This Generation Is Out Of Touch

(I work in a fairly affluent county, so the kids at the school I work at have just gotten iPads to use for research. I am not a big fan.)

Student #1: “Miss [my name], do you like the iPads?”

Me: “No, not really. I guess I just like books or even using our computers more.”

Student #2: “iPads are awesome! I have one!”

Student #3: “Yeah, we have 3 at my house, and I have a laptop!”

Me: “Seriously? I didn’t have a laptop until college, and that was only because I knew I would need it for homework.”

(The students react as if I had just told them that the world was ending.)

Student #1: “Oh my god. How did you survive?”

Me: “When I was a kid, we had a magical place of wonder and fun where we could play and pretend to be whatever and wherever we wanted.”

(The kids wait eagerly for me to tell them about this magical place.)

Me: “It’s called OUTSIDE.”