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Speaker tells teachers they must relate differently as year begins

By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer

Getting students' attention today requires a shift in thinking by Baby Boomer teachers, and even younger teachers who are just starting their careers, a motivational speaker said at the annual opening convocation for USD 470 staff members on Monday.

"It drives us nuts, they don't think just like us," said Eric Chester, of Generation Why, his own company in the Denver area.

Chester referred to the current generation as "Generation Why" because today's students want reasons for following directions that used to be accepted at face value by previous generations.

About 500 staff members, including 200 teachers, attended the convocation that resembled a pep rally to get the new school year under way. The Arkansas City band played and the flag team performed. They performed several numbers as teachers settled in their seats, and then everyone stood for the National Anthem.

"We're ready to go," said Ron Ballard, superintendent of schools, greeting the crowd. "We're all here."

Ballard said he has been getting ready for school to start for 50 years and "I'm excited; it hasn't changed a bit."

He referred to the Arkansas City School District as the "best in the state." "We get phone calls (from other districts) asking 'What do you guys do?'" Ballard said. "It's you. It's not about the programs; it's about people."

Four members of the USD 470 Board of Education attended: Joelyn Squires, president, and fellow board members Daren Reese, Mike Walker and Glenn Clarkson.

Kristen Martinez McNett, spokeswoman for the district, introduced Chester, a former teacher and coach who has visited more than 1,500 high schools, middle schools and college campuses. Chester also has written five inspirational books called the "Teen Power Series," she said.

The current generation of students -- born from 1980 to 1994 -- are called by various names including Post-X, Echo Boomers, Millennials and the Net Generation, Chester said.

They're also known as Generation Why because they demand answers, he said. They grew up in the digital age and are used to high-speed graphics and activities that produce adrenaline.

"This is a generation that is tough to convene," Chester said. "It's not enough to say, 'Class is in session,' and expect them to do it body, mind and spirit."

It's a generation that tends to believe they've arrived at the party late, after previous generations have finished most of the refreshments and the band is doing its last numbers, he said. They face serious issues such as terrorism and the depleted ozone layer.

"This is a generation that has a tendency to be impatient," he said. "We were taught patience is a virtue, but they want faster servers and instant connections."

Today's students grasp a teacher's routine quickly and tend to "fall asleep at the wheel."

"They see patterns -- zig, zig, zig," he said. "You've got to figure out ways to slip in a zag. Find ways to throw them something different."

Kids of Generation Why also tend to be desensitized because of all the stimuli they have each day. The average kid spends five to seven minutes a day talking with his parents.

"They have watched every movie that's created," he said. "They can repeat the dialogue."

They also tend to be disengaged. Bad news greets them each day on television and in the newspaper. They hear horrible stories repeated on cable TV over and over again.

"Maybe it's incumbent on us to open the door and turn on the light," Chester said. "Share the good stuff, the stuff that may be on the last page of the paper. Share someone's birthday. Or when something goes right, remind them. Make them happy."

Above: Ark City High School band members performed this morning at the school district's convocation.