Are kids today learning less and misbehaving more?
Gen Alpha, the generation born between 2010 and 2026, has been a focal point of recent concerns about the future of education. Reading level rates have dropped, and some struggle with the most basic math skills. Teachers have also noted a rise in poor or even uncontrollable behavior.
The NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) tests taken across the country have shown a recent decline in scores, with only one in three American students reading at grade level in grades four or eight. In addition, 56 percent of Gen Alpha students cannot perform at their level in math. What’s more startling than these statistics is the fact that some Gen Alpha students cannot even spell their name. A teacher on TikTok reported in a video that a handful of his fifth graders struggled with writing their own names. “The bar is the floor.”
In addition to these learning difficulties, Generation Alpha is experiencing a rise in mental health disorders, including anxiety, ADHD, and depression. Many struggle with short attention spans and lower mental stamina. “These issues can manifest as behavioral problems in the classroom, impacting students’ ability to focus, participate, and regulate their emotions,” Adril Ulucay said.
“Having to teach and work with you guys as children has been the most traumatic experience of my life,” user qbthedon on TikTok said. He and many other educators have been subjected to disrespectful students who refuse to listen to instruction and behave rudely toward their teachers and their peers. “It’s absolutely amazing the things students will say and do just to see if they can get away with it,” Teacher William-Halls said.
Teachers are no longer even seen as educators; they’re seen as babysitters. Many teachers note that they spend more time enforcing consequences than they do teaching the material.
One specific example from a popular TikTok teacher is that she gave her students over a month, including group sessions and collaboration, to complete an introductory paragraph for an essay about a book they had read. This was an 8th-grade English class, and 2 of the students completed the assignment out of nearly 150. There were daily reminders, as well as postings around the room and on the SMART board. When are we going to hold parents responsible for the lack of involvement with their child’s education?
The causes behind these problems seem to be the lingering effects of COVID-19 and Gen Alpha’s addictive technology use. More than four in five adults (84%) believe COVID-19 played a significant role in shaping the children of today. Prolonged isolation during developmental years zero through five led to problems with sharing, cooperation, and empathy.
A majority of teachers have noticed that misbehavior and morale have worsened since the pandemic. Students spent a long time without proper education and communication with peers, leaving them behind socially and academically. “The sudden transition to virtual classrooms highlighted existing issues with attention span, self-regulation, and engagement,” Ulucay said.
Gen-Alpha is one of the first generations to be given access to modern technology at such a young age. According to a report from the Erikson Institute, 85 percent of parents with children under the age of six allowed them to use any device they wanted. This exposure can be detrimental to a child’s cognitive development. The article “Does screen use affect early cognitive development?” from the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development says, “As children spend more time on screens, their brains and minds come to expect an exaggerated world of visual information. This can make focusing in less stimulating environments, such as school, more difficult.”
The National Library of Medicine also found a link between screen time and grades. A study conducted in the United States found a link between higher levels of media multitasking and lower scores on standardized tests. Another study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics tracked nearly half a million children and teens and saw that “More television, video game, and leisure internet time were linked to lower performance in reading and math.”
These issues must be given more attention before things get even worse. Gen Alpha is at an important stage of development, making the risks of these problems higher. It’s time to consider limiting screen time and instead focusing on hands-on learning. “How Does Hands-On Learning Help Students?”, an article from the California Learning Resource Network, says that “Hands-on learning, conversely, promotes cognitive engagement at a higher level. Students are forced to actively process information, make decisions, and reflect on the outcomes of their actions. This active participation triggers the formation of stronger neural connections, leading to more robust and lasting knowledge.”
