YES!  Watch out, the kids know more than we think they do. They always have, and it's worth reflecting on the power of their voice as a generation. 
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In the September 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine, teachers across the country were asked to compare their students today to students of the past. Here's what they came up with. ​

What I love about this infographic is that it captures all of the things I've learned about this incredibly aware, strong, and struggling Gen Z that I spend 40 hours a week with. Gen Z faces a world created by boomers and led by boomers. The amazing thing is, Gen Z as a generation knows  what they're up against, and this awareness makes their voices stronger. 

Here are the top ten descriptors that stand out to me. 

My students are....

1. More stressed, more aware, less trusted
We make kids walk through metal detectors . It's traumatic . It's not OK, and they know it. 

2. Dealing with the same issues but on a much bigger stage 
25% of  active shootings from 2000-2013 took place in schools. Today's students are not only the victims of gun violence, but they're also leading  nation wide movements  for the safety that they deserve.  Talk about real bravery 

3. Struggling 
Suicide  is the third leading cause of death among teenagers according to the CDC . Too many kids are struggling in school with almost no support. When are we going to acknowledge suicide as the epidemic that it really is? 

4. More empathetic
My students go out of their way to include each other. They approach adults with maturity and respect.  Gone are the days of  disrespectful jokes about women, gender identity, or sexuality. 

5. Woke. They're much more socially conscious 
They don't just know about global warming. They're marching for it. They don't just know about racism. They're critically aware of racism. They stick up for each other. They're embracing what's right over what's comfortable. 

6. Just as crazy and weird. 
They're still throwing pencils at the ceiling to make them stick. It's still annoying. It's still fun. And as an adult working in a high school, I also get to do weird shit like that with them. 

Yes, this generation of students struggle, but they're choosing not to be the victims. Yes, my students have bad days, but I do too. Yes, the public school system has inequalities that run far and deep, but the incredible awareness that my students demonstrate on a daily basis is beyond anything you remember from your own high school experience. 

When I tell people I'm a teacher, people usually make the following assumptions about me

1. I'm broke and stressed (which is not always true) 
2. I have an unbelievable and infinite capacity for patience and altruism (definitely  not true!) 

Strangers will say something along the lines of ......"Oh wow you're a teacher? Good for you. I could never do what you guys do all day. How do you even do it? Those kids must be tough! "

While I know assumptions like that come from a good place, I wish more people knew what the act of teaching really is. 

What I'm learning is...teaching doesn't require infinite patience. Teaching doesn't require an amazing ability to self-sacrifice for the good of society and our children. Teachers aren't saints.  In fact, nothing about a person's innate personality automatically makes them a good teacher.  Teaching is the act of practicing compassion. I'm learning now how to engage in that practice. 

In reading about compassion, I found the following definition especially helpful and relevant. 

What does this random quote from an American buddhist monk tell me? A lot of things

1.  Generating compassion requires practice

• Compassion is a skill that can be learned and taught. As I learn more about myself, I'm finding more ways to be compassionate towards my students. The more I practice communicating compassionately with my students (especially when I'm delivering or explaining a consequence) the easier and more effective our conversations become. For example, instead of telling students, "According to the syllabus, missing work is graded as a zero", I can practice a more compassionate response that still enforces the consequence, "I can hear how much you care about your grade, and it's frustrating to get a zero". I've found that signaling to students compassion for how they're feeling sets the stage for a more productive conversation and more buy-in from the student.  

​2. Generating compassion is scary 

• Lately I've been thinking about safety at school. When I was a teenager, high school was not safe for me. I was not allowed to take risks, ask questions, challenge the status quo, or really explore things that mattered to me. Why? Because I was too afraid of what my peers would think about me. As a teacher, I see the same dynamics play out among my students. Learning is a vulnerable process, and students are terrified of that vulnerability.  Generating compassion for that kid who acts out, cries, or appears needy/overly emotional requires me to admit some of the things that make me feel most insecure and afraid. 

3. Compassion involves a relationship between equals

• This one is hard because as teachers, we're tempted to think that we not only have the authority to be right, but we're expected to be right. And if we don't know the answer, it's easy to quickly feel ashamed. Being put in a position of power and authority feels uncomfortable for me because....I definitely don't know what I'm doing. Nope, not even close. But....what would happen if I demonstrated compassion towards students from a position of equality? I'm not a high and mighty adult of authority but rather....somebody who is willing to be equally vulnerable with the student, somebody who is learning alongside the student, somebody who is equally flawed, somebody who is willing to say "Yeah, I'm also having a terrible day today. It makes sense that we can't concentrate when we're feeling so exhausted. Let's have class outside, maybe that will help"

4. Generating compassion for others requires that you know your own darkness well

• The more I learn about myself, the easier it becomes for me to spot those same insecurities, fears, and longings in my students.  If you can't identify or describe what hopelessness, insecurity, shame, and exhaustion looks like in yourself (and believe me...we ALL experience these emotions whether we want to admit it or not) then you won't see it in your students. I'm starting to see my students in more complex and compassionate ways. Compassion allows me to create safe spaces for students to take risks, mess up, and feel brave enough to come back the next day and try again.

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Of course, I'm not any self-proclaimed expert in any of this. But...I do think that the more we practice writing about, talking about, and sharing compassion, the closer we get to ensuring that school feels safe for all students. 

I knew teaching was for me when I realized I loved being surrounded by dozens of bouncing first graders. Hair pulling? Jump roping? Screaming, singing, running, dancing? Multiplied by twenty kids?  Bring it on

The more energy, the better. I thought I would be missing out on that energy by switching to teaching high school. ​Boy was I wrong about that. Turns out, my high school students are the most energetic people to be around. 

"Ms. Tsai  can I put the answer on the board?? Ms. Tsai DID YOU HEAR ME???" - An enthusiastic senior 

"MS. TSAI!!!!" runs up to the smart board "Can I write the answer on the board??" another kid runs up too "NO I want to do it! You already had a turn!" - A competitive student and his friend 

"Ms. Tsai. MS. TSAI!!! MS. TSAI!!!" I turn around and acknowledge the student "Guess what, I FINALLY get it" Ok great, thanks for interrupting me to tell me that  - That kid who was throwing pencils at the ceiling a week ago 

Yep, my teenagers are enthusiastic to say the least. It's a myth that high school students are too cool for school or too old to play in class.  Although I'm motivated by my students' enthusiasm, their excitement can also be exhausting when thirty teenagers are all radiating their energy at the same time. After being around their energy all day, I feel totally wiped by the time 3 pm rolls around. Sometimes I'll come home at 4:00, fall asleep at 4:30, and wake up again at 6:30 just to recharge. The fact that I love teaching speaks to my extroverted side. I feel energized and motivated when I'm around my students. The energy is contagious and lifting. At the same time, I feel energetically drained by the end of the day. People who know me assume I'm 100% extroverted. Teaching has taught me that I'm actually 1/2 extroverted and 1/2 introverted. 

Extroversion is the ability to absorb energy from outside sources (i.e. other people, energetic environments, concerts, parties...) 

Introversion is the ability to draw energy from internal sources (i.e. alone time, yoga, meditation...) 

The reality is.....school is exhausting for both teachers and students. Introverted students struggle even more to stay focused and energized throughout a typical chaotic school day. It's no wonder why so many students complain of being exhausted. In order to reach and support as many students as possible, teachers should find ways to energize their students' extroverted AND introverted energies. 

Here's what's worked well for me so far. 

Strategies for nurturing extroverted energy in students

• Playing games in class that involve movement (i.e. "wa" and zip-zap-zop). I find that students (especially those with ADHD) are especially focused after the game is over. 
• Play competitive team-based games like Quizlet Live
• Incorporating group work in class. Encourage kids to work with people they know less well. 

Strategies for nurturing introverted energy in students

• Nap time. Sometimes I'll turn off the lights and tell my students to "nap" for five minutes (this could look like putting their head down or sitting quietly on their phone for five minutes). It feels good to recharge this way for many students. 
• Aromatherapy. I have an essential oils diffuser in my classroom, and my students love it! The smell of the essential oils keeps everybody focused and calm (and the students have fun guessing what the scent of the day is) 
• Quiet note taking. Note taking gives introverted students a chance to learn in a quiet environment (which is hard to come by when you've got 30 students crowded in a small room together!) 
• Hold class outside . Being outside is relaxing, refreshing, and not as noisy as learning in a cramped classroom.