Today’s classrooms are transforming faster than ever before. Students are more digitally connected and socially aware, and neurological diversity is more recognized than ever before, presenting both opportunities and challenges for teachers. Teachers must now find new methods of teaching that incorporate innovative strategies to engage, inspire, and support students on every level.
Teachers agree that the current students learn and communicate differently from previous generations. According to Jenny Temple, an English teacher at the school, it’s difficult to describe today’s students “as something entirely different or very different from other generations. But the ways that you all interact with each other and with the world around you is drastically affected by tech and by social media.” Growing up surrounded by technology and social media has shaped their expectations in the classroom. Temple also explains how “your sense of connection is defined very differently than at previous times… you have all that information there.”
Maintaining student attention is also a big challenge for teachers. Roy Nyberg, a Physics teacher, notes that “there are just so many new things all the time. And sometimes you feel this pressure or obligation to try the new thing, which can be distracting.” He explains that lessons need to be interactive and fast-paced to hold students’ interest. “For courses like physics [that require] more hands-on experience, I think that it helps to have interactive labs and curate that type of fun because then it gets students more and more engaged,” he adds, suggesting that movement throughout the classroom helps students stay present.
While technology can be a distraction, many teachers see it as a powerful educational ally. Gene Vann, a science teacher at the School, describes how different platforms can enhance participation: “I really like Pear Deck, where I can give students immediate feedback, and they can see how their responses compare.” Not only that, but he mentions how “there are things that are difficult, that are so abstract, that [online simulations] can help make the abstract look more concrete.”
Beyond technology, teachers are also focusing on students’ emotional well-being. Nyberg notes that “the main thing is just making sure that the class is appropriately challenging… burnout starts setting in when you’re spending more than three hours at home [on one class].” Teachers also now incorporate mindfulness activities, such as Temple: “There are certain tools that we can help you with… like taking deep breaths or doing some of the exercises like bodily awareness exercises, just as a way to slow things down… pulling away from tech to get to just, you know, you, is a big part of that.”
Ultimately, effective teaching in this generation comes down to flexibility. While tools of counselors, interactive online programs, and policies regarding technology usage are new measures, the purpose of motivating students to grow remains the same.