Understanding Generational Differences

Preparing the next generation for a lifetime of learning

Understanding Generational Differences

Question: How in this time of the narrowing of the curriculum, the stifling of innovation, the homogenization of talent, and the tyranny of low expectations can we reverse the trend in education practices and create team-oriented learning, critical and innovative thinking, problem solving, and the leveraging of diversity?

Answer: The multiplier effect of best practices!

Copyright 2006 Alex Terego www.AlexTerego.com

Chief Editor: Leslie Rowe of www.GreatWords.net

Table of Contents
Introduction .....................................................................................1 The World War II Cohort ..................................................................1 The Baby Boom Generation ............................................................1 And the Boomers begat Generation X: ...........................................2 Generation Ythe Millennials .........................................................3 Conclusion: ......................................................................................5

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Introduction
This ePrimer is not about teaching the soft skills, as much as it is about making sure that teachers have an appreciation of generational differences, before heading into the classroom to teach soft skills to people who are, by definition, of a different generation. You have all no doubt heard the terms World War II cohort, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y, or Millennials, as some demographers call them. They are all groups, or cohorts, defined as having been born in a certain period; usually about 20 years. The World War 11 cohort was born between 1928 and 1945. The Baby Boom generation was born between 1946 and 1965. Generation X was born between 1965 and 1979. Generation Y (or Millennials) was born between 1980 and 2001. The latest generation has been dubbed generation Z.

The majority of teachers and parents are either Baby Boomers or Generation X. The majority of middle school through college-age children are Generation Y (Millennials.) So the focus of this ePrimer is sharing with you what researchers believe is known about the characteristics of Baby Boom generation, Generation X and Generation Y, so that you can adjust your teaching appropriately.
The World War II Cohort

The Word War II Cohort is often defined as being conformist, uncomfortable with change, traditional in outlook, spiritual and team players. Since this generation is not under discussion here, I report what demographers have researched only as a baseline for comparison.
The Baby Boom Generation

Baby Boom Generation, the cohort to which most teachers belong, is roughly speaking a generation born during the middle of the 20th century. There can be no question that their major influences were those events that shaped the mid to late 20th century: the aftermath of a World War, the Cold War between West and East, nuclear scares, political assassinations, Viet Nam, the walk on the moon, the

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Civil Rights Movement and the social, moral and cultural revolutions that began in the 1960s. In America this generation is associated with a sense of privilege, because it was a time of affluence. Baby Boomers in general were a healthy and wealthy generation; in fact the healthiest and wealthiest Americans ever and they expected that to pass along that legacy to subsequent generations. Baby Boomers are, as the name suggests, large in number, but they also participated in higher education out of proportion to their numbers, which suggests a highly developed sense of ambition and place. They have also been accused of having a sense of entitlement because of their relatively prosperous childhoods Baby Boomers came of age in a time of social change. The USA became more divided during this time between liberal and conservative ideologies; each one horrified at the others position. The country was already polarized at the time of the Kent State shootings. Baby Boomers tend to be divided equally between both sides of the political and social spectrum. They are united in that they have little in common with their parents generation. They are less tied to traditional religious affiliations, but perhaps the starkest contrast with the WWII generation was artistic. Sinatra and Swing were replaced by Rock and Roll and the boomers still listen to classic FM stations. Artists like Warhol ruled the art scene. TV and the movies began breaking the rules. But perhaps the most telling revolution for Baby Boomers was that they were the first beneficiaries of the electronic revolution: first radio and TV, and in their businesses, and then in personal computing and communications. Baby Boomers have an implicit trust in institutions.
And the Boomers begat Generation X:

Boomers got married and gave life to a generation that began life between 1965 and 1980. President Obama is from Generation X along with 50,000,000 others. What shaped his generation? The tensions between Soviet Russia and the West, Soccer Moms, The Reagan years the eighties a popular culture that changed from rock to rap and from baseball to basketball. Home computers proliferated; the internet and video games replaced TV as the preferred entertainment. What Rock and Roll is to the Boomers, Grunge and Hip Hop is to Generation X. This generation lived through the dot.com boom and bust. They watched very young billionaires created; they also watched as AIDS ravaged many in their generation. This generation accepts diversity. They tend to be pragmatic and practical. They are individualistic and self-reliant. They tend to reject rules and want to live well. They tend not to trust institutions. They are comfortable with technology and can multitask.

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Many of them grew up in families that boomers and the WWII generations would call untraditional. They will work hard but want to have fun. Their influence is pervasive.
Generation Ythe Millennials

Generation Ythe Millennials are now aged between nine and twenty eight. There are 75,000,000 of them. Like all other generations events shaped them. They follow the trends begun in the eighties and nineties and consolidated in the new millennium. Of course technology looms large in their lives. They live life very differently from baby boomers and to some extent from Generation X cohorts. Google, email, blogging, voice mail, texting and twittering, You Tube and Facebook mean that information, entertainment and friends are only a few clicks away. They could not imagine a world without instant and cheap access to everything. Books have become almost irrelevant to them, as has most of the print media. They share more of everything with their peers and are used to instant gratification. They feel special, and their Generation X parents are their best friends, with whom they are frequently in touch and with whom they are very candid about their lives. More of them are from single parent households. An amazing 97% of these Millennials who are in college own a computer and 95% of this same group own a cell phone. And 69% have a Facebook page, which they check twice a day. Not surprisingly, another name for them is the Net Generation. They still watch TV, but they spend almost as much time in front of the computer screen. There has been some controversy about findings that led to dubbing the Millennials the Trophy Generation. The tendency on the part of Generation X parents and teachers to make all children winners giving all who compete a trophy with no losers, has led, some researchers concluded to a sense of entitlement amongst the Millennials. There are reports that this has led to a frustration amongst employers of Millennials, who expect to be taken seriously, assert themselves and demand to be involved in all decisions that affect them and generally want the workplace to be tailored to their needs not the companys. Needless to say older workers have conflicting views of what it means to be an employee. Much of this research may remain academic in the economic climate we find ourselves; the current recession has probably cured Millennials of expecting more than their parents from the workplace. Since this generation makes up the bulk of the school and college population, it makes sense for teachers to understand what motivates Millennials. Surveys suggest that, in addition to earning a good income, Millennials want to make a difference in their lives and in the lives of others, more so than previous generations. They do respect authority, but will question it armed with information.

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They have grown up assuming that information and people are instantly available. So when information and friends are not as readily available as in a more controlled environment like the classroom or workplace Millennials are faced with more tensions than previous generations. It is important to note that their mindset is not going to change, and in another decade or so they will be in charge of the classroom and the workplace. They are the most tech-savvy generation ever; their devices are an extension of their minds, not just a tool, and this gives them the upper hand. Unlike all generations that have come before them, they see less difference between the classroom and the home, or between the workplace and the home. They use technology to get whatever they want, wherever and whenever they want it. It seems strange to other generations but Millennials can either work or play in the mall, the park, the home, the office or wherever they want. They do not see their environment the way previous generations have seen theirs. There is no longer an appropriate place and a time for things. Flexibility is probably the main hallmark of this generation and there are a lot of them and they are about to go to become senators, lawyers, teachers, engineers and entrepreneurs. Perhaps its because of the technology they have grown up with, but one of the defining characteristics of Millennials is that they are team oriented. They are the generation of social networking and team sports, and comfortable solving problems together. They are the first truly green generation. They are aware of the damage caused to our environment by out of control economic growth and have been taught in school how to be eco-friendly. They accept that all genders and races are equal.

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Conclusion:
Your role as a teacher is to pass on the wisdom of the ages and to prepare your students for life after their formal education has ended. Since my focus in these ePrimers in on grade seven and above, most of the students I am focusing on are Millennials, and most of the teachers are members of the Baby Boomer and Generation X cohorts. So, in conclusion, I will focus on the characteristics of these cohorts and make some recommendations about how to understand the differences and make them work in the classroom.

Boomers:

Shaped by the sixties Had a relatively affluent upbringing Healthier than the previous generation Better educated than previous generations Lived through social, cultural and moral upheaval Trust institutions

Generation X:

Shaped by the Reagan years and the Cold War Personal technology adopters Accepts diversity. Pragmatic and practical. They are individualistic and self-reliant. Reject rules and want to live well. Mistrust of trust institutions.

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Comfortable with technology and can multitask Many of them grew up in non-traditional homes.

Generation Y, the Millennials:

Used to technology and its benefits Feel special Used to sharing Expect much from their family, friends and school and workplace Expect to contribute to their family, friends, school and workplace Respect for authority but will question it The first really Green cohort Feel lost in an environment where they cannot access friends and information Abandoning the traditional distinctions between home, work and play A social, group oriented cohort Comfortable with solving issues collaboratively They do more than accept diversity; they embrace it

What does all this tell us about teaching? There is a phrase that is used by Millennials today that gives us a clue. I want to know where youre coming from. By this they mean they want to understand your perspective, not where you have just travelled from. So once you know where Millennials are coming from, you will be better prepared to teach them. Trying to mold them in the image of your generation is less of an option. The Sixties or the Reagan Years are fresh in your mind; they are ancient history to your students. The Millennials are different from you in ways that you were not different from your parents. You used technology; they do far more than that. They manage their lives with technology. You tended towards self reliance and individuality; the Millennials are part of a social network. They share. If you were alone without a network device of some kind, you might feel relief; Millennials might feel panic. They practice being Green, your generation just heard about Green.

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The good news is that Millennials love to learn new things. The bad news is that the new things they love to learn rarely conform with todays classroom teaching.

Suggestions:

Harness technology in your classroom, and get command of it yourself Use collaborative techniques to teach Use the planet Earth and its assets as a teaching aid as often as possible Since they do not differentiate between work place and home space set tasks that can be accomplished out of school or in school Technology gives them know-how on how to accomplish tasks efficiently, use that to your advantage; give them a sense of autonomy Discipline is necessary for teaching, but a casual and friendly environment works best for Millennials Involve them in the teaching project; show them how to expect more from them selves Make their school experience as interactive and collaborative as possible Expect Millennials to demand much of their teachers and schools They are not looking as much for leadership as they are for direction They expect much of themselves; give them the opportunity to excel

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Alex

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