This isn’t the film, but it’s a “teaser”:
This film-in-progress was referenced in an Op-Doc in the New York Times called The Role of Youth. In that piece, the video filmmaker says:
This video [embedded above and sourced below] draws on ideas and material from a larger film we are making called “Teenage.” That project examines the history of youth and shows how teenagers, as we know them today, were born.
As leaders, we know that we fail. And in those failures we hope that those we work with are the forgiving and understanding kind of folk. We know that anyone who is successful they have had to fail their way to success.
The dark side to this “success” of sorts is this:
This is a helpful video that offers suggestions to keep our creative juices flowing…
HT Doug Fields
source YouTube
There is a seminal article written a while back called: Digital Immigrants and Natives by Marc Prensky, that has vast implications on how we teach, parent and disciple children and teenagers.
This post consists of notes from a lecture by Kristin Anderson @ Bethel Seminary back in 2007 (which, for conversations on the current digital landscape might put some of this content a little bit out-of-date, but still relevant for understanding).
Marc Prensky offers some helpful insight as we think about reaching out to this next generation. He differentiates between digital immigrants (anyone born before 1974) and digital natives (anyone born after 1974). He chooses 1974 because that is the year that Pong (the video game) was introduced.
By the time the average digital native (those born after 1974) graduates from high school the following will be true:
The reality is that the brain is a malleable substance and that brains are actually altered based upon the input they receive. Prensky believes that these experiences have changed them. It changes the way they relate to each other, the way they see the world, and I would add, has implications for how we do children’s and family ministry!
Digital native:
Digital immigrant:
Here are some examples (You know you are a digital immigrant if…):
These are the kind of things that digital natives are doing on line:
How do we better minister and teach, informed by the reality that the children and some of their parents are digital natives and many of us are digital immigrants?
How do we reach out and partner with parents so that we have the greatest impact and kids develop an integrated faith?
What are the implications of ministering in a digital native culture?
Our community has been trying to address bullying in a proactive sort of way… at the very least we are trying raise awareness of it and tackle it in the places that awareness shines a light on.
Below is an infographic about bullying online:
HT Church Mag
source Online Counseling Degrees
Aww, man! I really wanted to blame something other than myself for those bad grades!!
HT Youth Ministry Media
source OnlineEducation.net
The Calvin & Hobbes comic strip does a great job capturing the human condition (particularly with kids and parents) in a variety of ways.
This one highlights the oscillation for teenagers, especially middle school students, in an effort to fit in, blend in, or stand out (which ever action they want to either get noticed, or intentionally NOT get noticed).
It’s funny, because in their quest to figure out the “right” way for them, they do things that are often against their very nature. In this instance, Calvin would rather be bored and look cool, than be his true self and goof off!
While my pointing this out might sound critical it isn’t. It is informational (and funny because we were all there at some point). This action isn’t inherently bad. Middle school students particularly are experimenting or trying out various modes of being in an effort to find out what fits them best. We as parents and mentors need to wisely guide them through these various social experiments, all the while remembering that we were just like this and we not only needed encouragement and wisdom through the tumultuous adolescent years, but also space to try things out.
What I’ve learned as a parent of toddlers is: it’s important to laugh at the silly things my kids do in private with my wife and not in front of them. I’m not talking about silly things they say that are meant to be silly and goofy. I’m talking about things that they do that we giggle about as parents and only another adult will understand.
So laugh at your “cool” teenager (in private), while you give them space to experiment and offer encouragement and wisdom through the process!
The guys over at BrookwoodStudents have done a couple of “implications” videos in which they “critique” pop songs in a humorous way. Our msy students find these hilarious!
See also: Implications of “Grenade” by Bruno Mars (video)
source YouTube
