According to today's broadcast of TeenKidsNews on ABC, psychotherapist Alice Fortinberry believes that today's teens spend too much time communicating via email or text messages instead of face to face communication. Fortinberry postulates that the constant barrage of messages is contributing to an increasing rate of ADHD among young people.
The TeenKidsNews anchor, Felipe, advocated reducing text messaging in favor of more face-to-face communication.
As a teacher, I have been frustrated by the lack of courtesy in my students' emails. Maybe I'm "old school," but I always include a salutation in my emails, and I try to be direct but polite. Yet I constantly get one-sentence demands from students asking for a grade update or for help on an assignment. Sadly, often this behavior is the same in person -- kids seem to have no qualms interrupting me when I'm speaking with another student or teacher, or even when I'm in the middle of a lesson. I've always felt that part of my job as an educator is to assist students in developing life skills so that they can be active, responsible citizens. The lack of manners I see in some of my students is worrisome, indeed. Of course, many kids are polite and respectful, but it seems that the rude ones stand out in my memory!
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