Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1156982
that allows him to create and present interactive slides. Students can instantly join the presentation right from their device. His students use Plickers cards to answer multiple-choice math questions. Each card has a scannable code that iden- tifies the student; students simply rotate their card to the letter A, B, C or D, and the teacher scans the cards with his smartphone camera. e Plickers app immediately displays the students' answers on a screen. These Gen Z teachers are changing the way things are don e in th eir di stri ct, say s Mar yann Va squ ez Moren o, co-president of the Brawley Elementary Teachers Associa- tion, of which the Garcias are members. "Although they are new to the profession, they are doing amazing things with technology. They have completely impressed their principals, superintendent and our school board." Gen Z teachers are often considered tech experts at their school sites. Most don't mind helping veteran teachers who are technologically chal- lenged; it makes them feel helpful and valued. "Our generation brings efficiency with the utilization of technology," says Garcia, who is beginning his second year. " We are not afraid to jump in and learn. We try to be as productive as possible. And it's all for the benefit of our students." THEY'RE OK WITH STUDENTS' PHONES Gen Z educators are more willing to allow students to use their smart- phones and iPads in the classroom, says Laura Hernandez-Flores of the New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz, which trains mentors to work with new teachers. "Generation X and millennial teachers often tell students to put their phones away because they are distracting, while Generation Z teachers have learned how to implement and integrate them into teaching and learning." Sarah Landis, who mentors new teachers in Pleasanton, has seen this firsthand. She was delighted at the creativity of a young teacher who asked students to create Instagram profiles of Great Gatsby characters. "You might as well leverage what kids are doing anyway," says Landis, a member of the Association of Pleasanton Teachers. "I've found that younger teachers are more comfortable with the technology kids use, instead of feeling scared or intimidated." Cellphone apps eliminate the need to buy expensive graphing cal- culators, dictionaries and other items. ey can record lectures and convert talk to text for note-taking. Gen Z educators capitalize on all this, but must also make sure students' phones are used for learning and not playing. THEY QUESTION THE STATUS QUO Landis has worked with many new teachers over the years as a coach in the TriValley Teacher Induction Project and as a K-12 professional development coach, thanks to training from the New Teacher Center. She appreciates that Gen Z teachers question the status quo and embrace diversity. "ey definitely have a willingness to use their voice. For example, they are questioning the traditional liter- ature being taught, in hopes to expand the reading list to include more current readings and represent diverse cultural perspectives." Landis tells them to listen to their inner voice and that it's OK to do things differently from the way they've always been done. She wants newbies to learn from vet- erans, but also to share. She is proud that second-year English teacher Cassidy Booe is already demoing a lesson on writing narratives at Hart Middle School in Pleasanton. " I 'm s o g l ad vet eran t each ers want m e to share Top: Cassidy Booe shares her lesson on writing narratives with colleagues at Hart Middle School. Above: Edith Alvarez Garcia says she "loves implementing new ideas." 40 cta.org special report