How Do We Keep Up With It All?

 Today’s world of teaching and parenting has drastically changed with the technological revolution that is shifting daily. To be the best educator of our children also means keeping up with current trends our students are exposed to whether it be the recent Tik Tok Challenges that have burst onto the news scene or memes students find hilarious (which may not be to someone else). Innocent games like tag or infection on the playground have been replaced with another innocent game that is not so innocent when you read into it. 

The circle game is one I have seen students playing the past two years. Imagine the typical “OK” symbol with your hands. Students make this symbol and try to get other students to look at it. If a student gets caught looking then they get a punch in the arm by the student making the symbol. Getting a punch in the arm is not something all students want to receive nor is it an expected school behavior. What students are not aware of is the “OK” symbol’s meaning in different cultures. 

In 2017 the symbol acquired a new meaning much more powerful towards the intended target. There was a hoax that year by members of the website 4chan to falsely promote the symbol to represent white power. According to the Anti Defamation League, “the hoaxers hoped that the media and liberals would overreact by condemning a common image as white supremacist.” Unfortunately this is exactly what happened and the symbol was ruled to be racist. We cannot assume every person who does this symbol has mal intent. But someone on the receiving end of the symbol might feel otherwise. Therefore students need to be made aware of the different meanings of things to be more informed decision makers about the choices they make and when and where they make those choices. Having conversations with students about the different meanings of symbols to others can have a profound impact on us all. 

This is how we try to keep up with the kids. We listen. We watch. We Google what it is they are doing to learn more. And we have the hard conversations with them, building trust between the child and the adult.