One problem that every kind of teacher has to try and solve is how you capture and keep the attention of a class. What might work in one year totally fails the next. If you’ve been in the profession for a long time, Gen Alpha might not be captivated by the same tactics as millennials were. 

We’ve all seen educators be ruthlessly mocked—or worse, be given a patronizing pat on the head—for trying to incorporate outdated memes and slang into their classes. However, there are occasions when criticism for trying to be down with the kids may well be deserved. 

This seems to be the conclusion from a recent popular Reddit post, in which a parent complained of the nonsensical grading rubric their son had been given for a school project. Incorporating contemporary song lyrics, nobody could make out what the objectives were meant to be. It just goes to show that sometimes, it’s preferable to be boring.