Synthesis: Generations Article

Abstract

The article “Talking About Their Generations” by William Strauss addresses the generations of the 20^th century including: the G.I. Generation born from 1901-1924; the Silent Generation born between 1925-1942; the Boom Generation born 1943-1960; Generation X born 1961-1981; and the Millennial Generation born since 1982. There are several differences between the generations, such as the ways they were raised, what values were important, and the emphasis put on education. The Silent and Boom generations grew up during the Depression and WWII, attending school during a time of strong community and civic confidence. The Boomers tend to be fonder of their experience as a student and believe they received a proper education. Another characteristic of this generation is that they believed in a "parent centered" child rearing. The Gen-X children were raised in a time where the needs of children were put last, and therefore, parents were not very protective of their children. Those in the Millennial generation are parented by either Boomers, who trust the educational system, or Gen-Xers, who expect direct access to the system to provide the best education possible for their children. The Millennial generation is interested in use of technology and various modes of teaching and learning. They are trend setters, and have changed the face of pop culture and the world of education as we know it. Currently the Boom Generation and Generation X run our schools as teachers and administrators, and the Millennials have just begun their work in the field of teaching recently. The article stated that most of the Xers agreed with No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which is most likely going to be a conflict with our generation of teachers coming into the picture. The second article, “Harnessing the Power of Millennials” by Neil Howe, focuses on the Millennial generation. There are many misconceptions of the Millennial generation, showing that they are more confident and successful then they are given credit for. Millennials have a need to achieve and enjoy proving what they know through standardized tests. Howe describes this generation as “special, sheltered, confident, team-playing, conventional, pressured and achieving” individuals. The author then talks about the traits of the Millennial Generation, from their beginnings as “trophy kids” to their role as a sort of "public property". Overall this article serves as an overview of the current generation for teachers and encourages them to look beyond the stereotypes.

Reflection

The majority of the class thought the first article was interesting, and something we have never known or thought of before. Some others thought it did not present any techniques on how to deal with each generation, it merely presented the information. The article really stressed the idea that specific generations were brought up under certain circumstances that molded who they are and their beliefs. It is important to take a look at various generations in order to understand the values and beliefs of the educational system during each time period. Many of us agreed that we will have to deal with all of the generations as teachers from other faculty, administration, parents, and students. Generation X parents are definitely going to be a challenge, but it is important that you get their support. The article discussed a recent MetLife poll which indicates that parents have become the number one professional headache for K-12 teachers. As aspiring teachers, we need to be fully aware of the values and morals that teachers and parents may hold. The second article seemed to get more mixed reviews from the class. Some people thought it was irritating at how many generalizations were made about the Millennial generation. Some felt embarrassed to be part of a generation of wimps, which is what seemed to be outlined in the article. Many of the perspectives of the Millennial generation are significant for us because we are not only part of this generation, but we will be teaching them as well.