Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Cody Meyers
the world around him or her. Many times, we do not even realize that we are observing and
reacting based on a particular filter that we have adapted as our own. In the education field,
there are a wide array of people who make up the teaching staff, administration and many
other essential positions. It would be foolish to believe that each individual processed
outside stimuli through the same set of filters. The reality is that there are many different
filters that are constantly activated in day to day social exchanges among co-workers. These
may range from socioeconomic to ethnicity. However, one that particularly stands out is the
age-filter.
The age-filter is comprised of 4 main generations: Silent, Boomers, Gen X, and Net.
The silent generation is made up of individuals of 70 years and above and this group is
characterized to be loyal traditionalist. The next group is the Boomers, who are 50 years and
above. These individuals tend to be optimistic searchers. The following group is Generation
X; they are 33 years and above and are considered to be skeptical synthesizers. Finally, the
Net generation is comprised of people 33 years and under. These people are generally
realistic and complex. Within each group, there are a variety of perspectives ranging from
leadership and authority to relationships, rewards, and community. Due to so many differing
views on so many topics, educators find themselves in the middle of an environment filled
with ideological diversity. As a result, the nature of carrying out collaborative initiatives can
Initially, my perspectives while working with colleagues was guided by my own Net
coordinator, and as a result, I had to meet with groups of new and veteran teachers. In these
meetings, I faced many challenges, but age filter was one of the greatest. As a new
educator, I had come out of college with a plethora of new instructional strategies to assist
EL students. I found that younger teachers in the Net and Gen X groups were overall more
willing to listen and implement strategies. However, there were also teachers from both ends
of the spectrum who went against the grain as compared to other members in their
respective cohorts. Unaware of the wide variety of filters funneling my communication with
colleagues, I still managed to build bridges with co-workers by listening to where they were
coming from. My main objective was to first build a trusting relationship with my colleagues,
and then demonstrate my knowledge and skills. It was after having built a relationship and
proving myself that I experienced most success when promoting the incorporation of EL
strategies. I think having a basic understanding of where people are coming from is a great
asset. However, Ive learned that not everyone shares the ideological characteristics of
his/her age generation. Therefore, I think it is most important to understand how to listen to
others concerns while at the same time explaining my own perspectives in a calm, yet
confident demeanor.
am involved in initiatives with colleagues from all over the spectrum. Knowing that there are
different mentalities associated with specific topics like evaluation, training, feedback styles,
etc., it will help me to have a more well-rounded understanding of the discussion at hand. I
think this is a vital skill not only for teachers working together or with students, but also for
program director or principal. In any leadership role, the ability to open ones mind to all
perspectives and ideas is critical. By being able to identify different opinions and include
them within daily decision-making processes an administrator can ensure that all voices are
heard, thus bringing staff together and creating a more positive working environment. I know
I have a long way to go, but my study of the age-filter will help advance my position to