DEADLINE; The latest time or date by which something should be completed. It’s a dreaded word that no one likes. Really it’s a word that is unavoidable. Whether at college or at work, a deadline is always looming. It could be in the form of a business proposal or completion of a job. It could be in the form of handing in a letter or handing in your projects.
Deadlines, however frustrating are actually necessary. They give us a time scale to work to, something to aim for. Some of us thrive on them as it allows us to effectively manage our time and some of us loathe them because it puts unwanted pressure on us. Often this pressure means we avoid or ignore the deadline, putting ourselves under even more pressure.
At the end of last term year 9 and 10 students had several projects due. The majority of the students worked hard to reach these deadlines. Many, however, did not hand in any work or handed work in that was incomplete. The consequence of this was that they spent their last day of term working in class as opposed to enjoying a day of intra-college Oz tag.
The consequences, however, were more far reaching than that. In expressing my disappointment I pointed out to the students that their action affected not only them, but also myself and my three children. They were puzzled as to how this could be the case. So I explained:
My three children aged 9, 9 and 7 had to get up much earlier than usual that day. They did not complain. They were dressed and ready for college quickly and we left the house at 7.55am. We arrived at college at 8am, 45 minutes earlier than they are usually there and 15 minutes before a staff member is on duty to look after them. I reluctantly dropped them and drove to IFS to arrive at 8.30am. My boys asked why they had to get up so early and get to college with no one to look after them. I told them the reason was that I had to be in college to supervise students who could not do the right thing in class and not meet their deadlines. I had to be with them so they could spend extra time on their work because the time they had already had in class was not enough for them.
Obviously, my children were upset and annoyed and felt they had been made to suffer the consequences of IFS students not doing their work. My eldest son, Jude actually felt so upset that he wrote a letter to the ‘IFS kids’. I read it out to the students who did not meet the deadline that day:
Dear IFS kids, I want you to know how sad we are that mummy has to get us up early and drop us at college when no teacher or other kids are at college. We think that you should do your work and get it in on time so that we are safe at college. Your choices affect others. From Jude, Kai and Tate.
I have to completely agree with my 9 year old. If he can see that the choices you make not only affect you but the people around you, then it is time that students almost twice his age did the same. It’s about choosing to work in class, it’s about choosing to work to your best, not just some of the time but all of the time. It’s about choosing to meet, instead of ignore, deadlines. See them as a challenge and not make excuses for not reaching them. Why? Because it is so much more satisfying knowing that you have achieved and handed in work by the deadline than to stress and avoid it. The deadline will always catch up with you. The deadline will not move, you have to move to the deadline, it’s the only way to beat it.
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