How do you teach dopamine addicted students?

[Anastas Sia]

My partner has been teaching traditional art for more than 10 years and he has noticed a steady decline in students' willingness to learn. 

It's like they are doing everything to avoid actual work cause its too boring and hard, to the point that students started complaining to higher ups that their teacher "demands too much of them" even though his teaching style didn't change, if anything he became softer over the years, now he can't even say the truth sometimes because pointing out one little mistake discourages or offends the student

It's obviosly that damn phone, I would know, Im struggling too sometimes

And he has been asking them, and judging by their answers the phone is their second brain, while the first one atrophes. Its probably impossible to get the same results he was getting with his earlier students because he cant force awareness on them, but there have to be ways to nudge them in the right direction. 

If any of you guys have any ideas or resources it would be greatly appreciated. How would you adapt to the situation?

[Michael569]

Perhaps your partner should consider whether his/her career would benefit from some form of upgrade so that he/she can work with people who want to be there and want to learn rather than bunch of teenagers who don't care. You can't teach someone who doesn't want to be taught. 

I feel sorry for all the teachers who are trapped in that sort of system. 

Edited March 11 by Michael569
wording / grammar

[Anastas Sia]

@Michael569 thanks for your input, we'll have to consider that

His students are in the range of 18-22 and up, most of them say they want to be artists, but only about a third of them actually mean it, the rest don't even undestand what that means or they just say it to justify their presence there? Even those who try, fail to reach the standarts of the previous generations of students. They have more freedom than ever and yet fail to see what they want and move towards it. I think this might be a global problem of the younger generation, i feel it in myself as well, no matter how much i fight it. Even the standart of the Academy of Repin in Petersburg is dropping, which was practically THE standart. Ive seen it and heard from their teachers when I was there for practice, the problems are similar. 

[Michael569]

@Anastas Sia maybe the amount of freedom is the problem although i can see how saying that can be seen as invasive.

I'm 34 but back when I was 18-22 i couldn't get away with 10th of the stuff kids get away with these days. I suppose to some extend the system has not changed while the students have.

Its equally possible that the system itself needs to be updated to a newer model , whatever that means. I appreciate that would take a decade if not more.

In the meantime you guys should probably discuss other options your partner has without sacrificing their integrity.

Edited March 11 by Michael569

[The Renaissance Man]

2 hours ago, Michael569 said:

Perhaps your partner should consider whether his/her career would benefit from some form of upgrade so that he/she can work with people who want to be there and want to learn rather than bunch of teenagers who don't care. You can't teach someone who doesn't want to be taught. 

I feel sorry for all the teachers who are trapped in that sort of system. 

Solid!