We are a people constantly categorized by our ages. At North, the generational differences are from A-Z. This is especially evident when we look at the childhoods that shaped each generation. This isn’t about the Gen Z and Millennial type of discussion, but instead how childhoods are different from student to teacher. What better way to evaluate that than the media students and teachers alike can appreciate? Childhood TV shows it is.
“I watched shows like Dora, Bubble Guppies, and things that teach us a little bit. I kinda like those. I like to watch the Dinosaur Train show, and it always had a random plot that I didn’t know was going to come,” sophomore Makensie Glavin said.
For people around Mr. Becker’s age, the show type is different, of course. This was during a different generation of technology.
“I watched a lot of cartoons. Mainly Disney and some Nickelodeon. I was not allowed to watch Cartoon Network, though. My mom was a kindergarten teacher, so she thought it was too adult. We’d still sneak it when we got to,” algebra teacher Chris Becker said.
Despite the differences in ages, the feelings the shows gave were similar in its impact. It gave something new to both of them. For Glavin, it helped her gain skills in critical thinking.
“I wanted to learn how to do certain things. Umizoomi showed me how to do a lot of things, like about different shapes or how to problem solve. I thought it was fun and it was also entertaining,” Glavin said
Similar to Glavin, Becker also gained something from the shows that he watched growing up.
“I liked how they did a lot of different things that I wasn’t getting to see when I was growing up. My favorite shows were ones like ‘Hey Arnold!’ a lot on Nickelodeon, because that was about the big city and everything. I watched a lot of Pokémon and Digimon too. It was nice to see that world, and it was a little bit of an escape,” Becker said.
With any media, there are always disadvantages. For Glavin, some of it was boring for her.
“I feel like most of the things would be boring. I was stuck watching Dora with my sister. Yeah, it taught me things, but half the time, it’s like, ‘It’s right behind you. I don’t know why you keep asking me twenty times in Spanish where it’s at.’ I like it teaching me something. I think that’s where a lot of people, like my sister’s age, got their ragebaiting from. Yelling at Dora or something,” Glavin said.
For Becker, the difference in technology added challenges where even just getting a chance to watch the show came with its own inconveniences.
“If I missed it, I missed it. You weren’t able to Google it and find it on Netflix. If you missed it, you had to try and find the re-run but that was almost impossible because you had to find it in the newspaper or something like that. There were lesser options too,” Becker said.
Even with these disadvantages, getting to watch these shows growing up meant a great deal to them.
“We didn’t realize that there was more to it. It was trying to help us. I feel like watching problem-solving while it is also entertaining and teaches you something, it can lock in your brain and help you be a different person whenever you’re older. I just feel that way,” Glavin said.
For Becker, watching his childhood shows growing up even aided him in what he needed to become a teacher.
“I did watch a lot of PBS too, so there were a lot of good lessons I learned from that, but also the educational ones where they helped me become a teacher too, so that was nice,” said Becker.