Since today is August 24th, let's look at the 24th topic on Shelli's list:
24. Time Capsule - revisit an old post and reflect. If you are new to blogging - find a post on this day from the past on someone else's blog-read, share, reflect.
OK, I'll do that. I'll revisit to the last time I posted on August 24th -- two years ago, in 2020. At the time I was writing about the state of the pandemic and the generation gap:
OK, in case you haven't heard it by now, Orange County was indeed taken off of the state coronavirus watch list yesterday. In order for schools to reopen, the county must stay off of the watch list for two full weeks, which takes us to Labor Day weekend.
Then it's up to my new district, and all other districts in the county, to declare a reopening plan. I will continue to monitor my district website and emails for any word on, for example, a board meeting during which such a plan is discussed.
As I mentioned before in my last post, my own opinion on the reopening is mixed, due to my status as a sub. As long as I can get subbing assignments for distance learning, then I'm not in any particular hurry for the schools to reopen. But so far, as you can plainly see, I haven't gotten any calls yet. And I assume, of course, that I'll get calls once the schools reopen. Thus I remain in favor of a reopening.
By the way, as the new school year begins, I've been thinking about the generations again -- in particular, what impact the coronavirus has on each generation. Recall my definition of generations -- the Baby Boom Generation definitely starts in 1946, after World War II. If we then assign eighteen years for each generation, we get the following chart:
Baby Boomers: 1946-1964
Generation X: 1964-1982
Millennials: 1982-2000
Generation Z: 2000-2018
Then each generation graduates high school just as the next one is being born -- for example, the Boomers graduated in 1964-1982, exactly when Gen X was born. The Millennials' name refers to the "millennium" -- they were born in the old millennium and graduated in the new millennium.
There's about two years of leeway in these definitions. Thus even though 1982 is listed as the cusp between Gen X and Millennials, those born in 1980-1984 may be assigned to either generation. This includes yours truly, as I was born in 1980. Thus sometimes we're referred to as the "Xennials," on the cusp between Gen X and Millennials. (Another name for our microgeneration is "Oregon Trail," named after the only game that was available in our school computer labs. And yes, I definitely played "Oregon Trail" as a young elementary student.)
Notice that the generation currently in K-12 is Generation Z, born in the 2000-2018 range. If we cut out two years on either cusp, this leaves 2003-2015 as definitely in Gen Z. Notice that the oldest students in this range are now seniors while the youngest kids are kindergartners. This means that we can equivalently define Gen Z as the generation attending K-12 during the 2020-2021 school year -- a year that's itself defined by the coronavirus. Thus a member of Gen Z is someone whose K-12 education was interrupted by the virus.
Indeed, a new name that's come up for Gen Z is "Zoomers" -- it starts with Z and rhymes with "Boomers," so it sounds like a good name for a generation. And indeed, the name "Zoomers" fits the idea that this is the generation whose education was affected by the virus -- that is, it's the generation that must use websites such as Zoom for its K-12 education.
Current college students are "Zennials," on the cusp between Millennials and Gen Z. Current preschoolers are on the cusp between Gen Z and the next generation.
(Likewise, those in K-12 during the 2002-2003 school year are the Millennials. But there's a tendency to move this up to 2001-2002, as in 9/11 -- the Millennials are those in K-12 during the attacks. The idea is that the tragedies of 9/11 and the virus had a big effect on the education of those generations.)
My eighth graders from the old charter school are now seniors -- in other words, the three cohorts I taught that year are the first three classes that are fully Gen Z.
Apparently, the originators of generation theory are Strauss and Howe. They named generations going all the way back to the fifteenth century, with the Arthurian Generation (1433-1460) and Humanist Generation (1461-1482). Interestingly enough, if we refer to the Arthurians and Humanists as Generation A and B respectively, then X, Y, and Z work out to be the correct generations (although Generation Q according to their list is a short one, 1842-1843).
Returning to the present, let's get ready for music. I will say that I did perform the new version of "Function Rap" in my first and sixth period classes today.
Meanwhile, let's get to the new song for today. Earlier this month a famous singer, Olivia Newton-John, passed away. (She was an older Boomer and considered an icon to Gen X.) In her honor, I want to post a math version of her signature song "(Let's Get) Physical" -- say, why don't I change "physical" to "mathematical" and go from there?
Here is the parody that I come up with:
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