I have a huge concern in our country today. It is Generation Z. I am currently a teacher of this generation and have three of my own. Most recently I have noticed a couple of things about this group of kiddos. When faced with a problem they cannot solve it on their own. There is no respect for those older than them or their friends. And consequences mean nothing to them.

Teaching is nothing like I imagined it.

Picture This…

It is 1978. A six-year-old little girl just got home from a shopping trip with her mom to the closest place with a big store (1 hour away). She was excited to be home because her mom bought her “learning books for kindergarteners” so she could “teach” her dolls and stuffed animals.

This little girl lined up her dolls and animals in rows and began to “teach” them. Their books were “corrected” and she had no discipline problems. 🤓She dreamed of having a classroom of her own someday. And she worked hard towards that dream.

Teaching Today (in 2021)

This past week is one of the most important weeks I teach during the year. It is the week I teach Digital Citizenship to my students. I see every…single…student in our building. I pour my heart out to my students during this week.

For the first time in my 24 years of teaching, I raised my “mama bear” voice towards my 8th grade students. It was totally out of character for me.

It all started when the 8th-graders came into my room. They were loud and boisterous. A couple of them were running around the room chasing each other. Two others were pushing themselves.

I lost it and shouted, “Sit down! Shut up! And act like 8th-graders, not babies!” How did I lose control in my classroom when they just walked in?

So now it is time for me to teach my students personal stories about how cyberbullying has affected my family, what things are like at the High School, and what they post will come back to haunt them.

I had one student who wants to be the center of attention no matter how negative it is. He was making rude comments and asking absurd questions during my stories. He has been kicked out of so many classrooms it wouldn’t have made any difference I kicked him out of mine. Maybe something I was teaching would penetrate that thick skull of his.

I have another student who doesn’t mind shouting out his opinion to anyone. If I say I believe in God, he will come back louder for all to hear that he doesn’t believe in God. I told him I appreciate his opinion, but it was the wrong time to mention it.

Needless to say, it was an exhausting week for me.

Parents Need to be Involved

It is getting to the point where I am tired of being the parent of other people’s kids. I’ve already raised three of my own. I should be educating them about computers, how to use them, and safety. I shouldn’t have to teach them about picking up after themselves, respecting their elders and peers, and respecting property.

Many times parents would be contacted by other teachers or administration about their son/daughter’s behavior and it falls on deaf ears. The student comes back with no consequences at home and continues the same misbehavior. Or even worse, the parents will say, “It couldn’t be my precious one who did that. They never do that at home.”

Parents need to realize that they are part of a team with the education of their children. They can’t just leave them at our doorstep and say, “Here you go! Teach them everything for us!”

That’s not how this works. As the parent, bringing them into the world, you have to teach them the basic skills needed to be respectful members of society. Things like respect, work ethic, and problem-solving need to be done in the home. Teaching them life lessons and not giving them everything their heart desires will set them on the path to be a successful student and adult.

Reading, Math, English, and other subjects will help them to be intelligent in conversations and in the workplace. That is where we as teachers come in to assist.

School Moms and Dads

Schools and teachers should never take the place of the parents. Unfortunately, in our world, that has become more common. I have become a “school Mom” to many of my students and it is a vocation I accept with my heart.

Multiple times I have had to give a snack to a student who doesn’t have anything at home. Or I have had to give advice to a student who needs me. Sometimes the student’s home life is so bad they come to me to talk about a problem instead of with their family.

I am passionate about my students. I care about them as much as my own. There are days where this profession has become more than I can handle and I lose my cool. Then there are those beautiful moments with my students that suck me back in and I love teaching again.

The flashbacks to my bedroom teaching my dolls and stuffed animals flood my mind. My teaching is not perfect. I am not perfect. My students aren’t perfect like my toys were. But I am proud that I chased my dreams and here I am….teaching my students in rows, grading their work.

If you have any thoughts, comments, or just want to vent, please comment and we can get through this crazy life together.