Generational Comparisons and Contrasts Chart by, Anne K. Robey-Graham, Ed.D.
Birth dates Size (in 2005) Defining ideas Style Childrearing Significant goal Boomers 1948 – 1961 ~78 million Individuality Self-absorbed Permissive child Personal growth Gen X’ers 1962 – 1979 ~46 million Cynicism Entrepreneur Private child Self-reliance Millennials 1980 – 1999 ~70 million Entitlement Confident achiever Pampered child Being happy and safe

Generational attitudes that may surface in multigenerational classrooms: Boomers Gen X’ers Millennials Generational experience brought into the classroom: Academic K-12 Overcrowded Smaller classrooms; Self-esteem curriculum; experiences classrooms; had to introduction of new focus on standardized test compete to be heard; technologies; more scores; entitled to good worked in groups individual focus and grades; want to feel special; creative projects everyone gets rewards Experience with Strong nuclear family; High rates of divorce; Believe key to happiness is family in many families “latchkey kids” came in close family relationships, mother was home; home from school alone although 50% came from played with because both parents divorced families; close neighborhood children; worked or lived in single relationships to their parents, when teens rebelled parent family; step viewed as “partners”; Soccer against parents and families and living in two Moms; highly structured social structures places; spent more time activities such as sports, alone than with others music, etc. Generational attitudes towards academics and work ethic: Attitudes toward Respect Respect is earned by Respect those who help authority figures accomplishments and character and them; entitled; expect and professors credentials relationships, not authority figures to fix things positions or job titles for them, such as grades or conflicts with others. Attitude towards