12 Things Gen Z Kids Were Taught In School That Would Make Boomers Roll Their Eyes
Classrooms are evolving to make space for Gen Z's modern necessities, mindsets, and ideas.
Rido | Shutterstock.com The generational gap and resentful feelings between older and younger generations of people is still prevalent, influenced by technology, societal norms, and socioeconomic and political debates. Alongside that tension, there are several things Gen Z kids were taught in school that would make boomers roll their eyes, as times change and institutions like schools evolve past traditional regulations and curriculums.
Born between the years of 1997-2012, what we know about Gen Z so far is that they are an incredibly unique, digitally savvy, and socially aware generation of young adults — many of whom are now at the cusp of early adulthood, trading in classrooms and universities for the workforce and professional endeavors. With their new-age attitudes and unique status as a group of people who grew up online, Gen Z's childhood classrooms quickly evolved to keep up with the speed at which they were able to gather information outlets and activism.
Here are 12 things Gen Z kids were taught in school that would make boomers roll their eyes
1. ‘There are always accommodations if you’re struggling’
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From an increase in flexible online learning options to physical and mental health accommodations, many Gen Z students have access to many more resources in the classroom than their boomer counterparts did.
According to the Walton Family Foundation, almost half of Gen Z struggles with depression, which is nearly double the rate of millennial adults. With better testing resources, more technological strain, and heightened anxiety related to Internet accessibility, classrooms have been forced to shift to accommodate these struggling students.
While baby boomers might roll their eyes at the accommodations in classrooms for Gen Z students, the truth is that many of them need it given the unhealthy habits and academic anxiety they've developed as a result of their taxing emotional and mental health.
2. ‘Not everything you read online is true’
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Especially with the technological landscape students have access to today, teachers have been put in the position of both teaching and moderating sourced material in their assignments — committing to battling misinformation and non-credible sources. Alongside that rigid practice, many students are also taught to be skeptical of online narratives and perspectives from an early age, considering they spend the majority of their time plugged into social media.
A study conducted by Google suggests that this shift in classrooms largely supports Gen Z’s ability to spot “fake news” and misinformation more effectively online compared to baby boomers and millennials.
With lateral reading techniques and fact checking on social media, the emphasis on misinformation in classrooms is likely one of the things Gen Z kids were taught in school that would make boomers roll their eyes.
3. ‘You don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with’
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While the intentions for a lesson like this in Gen Z classrooms is generally positive and empowering for students, it also has the power to be misinterpreted — both by these students and older generations. Especially for baby boomers, who’ve collectively despised the “coddling” techniques of younger generations, they can harbor resentful feelings towards younger generations for receiving more grace from their parents, teachers, and bosses while struggling.
However, creating spaces for all kinds of students to thrive and feel comfortable in the classroom is generally well-intentioned, like neuropsychologist Kenneth Schuster argues.
When anxious students don’t feel pressured or fearful of classroom interactions, they’re more likely to tap into their innate curiosity and form bonds more effectively with the people around them.
4. ‘See something, say something’
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Schools and administrators generally play a large role in combating bullying amongst their students, according to a study published by the Aggression and Violent Behavior journal, but they’ve also been forced to reimagine preventative programs and mindsets in the modern technological age.
While many older generations of students were left to bear the consequences of bullying in classrooms, without widespread activism campaigns like “See Something, Say Something” and “STOMP Out Bullying,” there’s a common resentment behind their “coddling” mindset for younger Gen Z and Alpha students.
Of course, generalizations of these distasteful mindsets aren’t necessarily capturing all Gen Z or boomer beliefs, but with popular media discourse about generational gaps, entitlement, and even “boomer blaming,” like Jennie Bristow explains in her book “Stop Mugging Grandma: The Generation Wars,” they’re impossible to ignore.
5. ‘Cursive isn’t as important as good ideas’
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While boomers and many millennials were forced to learn and practice cursive handwriting in their classrooms, most younger generations have never been taught — relying almost exclusively on technology and digital resources to write their papers and complete their assignments.
Cut from Common Core curriculums across the country in 2010, cursive was no longer a required practice in classrooms for any student, and alongside the standardized testing and more rigorous course schedules Gen Z students face, many administrators don’t feel that it's necessary to continue teaching cursive.
6. ‘Being unique is better’
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Gen Z has been labeled the “trailblazer generation” for a variety of reasons, from their collective commitments to social activism, to their open-mindedness towards new-age expression, and authentic and personalized identities.
While many baby boomers consider Gen Z’s new attitudes, creative expressions, and identities as “radical” in juxtaposition to their traditional values and upbringings, they’ve been taught to embrace uniqueness.
Specifically in classrooms, with an emphasis on “the perfect student” and standardization, setting yourself up for conventional success in college admissions is generally a battle of uniqueness for students, urging them to commit to authentic expression, personal development, and emotional intelligence much earlier in their lives than other generations.
7. ‘Taking care of your mental health is important’
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More than 57% of Gen Z students admit their mental health was even worse post-pandemic than in previous years, according to a survey conducted by Quizlet, affecting their classroom interactions and academic performance.
Of course, many millennial and boomer teachers still experience the “hustle culture” of the workplace, struggling with burnout just as frequently in classrooms as other corporate employees and workers.
While they may be more conscious of catering to students’ mental health needs, sometimes at the expense of their own, there’s also a sense of resentment towards the resources and grace administrators oftentimes expect for struggling students.
8. ‘Being a good test taker is linked to your success’
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Not only are students feeling more academic pressure in the classroom today, according to an NYU study, they’re taking more STEM courses, AP classes, and standardized tests. With college admissions processes that leverage standardized test scores as a major determinant of student success, many students are feeling “exam anxiety” in the classroom — impacting their ability to genuinely learn, collaborate, and connect with material.
OnlineU surveys even suggest that this emphasis on academic prestige influences Gen Z students’ college decisions, with 12% opting for a “more prestigious” school, compared to only 5% of Gen X and boomers at the same age.
While many teachers share a collective opinion that standardization has negatively impacted students’ ability to learn in the classroom, its inherent ties to district funding and teacher performance reviews makes it unrealistic to challenge.
9. ‘There’s something to learn from every culture, religion, and identity’
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According to a New York Times investigation on the generational gap, many people in older generations were radicalized by news stories, world events, and the political sphere later in life than Gen Zers. Millennials had the tragic events of 9/11 to strip away their innocence in the classroom, while Gen Z “had their eyes open” from the beginning with social media and online news headlines.
Considering they’ve been exposed to worldly events and headlines early in life, their open-mindedness to previously “taboo” discussions in the classrooms is much higher compared to boomers or late millennials.
Their teachers have been forced to accommodate those discussions, ensuring that misinformation is addressed and respect is demanded for other cultures, peoples, religions, and identities.
10. ‘History repeats itself’
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Many Gen Z students, especially being chronically online and at the epicenter of news through their new-age technological accessibility, were taught extensively about history through a biased lens. While some teachers taught strictly from the book, others were cognizant of the influence of social media, misinformation, and biased narratives online — using a principle like this one to spark suspicion in students.
Considering many Gen Z students don’t have a great deal of understanding about what the world was like pre-technology, except for what they know based on discussions in the classroom and with family members, they’re more likely to challenge societal norms and ideas.
For baby boomers, who were taught to accept these norms without question, unlearning them whilst being criticized by younger generations can spark some resentment, at the very least.
11. ‘Creativity is just as important as logic, science, and math’
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According to an Adobe report on Gen Z, many of these younger students are dedicated to learning and expressing their creativity in the classroom alongside more traditional subjects like STEM and history.
Nearly 50% even characterize themselves as “more creative” than previous generations, partially due to technological accessibility and expression in classrooms.
Not only are there more full-time arts teachers and courses in classrooms today, emphasizing the importance of creativity for modern day students, there’s more research to pull from on the benefits it has to traditional coursework, motivation, connection, and academic achievement.
12. ‘Speak up for what you believe in’
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A survey conducted by the United Way of the National Capital Area suggests that Gen Z leads the pack for youth activism, with nearly 33% of respondents arguing they’re regularly involved in activism and social justice work.
From online initiatives, to protests, and contacting representatives, Gen Z is more involved in activism from a young age than many older generations were — partially because of technological accessibility.
Especially with schools at the epicenter of many current Gen Z social issues, teachers and administrators today have the ability to nurture their students’ voices and activism — urging them to speak up for what they believe in, sometimes in ways that can be disruptive to the typical classroom environment.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.