Generation IY: Secrets to Connecting with Today’s Teens and Young Adults in the Digital Age
As teachers we are constantly looking for ways to further educate ourselves in our chosen field—children! One of the ways that many teachers choose to do this is through reading. One such book that has been chosen by a few WACC teachers is the book Generation iY: Secrets to Connecting with Today’s Teens and Young Adults in the Digital Age written by Tim Elmore. He explains the title he chose on page 3 stating, “This population, born in the 1990s and afterward, has literally grown up online. Theirs is the world of the iPod, iBook, iPhone, iChat, iMovie, iPad, and iTunes. And for many of them, life is pretty much about the ‘I’.” Many people read this and think that the answer is less screen time. However, this is not always the automatic conclusion. Please read on for 10 Top Tips taken directly from the pages of Elmore’s book.
- “I’ve come to understand that the youth population is a bit like the wind on the sea—and good sailors know what to do with that wind. In fact, they actually use it to propel the boat where it needs to go. They don’t change their goal. They adjust their sails.” (8) This serves as a reminder that we are the directors of the children in our lives future; we all, teachers and parents alike, make an impact.
- “Change happens so fast these days that I often feel like someone has pushed the ‘fast forward’ button on our culture and left me in the dust.” (23) We need to stay involved in the technology of in the lives of the children in our lives. The new “popular” app needs to be investigated and understood before it is downloaded.
- “There are forty different kinds of coffee beans at Whole Foods market, several hundred channels on DIRECTV, fifteen million ads on Match.com, and eight hundred thousand jobs posted on Monster.com.” (53) That being stated these children are overwhelmed with a wealth of knowledge, let’s face it, sometimes adults are overwhelmed with the wealth of knowledge!
- “The most important thing that parents can teach their children is how to get along without them.” (96) I’m sure there isn’t a parent in the world that doesn’t hope to teach their child how to do this, and we all know it isn’t the easiest feat, but it should be the goal.
- “There is often nothing tougher than to face the truth.” (110) We all hope for truthful children in our lives, but they learn this through example of the adults in their lives.
- “We must build a generation of kids who possess vision, who plan well, who set healthy priorities, and who practice good people skills—men and women who know how to lead the way.” (158) This one speaks for itself—we must create the future we want for our children but teaching them how to be the people that will lead that world.
- “What do you want to be remembered for?” (170) This is a key question that we must ask the children in our lives. And with their answers we will be better equip to help them create the future that they desire.
- “The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text.” (182) There really is truth to the statement that people (especially children) are visual learners! We must use this knowledge to best serve them.
- “If a kid is doing well in school, relating well to others, and getting enough sleep to be healthy, having lots of “i” input may not be a problem.” (213) Just a reminder that not all children even need their screen time limited. You know your child better than anyone.
- Number 10 is a simple reminder that Generation iY is available to borrow from the parent library at WACC, it comes highly recommended to all parents!
