Teacher Meet Student Meet Teacher
It’s no secret that adults over the age of 60 often get a bad rap when it comes to technology. When they have “the nerve” to ask someone more proficient (and, let’s face it, usually somewhat younger) for help, such assistance is often accompanied by an eye-roll, a sigh, a laugh, or all of the above. In fact, this scenario has become so emblematic of the younger/older generation dynamic, it has cemented its place in society as fodder for jokes, memes, TV commercials, and more.
Earlier this week, however, the technology tables in my household were turned when my 63-year-old self showed my 32-year-old daughter (who is frequently asked by her older co-workers to help them with their technology issues) how to convert a PDF into an editable Word document. Amazingly, I was able to provide such assistance sans any weird facial expressions, mouth noises, or other unwanted (and unnecessary) utterances—and she expressed her sincere appreciation to me for making her life easier more than once.
It was as it should be: someone with more knowledge than the other, sharing that knowledge—without fanfare, drama, snark, or other unwanted affectations.
A few years ago, I shared on social media an article I read about students no longer learning cursive writing in elementary school. Of all the articles I’ve ever shared, this one—by FAR—received the most responses. “An outrage,” some people declared. “Ridiculous,” others replied. “How will these children ever know how to sign their names?” still others asked quite incredulously. Not long after, these chickens came home to roost in my own family when my mother wrote a letter to one of her granddaughters at camp—and my niece couldn’t read it because, well, CURSIVE.
Too often society makes those asking for help feel less than. Sometimes, this is the result of ageist stereotypes. But lack of knowledge does not equal stupidity or ignorance; nor does it imply a lack of desire to learn. In fact, it’s often just the opposite. So the next time someone asks you for help—be it related to technology or something else—cast your ageist thoughts aside and share your knowledge generously. Because the truth is stupidity and ignorance are not a matter of not knowing—they’re a matter of not wanting to learn. And that has NOTHING to do with age.