Retired Not Expired
Stand-up comedians love to poke fun at senior citizens. It could be their own advancing age or the observations of the grey-haired brigade. Examples include: “I went to an antique auction the other day. Three people bid on me.” “People who think you get boring as you get older have never experienced the thrill of seeing two hummingbirds at the feeder at the same time.” And lastly, “One way to find out if you’re old is to fall down in a group of people. If they laugh, you’re young; if they panic, you’re old.”
Having begun my teaching career in 1977, I can safely say I’m old. Not “Don can only eat mushy food,” old but old just the same. This is pre-Internet, pre-COVID, pre-Smart Boards, and pre-diabetes.
In the 70s and 80s the students seemed a little more innocent. The parents were less hovering. You didn’t have cyber-bullying. You might have had some old-fashioned bullying but it didn’t happen often.
The use of technology has certainly been the biggest change in education. A computer lab was used to teach word processing. Then, as the Internet became more student-focused, the lab was used for instruction and research. With the onset of laptops and iPads, the student could now do her lessons on the device. The iPad contained all of the textbooks, workbooks and it became the vehicle for turning in homework. If the dog ate your homework, it probably was done on paper, not a computer.
Has reading changed? Yes. Electronic devices can hold dozens of books. Easily accessible. But hold on. The old-fashioned paper book has more than charm. They are nostalgic. They may help with retention. They have a more human touch. They smell better! However, one study showed that people with dyslexia do read better and retain better with an electronic text.
So whether you were taught using a chalkboard or smart board, remember it is the teacher who makes the difference. I have known dozens of quality teachers. Their battery may be at 9% by the end of the day. But they still give 100%. There is no substitute for a caring teacher. (Actually, there is a substitute, but you know what I mean.)