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Hi my name is Kam and I am a Digital Immigrant!

 I literally laughed out loud while reading the Prensky article. My father worked with computers so I have been around them my entire life, which I do realize is not the norm. Before reading this article, I would not have classified myself as a digital immigrant. But, then the examples started. I am that person who will call someone to see if they got my email (or worse yet my text). I fuss at my kids about not answering the phone and then sending a text to ask what I need. When I began my pursuing my Master's degree, I printed out every article my professors assigned me to read, and then (don't laugh) highlighted them and took notes in the margins. My daughters caught me doing this and were genuinely confused. Why? Because I could just download them on the iPad and do the same thing. I typed out all my papers (with two spaces after the period, if you know you know), printed them and then edited them on paper (I will neither confirm or deny that I took out a second mortgage to buy ink) .

I have seen so many hilarious examples of the divide between digital natives and digital immigrants. My friend's son cracked me up because his teacher was giving a spelling test online. He was confused because he didn't understand why everyone wasn't getting a 100, all you have to do is right click. His teacher is blissfully giving her test that she has been doing for years and he is right clicking to use spellcheck. Also if you are a math teacher and you don't know what photomath is, well no your kids aren't geniuses. Actually, maybe they are. Earlier this year I watched a student do something that allowed her to make her grades in skyward appear to be all A's. She took a screenshot and showed her mom. Kids. can hack iReady and change their time on task and the number of lessons passed. Today's students are much smarter that we give them credit for. They learn the things they need to learn, and they let go of the rest. One might argue that they are smarter than we were, because they are not wasting their brain power on random facts that they might never need.

I often here my peers say why don't kids put the same amount of effort into learning _______. But, the short answer is why would they? Why do we expect today's students to do it the old-fashioned, hard way. How would we feel if someone said to us, I know that you can put your grades in the online gradebook, but I want you to go back to writing in a paper gradebook with those little tiny boxes and averaging it by hand at the end of the quarter? 

In all seriousness, this article was eye opening because it highlights an issue that I knew existed in a way that I never thought about. As an educator, I do speak a language that is different from the students that I teach. Like the article stated, I can't expect my students to go backward, so I need learn to speak their language. I think this starts by asking some very hard questions about what we are teaching. How important is it that students know how to complete long division by hand? Really when is the last time someone forced you to divide using the standard algorithm? Also do I need to memorize my multiplication tables? Why? If I didn't teach math, my awesome multiplication table skills would go widely unappreciated. Why do I need to memorize the area formula, or the pythagorean theorem? Even if I work at a job where I use those idea daily, can't I look them up on my phone? Our approach to education needs t undergo an overhaul in order to address the needs of today's students. 

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  1. LeelocinMay 23, 2022 at 4:36 AM

    I still print out articles sometimes to read them! I am unashamed!!

    Also, yes. Great points TiredTeacher, we have to figure out how to bridge that generational gap... I like to consider how much the internet/networks interests me and attempt to motivate my students in similar ways... like the customization features of certain platforms.

    However, you make a valid point in this post and another. There are differences in privilege that goes into the exposure to technology. I also grew up in a family that built computers... this brings into question, how can we emulate a similar potency of interest in technology, computers, networks that we and our families had for students?

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