May 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 44

Talking About My Generation continued from page 41

A Different Approach
Paisley believes part of the change comes from
a curriculum that is slightly different from years
past. " It seems there used to be a traditional
parks and recreation focus, and students had a
very common understanding of a core knowledge. Now, the learning is much more streamlined and more specialized. Curricula have
changed radically. "
Paisley identifies studies, such as site management, that have changed drastically because sites themselves have changed. Legal
issues have also changed, she says. Students
are entering a vastly different world now from
that even just 10 or 15 years ago. Some of the
difference, she says, is that students are being
prepared differently today. But she also points
out more industry-specific examples.
" There's not as much conceptual, " Paisley says. " Instead of planning across the entire realm, students want specific examples for
event planning or facility planning. "
There's also more of a professional preparation mindset, she says. " Finance is part of
it, marketing is part of it. Technology, web design-all of those things people are expected
to know. There's an acknowledgment that recreation is also all about selling it. "

Generation Gap
So how does this generation of park and recreation professionals stack up against its
predecessors?
" They certainly have better tech skills, "
Paisley says, " although fewer personal service
skills. "
Paisley believes a balance needs to be
struck.
" They have to be tech-savvy, to not freak out
when they see a computer. But they still have to
be able to shake a hand or communicate without e-mail. "
Today's curricululm better prepares future
workers, Paisley says, " but I'm not sure we always cut the right stuff. "
In a perfect world, what would Paisley like to
see more and less of from young professionals

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entering the field?
" More passion about changing the world, "
she says without pause. " I am a firm believer
that recreation can be a great equalizer. Play
teaches people, gets families out and active. I
would like to see play as social change, a recognition of that and commitment to that. "
Paisley would also like to see less emphasis on the What-do-I-need-to-do-to-get-a-job
mindset that plagues many young professionals about to enter the field.
" I realize that economic pressures make that a
reality, " Paisley says, " but I would like to see people not worry about getting a job and think more
about finding what you want to do in the world. "
How about getting a job you really care
about, she asks rhetorically. " When you put that
kind of passion out, it comes to you. I think we're
a lot closer to this in recreation than in a lot of
other disciplines. "
" I think this generation gets a tremendously
bad rap ,and they don't deserve it, " Paisley says.
" We need to educate students on why they're
doing what they're doing and why it's important.
I like to hope they're different. Very often we
as educators and professionals are reluctant to
shoulder our portion of the responsibility. "
For her part, Oakleaf says she wants to prepare her students with the tools that they need
to adapt to a changing world.
" Recreation management programs need to
help students maximize their ability to learn, "
she says. " Whatever the future of recreation services provides it is certain to be different from
the present. "
" Ten years ago, students were not being
prepared to market their agency through social
networking, " Oakleaf says by way of example.
" However, if that student had learned to write
well and gather relevant information and resources, it wouldn't matter that we hadn't taught
them that particular skill. This is also true for our
students going forward. "

Douglas Vaira is a writer based in
Charles Town, West Virginia, and is a former
editor of Parks & Recreation.

May 2010 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2010 - Parks & Recreation