In recent times, I’ve noticed a growing sense of quiet rebellion among many young people, especially within two generations I know closely , my own children, aged ten and fifteen. This rebellion is not political. It’s directed at something far more immediate in their lives: school and homework.
Perhaps this is a particularly visible pattern in my own country, Türkiye, or maybe it is part of a wider generational shift. Either way, their frustration made me look deeper. I began to reflect on their reactions, observe their learning behaviors, and try to understand what lies beneath their resistance. What follows are some of my observations, accompanied by thoughts on how we might respond not with more control, but with more awareness.
1 A New Rhythm of Learning
They were born into screens. For them, the internet isn’t a tool. It’s a habitat. We call them the digital generation, but that label barely scratches the surface.
This generation doesn’t wait for information. They reach for it. Within seconds, they can watch a tutorial, browse five articles, and form an opinion all before a teacher finishes introducing the chapter. That’s not laziness. It’s a different rhythm.
Meanwhile, many schools act like time stood still. Classrooms still reward memorization, enforce silence, and design tests around recall rather than reasoning. This mismatch between how students learn and how we expect them to learn is no longer a minor issue. It’s a systemic flaw.
And this contradiction is visible to students themselves. In many classrooms today, teachers rely on smart boards, projecting videos and presentations rather than writing on chalkboards. The old days of chalk and markers are gone. Yet those same students are assigned printed textbooks and written homework to complete at home. Naturally, they begin to ask, “If even our teacher explains the lesson without writing, why are we expected to fill pages with handwriting to learn?” These are not signs of laziness. They are valid critiques coming from a generation shaped by screens.
2 The Disconnect Between Systems and Minds
The problem isn’t the students. It’s the system that prepares them for tests, not life. When they question outdated methods, they’re often labeled as troublemakers. But maybe they’re just seeing the flaws that the rest of us learned to ignore.
This generation learns by doing, swiping, watching, connecting. They seek relevance, not rituals. And when they don’t find it, they disconnect not from apathy, but disappointment.
Yet access to infinite content doesn’t equal wisdom. These young minds must be equipped to filter, question, and validate what they encounter. In today’s world, knowing is no longer about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions.
3 Guidance Not Control
As adults, our role is not to preach. It is to guide. To offer tools, not walls. If we don’t, we risk losing more than their attention. We risk losing a generation that could solve problems we never could.
Digital learning is not a luxury. It’s often the only language they speak fluently. If they’re not learning through a glowing screen, they may not be learning at all. So we must stop fearing technology and start shaping it with intention.
The behavioral shifts in this generation are not decay. They are transition. A more curious, expressive, and questioning generation is not a threat it’s an opportunity.
If you are part of this generation, don’t be discouraged by outdated systems. Let your curiosity guide you. Build skills that matter. Stay patient. Change takes time.
And if you’re not part of it, listen more. Share wisdom, not just rules. Respect their questions, even if you don’t have answers. Because this generation isn’t just living the future. They’re designing it.
What do you think today’s classrooms are missing most , technology, freedom, or relevance?
If you were to redesign education from scratch, where would you begin?
