Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1158290
#OurVoiceOurUnion #WeAreCTA For our full social media directory, see cta.org/social. facebook.com/wearecta @WeAreCTA youtube.com/californiateachers @WeAreCTA WeAreCTA L E T U S K N O W W H A T Y O U T H I N K . We accept signed email and letters; we excerpt user posts from CTA social media platforms and californiaeducator.org. Content subject to editing for clarity and space. Photos must have permissions. Opinions expressed by writers are not necessarily those of CTA. Editor@cta.org; #WeAreCTA These Gen Z Kids I N " G E N E R A T I O N Z " (June/July), you tell us that teens who spend a lot of time with onscreen activities are more likely to be unhappy, and that teens are under pressure due to being online excessively. Then, you praise classrooms that are paperless and completely digital, suggesting that all teachers put everything online. An educator tells us that Gen Zers have short attention spans and gives us ways to work with their deficiencies. So, you are suggesting we contribute to what makes teens unhappy and what causes them to have short attention spans by having them spend their entire school day online. This is madness. We all, as a culture, need to unplug now! Teachers need to help students to read books, make things with their hands, and interact in real time with their peers. DOUG MIRK Inglewood Teachers Association Editor's Note: Our story offered multiple perspectives, reporting on various studies and quoting a number of educators about Gen Z. Read the story at californiaeducator.org. From what I see of my students and my children, who are also part of this generation, they will become involved politically much earlier than my generation did. They have the advantage of seeing so much more of the world around them, because the world itself is at their fingertips. They are aware of injustices they see, and have no problem whatsoever doing something about it. It's easy to focus on what we don't like about them — the constant YouTube, the selfies, the fact that they are all a bunch of homebodies, etc. But these are pretty cool kids. MARGARET SHOCKLEY VOLLMER Fontana Teachers Association Generation Z kids have had to learn to be activists to fix what we have screwed up. Climate change, gun violence, education, housing. I admire these kids. When I was in high school, my big- gest concern was whether I should wear Birks or Doc Martens that day. JESSICA SANCHEZ MOORE San Diego Education Association J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 9 V O L U M E 2 3 I S S U E 6 They're in your classrooms and may be your colleagues. A new generation comes of age. Page 21 Pride Month Page 13 Educators reveal their best practices Page 30 Hone Your Craft The magic of therapy dogs in school Page 34 Happy Tails Generation z Best Photo Apps Page 45 Teen Court Rules Page 46 Get in the Educator We'd love to hear from you. Email editor@cta.org and include your name, chapter and contact info. Content may be edited for clarity and space. Ways to contribute: Letter to the Editor – 200-word limit. Photos – Shot a good pic of you and colleagues at a CTA event? Be sure to ID everyone and describe where the photo was taken. Your Voice – Have something to say about your students, the art and science of teaching, or being an educator in the trenches? It can be funny, serious or both — in no more than 650 words. We publish freelance articles on occa- sion, but prefer that you contact us first. 3 A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 019 U P F R O N T