.  Not necessarily for the advancement initially, but for something to keep me busy.  A way for me to forget the pain and sorrow.  Something to give me purpose.

However, if I look at my job , the amount of money i am paid, having never going to school for that coveted degree, than I have done good.  I can assure you, that i make more money that a lot of 2 income households these days and more money that alor of careers that required that 4 year degree.  Was it luck?  Maybe, I applied at a good time and was lucky enough to find a union job.  I was able to more than double my salary in less than four years.  I bust my butt, never taking my job for granted.  Working hard at the same time being smart, proving each day I deserve this job because of the hard work and work ethic I have.

Another example is my son, Cody.  He struggled in school, I could not wait til he graduated and the torture was over.  What a relief that day was!  He went out, got certified as a forklift operator, worked two years, 6 days a week, no benefits, pd holiday or sick time.  He busted his butt learning a trade in the warehouse industry. He gained experience and was finally able to get a union job, making more than $4 hour more than he was, with paid holidays, sick time and benefits.  He has a honest job, that requires being smart but also working hard.

I do believe we need people out there getting the 4 plus year degrees.  However, having it doesn't mean your gonna end up high on the salary scale.. where you can be working smart and not hard.  We also need those individuals who can go out and learn a trade and work hard.. without those jobs we wouldn't have things in stores or food on the table..Working hard can be working smart.

Noemi Famula, our little German girl

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Noemi Famula.  Noemi hails from Hamburg, Germany and is spending a semester here at Cedar Crest College.

Noemi is 21 years old and has 2 younger brothers.  She is studying Early Childhood Education and is a senior.  While speaking with Noemi, I learned that in Germany, Parent Child Centers operate for only 4 hours a day.  Her major is slightly different in Germany, as its not just about teaching the child, but also about time spent with the family offering education, counseling and intervention.  Following graduation, Noemi is hoping to seek full time employment in her profession.

I find it amazing that thru the power of technology and yes Facebook, I was able to catch a glimpse into her life.  Having a son her age it was cool to see that no matter what country you may grow up in, there are so many similarities between young adults.  

I enjoyed my time spent getting to know who Noemi is.  I have always been fascinated with Germany and its culture and this was the perfect opportunity to satisfy my curiosity.  What better way then to actually talk to someone from there.  Thanks to Noemi, she was able to satisfy my curiosity about many different things.  One thing I was always curious about was their Government Healthcare system and how it differed from ours here in the United States.  I was also floored when she told me after her mom gave birth to her brother, she was paid to take a vacation.  Haha, how cool is that, somehow I got the short end of the stick on that.  

Noemi is hoping her time spent her in Allentown, PA, she can improve her speaking and writing of the English language.  Noemi is also hoping to learn and experience as much of the American culture as she can, during her short time here.  Now if only she would want to stay, I would hook her up with my son lol.  In all seriousness though Noemi is an amazing young lady, who as the weeks go by, I hope I am able to get to know her better.  I wish her nothing but happiness, good health and success!

My School -- growing up in Indian Territory

I grew up in the small town of Lehighton, PA, home of the Indians!!

After reading, "Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum", I would say the school system was built of the middle class theory.  Sitting here reminiscing about my school years, I believe the author, Jean Anyon is right, in the idea that it was all about the right answer.  Every grade received good or bad, was reflectant upon the number of right answers. The was no points for thinking outside the box. I, personally, don't remember ever being encouraged to think outside the box and very little discussion was ever made to the current events that were happening at that time.

I went to Catholic School during my elementary years.  The setting was definitely that off memorization.  We didn't switch classes, we had two grades in one classroom and had the same teacher for two years in a row.  I remember sitting writing notes from the blackboard day after day.  Information we were given was exactly what we were tested on.  Memorization was definitely the key back then.   The one thing I remember being different was that English was like those is the Executive Elite School.  We did a lot of diagraming sentences, especially in 7th and 8th grade. Class times, lunches and recess were definitely adhered to, per the schedule of the day.  We had limited projects, but what we were given we had explicit instructions of what was being looked for, however we had a Science Fair Project once a year that allowed us to be somewhat creative.

Upon entering high school, I crammed everything I could, in the first three years.  My senior year was  a matter of going in for two classes.  I was never pushed to do more nor did I.  I graduated, went to work, got married and had a baby.  I guess that is  what most people did back then.  Few classmates went on to higher education but i would think the majority did not.  Maybe it was the small town mentality, born and raised, never to leave. 

Fast forward 26 years,  for me the saying, "hindsight is 20/20", is so true.  I have often found myself wondering if had i gone to a  private school, would I have applied myself more?  Would I have gone onto a higher education?  With age comes insight and if one could turn back time and redo a period of one's life, mine would be to do those high school years all over.  To take it upon myself to find inner motivation to try harder, work harder and push myself to limits unknown.