3 Things Teachers Should Know about Gen Z
Generation Z includes students from elementary school to university. According to the Pew Research Center, they were born from 1997 to 2012. There are some key things about Gen Z and it is important to know them, especially for the teachers who teach them because they can be very helpful.
1. They do not know life without technology
For this generation, life is unthinkable without Google, Instagram and smartphones. They expect to be connected to the world and have access to information at any time. They crave for autonomy in their education, they want to choose what to learn and how to demonstrate their knowledge. It is now clear to everyone that they cannot be diverted from technology, so it is more important that teachers adapt to this generation.
Here are five teaching tips:
- Use interactive presentations and educational games
- Start a dialogue to keep their attention
- Use charts, graphs and multimedia which will surely provoke their interest
- Maintain online office hours because this generation is used to reaching people online
- Explain in advance why a lesson is important and how it applies in the real world.
2. They are very diverse
Gen Z is the most diverse generation so far. Almost half are racial or ethnic minorities and believe that diversity is good for society and oppose inequality.
Here are four teaching tips:
- Explore your own culture
- Make an effort to understand other cultures
- Think carefully about language to communicate more meaningfully with students
- Use a variety of books and materials.
3. They experience high level of depression and anxiety
Many people think that withdrawn behavior is typical teenage angst, but the truth is that the number of students experiencing depression has increased by 59% from 2007 to 2017. Factors such as academic pressure, high levels of perfectionism and lack of enough sleep have contributed to that.
Here are six teaching tips:
- Do not use an authoritative teaching style, try to involve students in group work
- Focus on the positive things
- Adapt to the specifics of the class you are working with
- Encourage every success
- Consult mental health experts
- Sign up for a course with experienced teachers
Source: vbox7.com