I was walking into Target the other day and a 7th grader in front of me pulled out his ginormous iPhone 6 Plus. Watching this child with his phone got me thinking how much the world has changed since I was a middle school student.
“What was the most important thing I owned when I was in middle school?” I wondered.
It was my bicycle.
For my generation the bicycle was essential. I wasn’t alone. The bike racks at school were full when the weather was nice.
Everyone owned a bike. It meant freedom. It connected me with my friends and allowed me a broader circle then just the few kids who lived in my neighborhood. Owning a bike meant I had more control over my social life than my parents, and that was a big change in my life.
Owning a bike meant being able to be out and about on my own.
I wonder what percentage of McAuliffe scholars own bikes. My guess would be a pretty small number.
I bet the percentage of students who own a smartphone is very high. Based on what I see after school, everyone has a phone.
For this generation, the phone is essential, the backpacks and coats are full of phones.
Everyone owns a phone. It means freedom. It connects kids with friends and allows a broader circle than just the few children who live in their neighborhood. Owning a phone means young people have more control over their social lives than their parents. For most kids that’s a big change.
Owning a phone means kids can be out and about on their own.
Now, that I think about it…maybe things haven’t changed all that much, after all.
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