My generation

It's come to this.

I've been doing a lot of reading for my dissertation. My original topic was focused on how teachers in middle career are affected by mandated change (like No Child Left Behind). When I dug into the data, however, I found that there are really significant differences between how teachers from different generations feel about their teaching and their careers. So, I've been delving into a lot of sociological literature about generations, specifically Boomer, Gen X and Gen Y.

These readings are fascinating. First of all, I learned that my brother and I are technically in different generations. I suppose there are shades of gray in these areas, but it was worth noting.

A lot of what I've been reading talks about parenting. We (Gen X/Y) have been raised to think we can do everything we want, especially those of us who are women. We were never told that we couldn't be President or a professional baseball player or a firefighter. We were also never told that we had to stay home and keep the home fires burning. Among my women friends with children, there are people making all kinds of choices: part-time work, full-time work, flex-time work, stay at home. There are fathers who stay home while the wife works, and grandparents who travel great distances to watch children while both parents work or study. We can thank our Boomer parents for the freedom of these choices. Many of them didn't have the same options we do, but many also fought hard to secure hard-won victories in the work place to ensure that women could work equally alongside their male counterparts.

The other side of this, though, is the fact that we can't really have it all. I don't think anyone is completely happy with their "choices." Those who work often love their work but wish they could spend more time at home with their children. Those at home often wish they could be back in the workplace using the skills they worked so long and hard for prior to having children. Those working part-time often wish they had the economic luxuries that two full incomes provide.

All of this is to say that there are huge generational differences relating to parenting and working that are so interesting to read about. Unlike the Boomers and prior generations, we gen xers were raised to put ourselves above just about everything. We were praised for our good work even if it was sometimes mediocre. We're now doing the same for our children, teaching them that their interests come first, their needs are urgent. It's not a good or bad thing, it's just a thing.

In terms of my dissertation, these generational differences matter when it comes to career commitment. Boomers stayed in careers for 35 years; it wasn't assumed there were options. For my generation, though, we hop and bop around jobs, most never staying anywhere longer than five or seven years. This difference has major implications for teachers. If there is such constant turnover, there will never be a long-term workforce to teach our children. I want to look at what this means, and what, if anything, can be done.

In the meantime, however, I'm still reading all of this generational stuff. I was listening to NPR today and they were playing a piece about the 40th anniversary of St. Pepper's by the Beatles. For the people calling in, this album was a huge turning point. The crazy 60s, drugs, freedom, you name it. For me, the songs they were playing reminded me of The Wonder Years on tv. Talk about generational differences!

So, if Sgt. Peppers and songs like this are significant to the previous generation, what's our anthem? Loyal readers, please comment! I need to include this in my dissertation. What song defines our generation?