It always surprises me when I am at Wal-Mart or another grocery store and see the sign for the few lanes that state it is a “20 items or less” lane.  But what is not surprising is seeing someone with 30 to 40 items in that lane and get away with it.  I remember when I was younger it was “10 items or less.”  I don’t remember if it was ever “5 items or less” but think it really doesn’t matter what the number is, people will not obey it.

The cashier doesn’t say anything to the individual, the customer doesn’t admit they are in the wrong, they just push the grounds as much as possible.  I am sure the first time someone disobey the limit wasn’t by 10 or 20 items, I am sure it was by one or maybe two items.  The individual will rationalize their wrong doing by stating well the three jugs of milk is only one item because they are all milk.  Slowly and over time they go from 1-2 items over to 10 -20 items over.  By now they don’t even care if anyone says anything because they can fall back on, I have been doing this for years.

People are not responsible for their actions and the ones who have authority are not holding them accountable.  This issue is the same issue we suffer through our classes and schools every day.  Students pushing the limits until we break and the limit is increased, and then they break them again.  Students know their parents will get them out of trouble if only they tell them what they want to hear.  So a teacher gets blind sided by a parent because the student stretched the limit on “telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”  Students don’t want to be a trouble shooter and follow guidelines in front of them.

We need more trouble shooters out there in the world.  To be a trouble shooter doesn’t mean you disobey what you don’t like.  If a lane says 20 items or less and you have 30 items, you need to decide which 10 items you can go without for the time being or choose a different lane.

Last night my wife and I were talking.  As you all know I am leaving my current school to become principal at Holt Lutheran Schools.  The president of the congregation came to me after my Bible Study last night to ask about my time line for ending my call here and starting my call there.  He also asked me if I have written down everything I do that someone else will have to do.  I kind of stood there in shock, I mean I do a lot of things.  I don’t think I could write instructions for everything I do.  As we were talking I said most of the stuff I do can fall to our Computer Coordinator.  I also mention how I did create some videos for our online grading program for our computer coordinator and principal.  To me it sounded like he wanted me to create a manual.  When I was telling my wife this, what she said next hit me right in the head as yes, that is exactly who I am.  She stated that I am a trouble shooter and when I see a problem I do whatever I can inside my powers and the powers to be to fix that problem.  My principal has stated the same thing all the time… “if there is a way… I will find it,” she has said numerous times.

Isn’t that what we want our kids and students to be more like.  Trouble shooters?  Not someone who breaks the rules, but someone who uses what they know to apply it to the best of their abilities to the rules.  I don’t know, maybe it is just me that thinks this way.  It wouldn’t be the first time I am the only one to think a certain way.

What do you want? Do you want students to break the rules or to apply their knowledge to the rules?