Are things really different today than they were in the past?

[Scott Habeeb]

Check out this video. It's a little long but very relevant to today's classroom. It made me think about how we often talk about children of the past with a weren't-they-perfect-back-then nostalgia. That sort of thinking is often detrimental to our ability to deal with the kids we're teaching today. Sure, the styles and words may have changed, but the underlying problems are the same. So is the underlying solution - a teacher connecting with students. This is definitely old-fashioned and incrediby corny, but worth watching.

Any thoughts on it?

[Cat Mejia]

Those are the grandparents of my 5th period class :) I have to admit that some days frustration wins out over friendliness.

[Scott Habeeb]

I know exactly what you mean. Videos like that can be overly corny about how easy it is to solve problems, Plus - we're all human. Somehow it is reassuring, though, for me to realize that the problems we are dealing with are inherent to teenagers as opposed to some unique-never-seen-before problem. It lets me know that we can spend time thinking about solutions instead of feeling like we have to wallow in despair.

What would your 5th period class think if they watched that video in your class?