4 Top 2025 Trends for Educators: Engaging Today’s Teens

[Trends for Educators to be Aware of in the Classroom]

So 2025 is finally here! Our teens and students will have so much to rip their attention from us when they need to be paying us their attention.

As a teacher of seniors, I know it’s going to be a hard downhill struggle, as students think their 2024 – 2025 academic year is over. Getting them to focus on anything but hanging out, social media, and the next big senior event will be hard.

I think, however, I will try to stay ahead of the game, by flowing with what teens wil be into this upcoming 2025 year. Check these out!

1. Teens will FOCUS ON WELLNESS

I don’t know if you’ve been listening but students are more aware and focused on their “mental health” these days. Way more than we were.

So I’ll be paying attention…and listening.

In the classroom, we can ensure we create a safe and inclusive environment. We want all students to feel they belong. This is achieved by everyone in it. We can achieve this if we foster positive relationships with and among students. We should use inclusive language and encourage respect for diversity. Establishing clear, consistent classroom routines provides stability.

As teachers, we can promote open communication, where everyone is heard without ridicule or judgment. Mention mental health as part of overall health. It is crucial, especially for males. It is even more important for Black males. We can even use anonymous ways for students to share concerns or feelings (e.g., a feedback box).

Remind students to stay active physically, as it helps us mentally and emotionally. Apps like Calm and Headspace, even some Youtube Mindful channels add to our treasure chest of tools for students. They assist with journaling, breathing techniques, and skincare or body wellness routines.

2. TEENS will need to BALANCE SOCIAL MEDIA

I swear if I see another phone in my room or another students TikTok dancing in my hallway, I’m going to scream! I know you’ve been there too.

Now, even though our teacher generation or position requires us to detract students from their phones and social media, we still cannot ignore their importance and prominence in our students ‘ lives.

As teachers, let’s educate students about the impact of social media. Encourage students to think critically about the content they consume and share, emphasizing the importance of authenticity. We can discuss both the positive and negative aspects of social media, such as how it can connect people but also lead to comparison, anxiety, or misinformation, and introduce topics like digital footprints, privacy, and the consequences of oversharing.

Remind students that they need to be conscious of their screen time and time away from things and people in real-life, as some interactions online may prove fake and disingenuous. In class, give students activities that have them moving around and engaging with each other.

Meanwhile, with a potential TikTok ban on the horizon, students need to ween themselves off this forum that may vanish soon.

3. TEENS WILL NEED TO LEARN HOW TO TRACK THEIR FINANCES

Our students are becoming older with this new year, and so they want to do more; this requires money.

Some of our students may have jobs or their parents give them the wherewithal to afford ordering lunches, calling a rideshare service, buying the latest outfits, ordering another game to stream. Should we care what students choose to do with their finances?

I believe we should, to some extent. At least make them aware that their spending might be short-term thinking, selfish, poorly thought out, whatever we can use to get them to think of ways to save and invest their monies.

My students work anywhere from 1 to 4 days a week, and i constantly hear them ordering Door Dash, Uber Eats, from Amazon, and planning the next big party. I mean do they know what it’s like out here in the real world?

College or rent and other real-life expenses are not cheap, at all.

Saving and money wise strategies need to be on trend in 2025 for this generation.

4. TEENS WILL WANT TO HAVE A SCHOOL-LIFE BALANCE

Teens spend more hours at school and after-school activities than at home, so according to Lorna Bryant, director of Career Solutions for Connections Academy, 2025 will be about students leveraging school/life balance while focusing on wellness and success.

“Just as working professionals value work/life balance for personal fulfillment, it’s encouraging to see that students are also realizing the importance of balancing school activities with their personal lives from an early age,” Bryant says. 

I agree with Ms. Bryant, wholeheartedly, but some students believe in more life-life balance and forget the school part. 🙂

As educators, we need to strategize ways in our classroom and out that students have time for both. We can offer time management discussions and opportunities, extended time on assignments, flexibility on assignments, or understanding of goal setting and actions come with outcomes. Slacking off too much in one area comes with repercussions.

I offer extended time, time management, and flexibility at time and students realize just how much time they lose doing more school life than having a balance. Our job, as educators, is make little functional adults.

In the end, we must remember that these students are developing. We can’t eliminate social media or control their spending, but we can plant seeds of thoughtfulness in their lives to support their success in and out of our classrooms.