Teens Perceive Job Losses as Way of Life?

I was speaking with one of our high school teachers this morning and she pointed out how our kids are growing up during a period of time where all they've seen are people losing their jobs.  It's depressing but it also is becoming simply a perception of how life will be for many of them.  Some of us witnessed this same thing in the 70's and early 80's, and clearly remember the long lines at the unemployment office on South Division in Grand Rapids (before you could use computers to file claims).  Back then people were leaving Michigan in droves for the expanding oil fields in Texas and Oklahoma (remember "last one out of Michigan, please turn out the lights?").

Perhaps we can help combat the perception in our students that this is how their life is always going to be by focusing more on the future.  An article in this week's Time magazine has some information that could be helpful as you engage in discussions with your students.  It also has a link to photos from the recession of 1958 which was interesting.


The Workforce: Where Will the New Jobs Come From?