Expectations Dave Reed Department of Horticultural Sciences Texas A&M University.

ExpectationsExpectations

Dave ReedDave Reed

Department of Horticultural SciencesDepartment of Horticultural Sciences

Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University


a looking forward to; a looking forward to;

prospects for the futureprospects for the future

ExpectationsExpectationsExpectationsExpectations







We’ll start with:We’ll start with:

Setting Expectations for FreshmanSetting Expectations for Freshman(the given title by Dr. Litz)(the given title by Dr. Litz)


But, we’ll finish with:But, we’ll finish with:

Clash of Expectations between theClash of Expectations between the

“ “Baby Boomers” & “Generation X”Baby Boomers” & “Generation X”

and the and the

““Millennials”Millennials”


Setting Expectations for FreshmanSetting Expectations for Freshman

““Become the Best You Can Be”Become the Best You Can Be”

2004 Freshman Convocation2004 Freshman Convocation


•Courses and GradesCourses and Grades

•ExperienceExperience

•People Skills and NetworkingPeople Skills and Networking

•Teamsmanship and Leadership PotentialTeamsmanship and Leadership Potential


Courses and GradesCourses and Grades““You are going to have to maintain a minimum You are going to have to maintain a minimum

of a 2.0 GPR or we will ask you to leave - of a 2.0 GPR or we will ask you to leave - bummer!”bummer!”

““However, you need to strive to maintain your However, you need to strive to maintain your grades as high as possible, because the higher grades as high as possible, because the higher

your grades the more career opportunities will your grades the more career opportunities will be available to you upon graduation.”be available to you upon graduation.”


ExperienceExperience““Whenever I bring students to visit industry Whenever I bring students to visit industry

leaders, I always ask: leaders, I always ask:

What is the first thing you look for when hiring What is the first thing you look for when hiring employees?employees?

What do you think they always say?”What do you think they always say?”

““Experience”Experience”


People Skills and NetworkingPeople Skills and Networking““Can you apply your academic knowledge and work Can you apply your academic knowledge and work

experience in an interactive world of incredibly diverse experience in an interactive world of incredibly diverse people?”people?”

““If you are that quiet, somewhat introverted, wall If you are that quiet, somewhat introverted, wall flower, you need to flower, you need to blossomblossom.”.”

““If you are that braggadocio know-it-all, you need to If you are that braggadocio know-it-all, you need to tone it down and tone it down and learn to listen morelearn to listen more.”.”


Teamsmanship and Leadership PotentialTeamsmanship and Leadership Potential““Can you put your academic skills, work Can you put your academic skills, work experience and people skills together to experience and people skills together to

accomplish tasks?”accomplish tasks?”

““Finally, you need to become a team player and Finally, you need to become a team player and a potential leader.”a potential leader.”


Final ChallengeFinal Challenge“… “… to begin using this Learning Community to begin using this Learning Community and the opportunities available to you … to and the opportunities available to you … to build yourself into the “build yourself into the “Total PackageTotal Package” and ” and

become “become “The Best You Can BeThe Best You Can Be””


However, I have come to realize that these are However, I have come to realize that these are “My Expectations”“My Expectations”, ,

which reflect the Expectations of thewhich reflect the Expectations of theFading Fading “Baby Boomers”“Baby Boomers” & &

Current Current “Generation X”“Generation X”..Therefore, I am imposing the Expectations of Therefore, I am imposing the Expectations of

“My Generation”“My Generation” on that of the on that of the “Next “Next Generation”Generation”


We must ask the question:We must ask the question:

What are the Expectations of the Next What are the Expectations of the Next Generation?Generation?

And, where they “clash”:And, where they “clash”:

We must resolve the conflict!We must resolve the conflict!


What is the “Next Generation”?What is the “Next Generation”?They are the kids, primarily of Generation X, born They are the kids, primarily of Generation X, born since 1980, and who currently are infusing colleges. since 1980, and who currently are infusing colleges.

““Millennials”Millennials”

““Generation Y”Generation Y”

““Echo Boomers” Echo Boomers”

““Generation Dot Com”Generation Dot Com”

Baby Boomers (40s-50s)Baby Boomers (40s-50s)Generation X (60-70s)Generation X (60-70s)

MillennialsMillennials




Millennials (80s+)Millennials (80s+)


Let’s Characterize the “Millennials”Let’s Characterize the “Millennials”fromfrom

•Neil Howe & William Strauss, Neil Howe & William Strauss, Millennials Rising – The Next GenerationMillennials Rising – The Next Generation

•Dr. Mel Levine, UNC, Pediatrician Dr. Mel Levine, UNC, Pediatrician

•60 Minutes, December 26, 200460 Minutes, December 26, 2004


What are the characteristics of the What are the characteristics of the Millennials?Millennials?

•most watched over generationmost watched over generation•most protected generationmost protected generation

•came along at a time when we came along at a time when we started re-valuing kidsstarted re-valuing kids

•came along at a time when parents made came along at a time when parents made time to spend with their kidstime to spend with their kids


What are their experiences?What are their experiences?•heavily programmed by parents, teachers, etc.heavily programmed by parents, teachers, etc.

•extensive organized activityextensive organized activity

•accustomed to teamwork and group activitiesaccustomed to teamwork and group activitiesparticipation and team stressedparticipation and team stresseddon’t keep scoredon’t keep score““we” wanted them to feel good about themselveswe” wanted them to feel good about themselvesaccustomed to being “rewarded for participation accustomed to being “rewarded for participation not achievement”not achievement”everyone receives a trophy or star at the end of everyone receives a trophy or star at the end of the year or performance the year or performance


What are the results of these experiences?What are the results of these experiences?•consider themselves collectively specialconsider themselves collectively special

•want to fit inwant to fit in•want to please parents, friends, teachers, etc.want to please parents, friends, teachers, etc.•may not know what to do if left by themselvesmay not know what to do if left by themselves•easily bored because there is “nothing to do”easily bored because there is “nothing to do”

•do not know how to “go out and play”do not know how to “go out and play”•accustomed to immediate feedback and may not accustomed to immediate feedback and may not

think long rangethink long range


What are their “Expectations”?What are their “Expectations”?•expect instant gratificationexpect instant gratification

•expect immediate feedbackexpect immediate feedback

•expect to be rewarded for participation not expect to be rewarded for participation not accomplishment accomplishment

•expect a trophy or star for everything they doexpect a trophy or star for everything they do

•expect to rise to the top quicklyexpect to rise to the top quickly


Hence, the Hence, the

““Generation Clash”Generation Clash”

Millennials Expect:Millennials Expect:•expect a grade based on how hard they worked, henceexpect a grade based on how hard they worked, hence

expect grade inflationexpect grade inflation

•expect “teamwork” & “organized activities”, and do expect “teamwork” & “organized activities”, and do not consider “helping each other” as wrong, hence not consider “helping each other” as wrong, hence

do not understand our definition do not understand our definition of scholastic dishonestyof scholastic dishonesty


However, our Generation’s However, our Generation’s definition of cheating is uncleardefinition of cheating is unclear

““In circa-2000 America, you can look In circa-2000 America, you can look everywhere from politics to business to sports everywhere from politics to business to sports and you’ll find adult cheaters being excused, and you’ll find adult cheaters being excused,

even celebrated, so long as they can prove even celebrated, so long as they can prove themselves winners.”themselves winners.”

Howe and Strauss,Howe and Strauss, Millennials Rising Millennials Rising


However, our Generation’s However, our Generation’s definition of cheating is uncleardefinition of cheating is unclear

“… “… adults, in charge of schools, often don’t adults, in charge of schools, often don’t enforce anticheating rules and emphasize enforce anticheating rules and emphasize

collaborative learning, practice testing, and collaborative learning, practice testing, and web research in ways that make it unclear just web research in ways that make it unclear just

what it now means to “cheat” at school.”what it now means to “cheat” at school.”Howe and Strauss,Howe and Strauss, Millennials Rising Millennials Rising


Let’s not end on negatives about Let’s not end on negatives about this new generation of this new generation of

“Millennials”“Millennials”


Positives about these “Millennials”Positives about these “Millennials”•violent crime is down violent crime is down

•tobacco and alcohol use are downtobacco and alcohol use are down•teen pregnancy is downteen pregnancy is down

•aptitude test scores are upaptitude test scores are up•optimism about the future is upoptimism about the future is up

•trust of mom & dad, authority and government are uptrust of mom & dad, authority and government are up•they are the best well educated, technologically advanced and they are the best well educated, technologically advanced and

technologically comfortable generation this world has ever technologically comfortable generation this world has ever seen!seen!

Some feel they may be the Some feel they may be the Next Great GenerationNext Great Generation


And, it’s our job to help them achieve this And, it’s our job to help them achieve this potential!potential!

““We”We” must must “learn”“learn” how to how to “teach”“teach” them them without sacrificing without sacrificing

““our academic integrity”our academic integrity”!!

Expectations Dave Reed Department of Horticultural Sciences Texas A&M University.

Documents

Transcript of Expectations Dave Reed Department of Horticultural Sciences Texas A&M University.