Teaching extra-ordinariness. This is the ultimate challenge of the educators of today's generation.
Why?
This is because we need to bring something new to the "educational table" in order to bring further motivation as well as further enlightenment to the learners of Generation Z. We need to give them the perception that we are versatile enough to respect and adapt their multiple intelligence. Give them a sense of assurance that we are flexible enough to cater their academic needs. Enable them to think for themselves but guiding them through the right sense of thinking.
Knowing the Generation of Today
The learners of the present are quite unique in their own ways. They are the pioneers of the "instant mentality". They are innate technology operators and social media enthusiasts. They are highly exposed to the technological advancement of the which they can't imagine life without these gadgets. They are digital learners where they find the teaching-learning process more meaningful if it is influenced in the way they acquire knowledge and wisdom.
Pioneers of "instant mentality". Indeed, the generation of today are quite impatient. This is due to their perception of getting things done in a fast pace. They highly rely on the machines to enable them to work at ease. This way of thinking however has made them indulge in the attitude of laziness for the cases of plagiarism all over the world are quite prevalent nowadays. They are often times used to the "Copy-Paste" assignments.
Innate technology operators and social media enthusiasts. The generation of today have the ability to learn how to properly maneuver technological gadgets with ease and oftentimes without assistance. This is due to the fact that they are born in the cyber era and through this they are the enthusiastic social media users.
The digital learners. Study shows that 70% of our receptors are derived from our sense of sight, this fact is true to all especially to the learners of today's generation. This is the main reason why we as teachers have to be versatile enough to enable them to learn in their context and not in ours.
Accommodating Generation Z
PIE is not a delicious treat but it is an ingredient to become a successful educator. It is an acronym which means Plan, Implement and Evaluate.
Plan. As a teacher of today's era, we must plan our discussions in order to us to let the learners experience a meaningful learning experience. We must create comprehensive lesson plans, however we must always be eclectic enough to have at least a back-up plan so that we can be prepared for whatever is coming. In planning, we must always consider the interest of the students so that they have an alleyway to further relate to the lesson topic. If we plan not be the only talking head of the classroom, then we must also empower the students to impart knowledge in giving the discussion in their own context. As the saying goes, "Plan your walk and walk your plan".
Implement. In implementing, the teacher must be energetic enough to deliver the discussion. Incorporate every interest of the students in your lesson so that they can also speak what is in their minds. Inculcating values is easy of we translate the lesson topic in their setting. Give them not just your insights but give them also an avenue to give theirs and meet half-way. Students nowadays are easy persuaded if they can feel that the teacher is giving them the liberty to be empowered. At times they just don't want to be entertained, rather they want to be engaged in order to learn something.
Evaluate. There is after all no such thing as a perfect teaching strategy that can be applicable to all learning situations. The best method there is, is the capability to incorporate teaching strategies that can yield favorable results. In this premise, we can therefore deduce that the context of "perfect" can be achieved if we always give allowance to our points of improvement. Apply the corrections from the lapses seen in the method, strengthen it by giving reinforcements or completely eradicating these mistakes in order to let the learners experience a more exciting, meaningful and interesting learning experience.
If they can't learn the way we teach, they we must teach the way they learn.
We must always give respect to their multiple intelligence and respect the way they learn. We must have at least the courage and the strength to reach out to the youth of today in order to fully understand them, and in understanding them we can pave a way to teach them the way they understand.
The video below is the RSA animated film of Sir Ken Robinson's speech on "Changing Educational Paradigms".
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