Hallelujah!!! I agree 100%. I’m an art teacher, and let me tell you. Out of 25 kids a class, you may be lucky to get 3 kids that have one. There are to many….lazy, overweight, un-imaginative, video game playin’, south park and blue collar comedy watchin’, not going out side cause I get out of breath when I’m walkin’, twinky eatin’ little bastards today! I tried to put it nicely.  :tflaugh   Why the hell these kids’s parents don’t actually raise there kids but instead let them do what ever they want, I haven’t figured out yet. Then they call me and Starscream because their kid flunks art class. Well, if they would draw something instead of sleeping, or talking about what they stuck up Mr. Slave’s ass last night. Then they might have had a chance….

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Well I'm sorry you feel that way. You as an art teacher have to capture kids minds. You can't say "hey draw this." I know, I'm an artist and I've done the teacher assistant thing (in which I basically taught for 5 weeks while the teacher didn't).

And I am an overweight, video game playing guy.

 

It's not all necessarily that kids don't have imaginations, it's that they have to have their imaginations proded and given a little push. Many kids that I know just need some good direction towards only one thing they really like about art. Most kids in art aren't there for art, they are there for fun and ease. You have to take that fun and ease and shape it for almost each individual kid. Each one reacts differently to what you might want them to do. Free Subjects and Breadth Projects really can help do that.

 

If they sleep and generally don't give a flyingf""k then, you have to motivate them and if they can't be motivated, you bring down the hammer on them of course.

But you can't just say that cause a few kids are overweight or play video games or watch south park, that they don't have imaginations. Kids still got 'em, but many times we older ones push their imaginations down, particularly when they hit the teen years.

If you are expecting kids to be in art class in middle or high school because it's art, then you might want to reconsider what you're doing there. Teens especially have to motivated about almost anything. Art is an amazing thing that has a scope and form that goes across everything within our culture; from architecture, to magazines, to comics, to video games, to movies, to cars. It's just a matter of finding what kids like to do.

 

I'm not tryine to suggest you stop being a teacher or change everything on my account, I'm just trying to show what is and what isn't when it comes to most kids.

I agree 100% DM. There's a reason why they call it "teaching".

Unfortunately, in today's day and age, kid's imaginations are discouraged in favor of making them into adults as quickly as possible. The emphasis in schools is on academics, and music, art, and other activities are often pushed to the side (sports being the exception) in favor of math, science and english studies. Even reading storeis in english is becoming a chore, now that whenever a parent objects to a book being read by their son or daughter, instead of giving the kid a different book, they yank all available copies off the shelves! It would seem that ALL imagination is becoming a threat to society nowadays. Maybe that's why they want kids to grow up as quickly and as boringly as possible: no threat to them.

 

As for motivation, I think we sometimes (as a society) push kids into thing they don't want to do, then Starscream them out when they do poorly. George Carlin said it the best: "you want to help your kids? LEAVE THEM THE F**K ALONE!!!" And maybe he's right.....

Looking at Hot Rods signature, made me think how much more succesfull He-Man was in the eighties than the current MOTU was.  And MOTU is far more superior in design both in toy and cartoon.  As already mentioned kids imagination is not same as it used to be.  Kids try to be more adult nowadays even though they are not.  Twelve and thirteen year olds are asking for cell phones not toys.  It's like having your grandfathers hand watch, it may be old and not digital but the sentimental value is what is important.

Unfortunately, in today's day and age, kid's imaginations are discouraged in favor of making them into adults as quickly as possible. The emphasis in schools is on academics, and music, art, and other activities are often pushed to the side (sports being the exception) in favor of math, science and english studies. Even reading storeis in english is becoming a chore, now that whenever a parent objects to a book being read by their son or daughter, instead of giving the kid a different book, they yank all available copies off the shelves! It would seem that ALL imagination is becoming a threat to society nowadays. Maybe that's why they want kids to grow up as quickly and as boringly as possible: no threat to them.

 

As for motivation, I think we sometimes (as a society) push kids into thing they don't want to do, then Starscream them out when they do poorly. George Carlin said it the best: "you want to help your kids? LEAVE THEM THE F**K ALONE!!!" And maybe he's right.....

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:thumb  :clap  :pfx

100% Agree...kids just need to be shown the different ins and outs of art and their imagination, they still got 'em and always will have them, they are kids.

Well I'm sorry you feel that way. You as an art teacher have to capture kids minds. You can't say "hey draw this." I know, I'm an artist and I've done the teacher assistant thing (in which I basically taught for 5 weeks while the teacher didn't).

And I am an overweight, video game playing guy.

 

 

Yeah, your right, but 5 weeks isn’t being a teacher in my book, especially when you have a supervising teacher there to keep them in line. Come back after a couple of years on your own and then talk to me. Maybe it’s where I’m located and their age, maybe not, but I stick with my opinion.

 

When I was a kid, I went outside, I didn’t play video games, I didn’t get to watch TV, I ate with my parents, they took me to church, I was taught yes sir no sir, etc, etc, etc…. I didn’t nor a majority of my generation act like the kids I see today.

 

I have no doubts in my ability as a teacher, and I’m not saying all kids are this way, and I’m not pointing fingers at people if they are overweight and play video games. I’m well aware of having to “motivate� students, Thanks, but it’s not my first day on the job. Kids don’t have a healthy imagination today, most of them, want to express derogatory and violence.

 

MH, could you remind me, why they call it teaching? On account of you seeming to know why and me not?

 

But anyway, I apologize if I've offended anyone. I was just speaking my opinion like everyone else. I didn’t mean to step on toes or stereotype.

 

What happend to discussing our beloved G1 bots?

Yeah, your right, but 5 weeks isn’t being a teacher in my book, especially when you have a supervising teacher there to keep them in line. Come back after a couple of years on your own and then talk to me. Maybe it’s where I’m located and their age, maybe not, but I stick with my opinion.

 

When I was a kid, I went outside, I didn’t play video games, I didn’t get to watch TV, I ate with my parents, they took me to church, I was taught yes sir no sir, etc, etc, etc…. I didn’t nor a majority of my generation act like the kids I see today.

 

I have no doubts in my ability as a teacher, and I’m not saying all kids are this way, and I’m not pointing fingers at people if they are overweight and play video games. I’m well aware of having to “motivate� students, Thanks, but it’s not my first day on the job. Kids don’t have a healthy imagination today, most of them, want to express derogatory and violence.

But anyway, I apologize if I've offended anyone. I was just speaking my opinion like everyone else. I didn’t mean to step on toes or stereotype.

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I don't claim to be a teacher...I wasn't trying to do that...And I wasn't trying to neuter your teaching skills.

I also was taught the "Yes sir, No Sir" and I spent more time outside than in when I was growing up, but my point was if they only want to express violence and derogatory...help use that, you have to follow the guidelines of school, but still you can help them find a point of art that they can like and understand and use to their enjoyment...

But making such a broad statement makes you come off like an artsy, arrogant prick who doesn't understand kids and only wants to do fine art sculpture and oil painting, which most kids can't get into unless they are artist themselves.

 

Well I'm done, and ain't saying more about it...

Well I'm sorry you feel that way. You as an art teacher have to capture kids minds. You can't say "hey draw this." I know, I'm an artist and I've done the teacher assistant thing (in which I basically taught for 5 weeks while the teacher didn't).

And I am an overweight, video game playing guy.

 

 

Yeah, your right, but 5 weeks isn’t being a teacher in my book, especially when you have a supervising teacher there to keep them in line. Come back after a couple of years on your own and then talk to me. Maybe it’s where I’m located and their age, maybe not, but I stick with my opinion.

 

When I was a kid, I went outside, I didn’t play video games, I didn’t get to watch TV, I ate with my parents, they took me to church, I was taught yes sir no sir, etc, etc, etc…. I didn’t nor a majority of my generation act like the kids I see today.

 

I have no doubts in my ability as a teacher, and I’m not saying all kids are this way, and I’m not pointing fingers at people if they are overweight and play video games. I’m well aware of having to “motivate� students, Thanks, but it’s not my first day on the job. Kids don’t have a healthy imagination today, most of them, want to express derogatory and violence.

 

MH, could you remind me, why they call it teaching? On account of you seeming to know why and me not?

 

But anyway, I apologize if I've offended anyone. I was just speaking my opinion like everyone else. I didn’t mean to step on toes or stereotype.

 

What happend to discussing our beloved G1 bots?

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I was just reacting to the "kids don't have imaginations" thing, which I heartily disagree with. I guess my comments could have been taken as slamming you in your job, and that wasn't my intent. So sorry about that.

 

I just get tired of people saying kids are being dumbed down or whatever simply because society and culture are changing. I tend not to be an overly nostalgic person anyway, and I don't think that the good old days were really any better. Humanity is what it always has been. I also go by what I see in my own kids, which is admittedly subjective. Sure they watch TV and play video games and do all that stuff. But they don't *need* it in order to have fun. They could play with rocks and sticks and have a blast.

RE kids today:

Sadly there is very rarely an easy solution for a complex problem

You all make good points - but additionally all of your arguments are incomplete as well....

 

I didnt "quote" but i really have to say i agree agree agree with Causual Oblivion's comments on the G1 Bots -- I wrote a simmilar post a while back.  He echoes my thoughts fairly closely.

 

I also was very surprised pulling out my old G1's and finding that they are not nearly as big as i remembered them....

 

That being said - they have personality and pressence and my G1-Dautsuns have no problem standing side by side with my Alt-Subarus.

 

They certainly can hold their own.

 

Hunter

 

EDIT: whats more i still enjoy transforming my G1-Dautsuns ---whereas transforming any of my alts is a bit of a chore (a wonderful one but a chore nonetheless)

I disagree with humanity being as stupid as it's always been: I think humanity's getting stupider with each generation. Proof? Just take a look around.

 

(anyone ever notice just how off-topic we can get in these posts? it's absoulutely amazing!! Just imagine; At the beginning you're talking about the newest galaxy force/ cybertron offering, and by the end of it, we're all dicussing the meaning of frickin' life!!! Doesn't it just make you wanna bleed from your eyes??? :D )

 

But as to the topic at hand: yeah, I notice my G1's look and feel smaller from when I was a kid. Time changes one's perspectives, not to mention physical dimensions! :)