Guest teaching high schoolers and I'm shocked.

I am not a formal teacher, but I work with a nonprofit that works with students and youth. I realize that a lot of the students I get are ones that ARE curious, that DO want to learn, because they come to us on their own. Every once in a while I work with classrooms directly or students who are there because they have to be and the difference is SO STARK.

I have been contracted out to teach a high school classroom for a couple hours every day for 2 weeks, I am several hours away, so it has to be via zoom, and these kids do not GAF about learning, the phones and the napping. I am teaching climate science, and my presentations have to be PICTURE BOOKS basically. 75 slides of photo definitions and examples. plenty "Spend 1-5 minutes talking with your table about how to organize or categorize _____" and when we come back as a group its like pulling teeth for me to get participation.

Today I was asked what CO2 is, and then when i responded "Carbon dioxide" they asked me what THAT WAS.

HIGH SCHOOLERS. I am supposed to be teaching them careers and started by talking about what are the problems that need to be solved so we can talk about the type of careers that solve them. I am making this as EASY AS POSSIBLE. Day one I had 30~ slides and day 2 I realized I needed less words and more pictures and jumped up to 75 slides!

I want to have hope for the future and out ability to solve climate change but oh my gosh, the youth are NOT giving me hope right now.