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Dr. Jeni Al Bahrani's avatar

This reminds me of the show The White Lotus, where generations at a resort try to navigate life with different communication styles, norms, and beliefs—and the stares! I also believe the Gen Z stare isn’t a symptom of weakness, it’s a signal. Could we entertain a counterpoint? Maybe they’re not disengaged, maybe they’re processing before responding, choosing to add value rather than clutter . If I notice it, I tend to ask, 'What are you thinking? Tell me more," and then we connect!

In my classes, there is no opportunity for the stares; it is fast-paced, and engagement is not only required in this setting, it is also practiced through my learn-by-doing pedagogy and UDL principles, which focus on developing communication skills (research shows😉).

I am excited to follow this conversation!

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Jonathan Gaby, MS's avatar

I greatly appreciate how you’ve highlighted how Gen Z need to send stronger signals by using more old-school methods, i.e networking and referrals.

The concept of “day one ready” might be an illusion. For Gen Z, with little or no experience, there still is the time to learn, understand, and properly apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to their work. Onboarding and training still matter.

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