Today's Students

Wow! There is so much to say…

The label I have been accustomed to using for the generation we are discussing is “Gen M,” with the “M” standing for millennium. To me, this has signified a generation that hangs out with their friends while talking on their mobile phones. It’s the group of girlfriends lounging at the pool who are text messaging while they listen to their IPods. They’re multitaskers who can instant message and watch television while typing a paper. This is a generation of children helping grown-ups with technology issues. But, can they be alone with their thoughts? And, can I keep up with them?

The chapter in Howe and Strauss offered a refreshing and optimistic portrayal of the generation which they refer to as “Millennials.” I don’t know if I really have enough overall interaction with today’s high school students to make a judgment about Howe and Strauss’ portrayal of this generation as upbeat team-players who follow rules and accept authority. I can say that 26 of my 37 cousins (yes, my Mom is a baby boomer!) do fall into this generation and several more are cuspers. During our annual Thanksgiving celebrations, I have been impressed with how many of them are politically and socially versed and take on activist roles in their personal lives. However, I found Reeves and Oh’s investigation into whether the predictions of Howe & Strauss are overly optimistic warranted, and it mirrored some of my own thoughts.

Yes! Learning can be fun! I enjoyed and agreed with Prensky’s article. As a Digital Immigrant by birth, I had to laugh. I agree that losing my “accent” is important in my teaching role, and I, personally, think I am making great progress adapting. The students I work with appear to be getting their instruction mainly from Digital Immigrant instructors. The students who I tutor do not expect learning to be fun. Sometimes I feel as if I am more of a Digital Native than they. They seem unfamiliar with most of the technology-enhanced activities I provide. Their school district does not seem to have the technology, time, or budget necessary to incorporate some of Prensky’s ideas. We have heard over and over that K-12 schools are low on the professional totem pole when it comes to acquiring new technologies. It’s a gradual process. As we hopefully do make the transition, holding on to some of the good old stuff while incorporating cool new stuff as Prensky suggests with his “legacy/future” approach might make some Digital Immigrants more comfortable with the well-needed transition.

Reeves and Oh mention the term “helicopter parents.” This does describe many of the parents of the students I have taught. From preschool through elementary, in the classroom and at home, I see parents rescuing their children from themselves. Some children rarely get the opportunity to fail. This can result in a lack of decision-making skills and sometimes an air of entitlement. Helicopter parenting is quite different style from the tough love with which I was raised. I see how easy it can be to rescue my daughter, as I personally try to keep myself in check as I parent.

One point that was not directly mentioned in the reading that I would like to address is the lack of writing skills I continually encounter with students in this generation. Among students there is poor use of conventions and little consideration for the parts of speech. Getting students to eke out a well-written, or even decent, piece can be painful. Proofreading and editing seem to be a lost art. I am not sure what, exactly, is at the root of this problem. Is it that reading for pleasure has been replaced by television and video games? Are students wasting their time using word processing programs when they cannot even keyboard properly? Is it that short e-mail notes have replaced the written letter? Is there just so much in today’s curriculum that time does not allow? Is there a more edutaining way to teach writing? I feel somewhat glum on the topic, and I hope to hear some of you are experiencing the opposite with your students and writing.

As a Generation Xer who finds, not the label, but some characteristics associated with the label, somewhat insulting, I proceed with caution when slapping a characterization on today’s students. In the correct context, most of what I read this unit could be true—both the negative and positive. I believe in self-fulfilling prophesies, so I find it productive to focus on the positive. I do think I will be a more effective teacher by remaining aware of the unique and common historical, social, economical, racial, and technological characteristics of the generation at hand.