Adolescence

 

Adolescence Latin  adolescere , meaning "to grow up") [1] is a Adolescence (from Latin transitional stage of physical physicaland and psychological psychological  development development that  that generally occurs during the period from puberty puberty to  to legal adulthood (age ( age of maority)! maority)! Adolescence is usually associated with the teenage years, but its physical, psychological or cultural epr epressions essions may begin earlier and end later! later! #or eample, puberty now typically begins during preadolescence preadolescence,, particularly in females! $hysical growth (particularly in males), and cognitive development can etend into the early twenties! %hus age provides only a rough mar&er of  adolescence, and scholars have found it di'cult to agree upon a precise denition of adolescence  adolescence 

Stages of Adolescent Development Research Facts and Findings, May 2004 Adolescence is a time of great change for young people when physical changes are happening at an accelerated rate! ut adolescence is not ust mar&ed by physical changes ** young people are also eperienci eperiencing ng cognitive, social+emotional and interpersonal changes as well! As they grow g row and develop, young people are inuenced by outside factors, such as their environment, environm ent, culture, religion, school, and the media! A number of di-erent theories or ways of loo&ing at adolescent development have been proposed (see below)!  %he normal feelings feelings and behaviors of the middle school and high school adolescent can be categori.ed into four broad b road areas/ moving toward independence0 future interests and cognitive development0 seuality0 and ethics and self self*direction *direction!! pecic characteristics of normal adolescent behavior within each area are described below! 2arly Adolescence (Approimately 13*14 years of age)

Movement Toward Independence •

truggle with sense of identity0

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5oodiness0

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6mproved abilities to use speech to epress oneself0

 

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5ore li&ely to epress feelings by action than by words0

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7lose friendships gain importance0

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Less attention shown to parents, with occasional rudeness0

•

•

•

•

8eali.ation 8eali .ation that pa parents rents are not perfect0 identication of their faults0 earch for new people to love in addition to parents0  %  %endency endency to re return turn to childish behavior0 behavior0 $eer group inuences interests interests and clothing styles!

Future interests and Cognitive Development  •

6ncreasing career interests0

•

5ostly interested in present and near future0

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9reater ability to wor&

Sexuality  •

9irls ahead of boys0

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hyness, blushing, and modesty0

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5ore showing o-0 9reater interest in privacy0

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2perimentation with body (masturbation)0

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:orries about being normal

Ethics and Self-Direction •

8ule and limit testing0

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;ccasional eperimentation eperimentation with cigarettes, mariuana, and alcohol0

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7apacity for abstract thought

 

hysical Changes •

9ains in height and weight0

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9rowth of pubic and underarm hair0

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ody sweats more0

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eepening of voice,

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9rowth of hair on face in boys

5iddle Adolescence (approimately 1?*1@ years)

Movement Toward Independence •

elf*involvement, alternating between unrealisticall elf*involvement, unrealistically y high epectations and poor self self*concept0 *concept0

•

7omplaints that parents interfere with independence0

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2tremely 2trem ely concerned with appearance and with ones own body0

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#eelings #e elings of strangeness about ones self and body0

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Lowered opinion of parents, withdrawal from them0

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2-ort to ma&e new friends0

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trong emphasis on the new peer group0

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$eriods $eriod s of sadness as the psychological loss of the parents ta&es place0

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2amination of inner eperiences, which may include writing a diary

 

Future Interests and Cognitive Development  •

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6ntellectual interests gain importance0 ome seual and aggressive energies direct directed ed into creative and career interests

Sexuality  •

7oncerns about seual attractiveness0

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#reBuently changing relationships0

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5ovement towards heteroseuality heteroseuality with fears of homoseuality0

•

•

 %  %enderness enderness and fears shown tow toward ard opposite se0 #eelings #e elings of love and passion

Ethics and Self-Direction •

>evelopment of ideals and selection of role models0

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5ore consistent evidence of conscience0

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9reater capacity for setting goals0

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6nterest in moral reasoning

hysical Changes •

7ontinued height and weight gains0

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9rowth of pubic and underarm hair0

•

ody sweats more0

•

eepening of voice,

•

9rowth of hair on face in boys

Late Adolescence (approimately 1C*1D years) Movement Toward Independence •

#irmer identity0

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Ability to delay gratication0

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Ability to thin& ideas through0 Ability to epress ideas in words0

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5ore developed sense of humor0

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table intere interests0 sts0

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9reater emotional stability0

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Ability to ma&e independent decisions0

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Ability to compromise0

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$ride in ones wor&0

•

elf*reliance0

•

9reater concern for others

Future Interests and Cognitive Development  •

5ore dened wor& habits0

•

oE

Intellectual Development Implications for ractice  %eachers need to consider the  %eachers the intellectual developmental developmental di-erences di-erences of young adolescents when planning learning eperiences! %o address this diversity, teachers need to provide an assortment of educational approaches app roaches and materials that are appropriate for their students wide*ranging cognitive abilities! #or eample, the concrete thin&ers reBuire more structured learning eperiences, eperie nces, while the abstract thin&ers need more challenging activities (5anning F utcher, 3G13)! %eachers can also provide forums for them to eamine the reasons for school, home, and societal rules! As adult role models, teachers can guide young adolescents to connect intellectual thought and moral reasoning!

Moral Development

 

Implications for ractice   %eachers  % eachers need to be aware aware of the relationship relationship between young adolescents intellectual development and their moral reasoning (cales, 3G1G)! %hey can organi.e instructional eperiences eperiences that foster critical thin&ing s&ills and higher levels of moral reasoning! #or eample, eample, teachers plan assignments that help students to incorporate their thoughts and feelings in writing (cales, 3G1G)! %eachers %eachers can engage young adolescents with activities that reBuire reBuir e consensus building and application of democratic principles0 teacher advisory programs and service learning can foster teamwor& and build community (righton, 3GGC)! 6n addition, teachers can design eperie eperiences nces for students to eamine moral dilemmas and contemplate responses (cales, 3G1G Spiritual Development Acceptance of the spiritual domain in middle level education is important!  Houng  H oung adolescents often want want to eplore eplore spiritual matters, develop develop connections between self and others, and gain a sense of themselves and the world (cales, 3G1G)! 6mplications for practice will depend on commitments to educating the whole child!

sychological sychologi cal Development Implications for ractice   %eachers  % eachers need to support young adolescents adolescents Buest for identity formation formation through curricular eperiences, eperiences, instructional approaches, and opportunities for eploration! Houng Houng adolescents need freBuent opportunities to eplor eplore e and eperiment with various roles and eperie eperiences nces within the classroom contet! %eachers can provide educative eperiences such as role*playing, drama, and reading that foster identity formation! Li&ewise, teachers can ac&nowledge the importance of friendships and eplain that shifting s hifting peer allegiances are normal (cales, 3G1G)!  %o foster successful eperiences  %o eperiences for every every young adolescent, schools need to provide organi.ational structures structures such as teaming and advisory programs!  %hese structures structures help to ensure that that every young adolescent is &nown &nown well by at least one adult and has regular occasions to eperience positive relationships with peers! Houng adolescents a dolescents deserve school environme environments nts that are free from harsh criticism, humiliation, and sarcasm!

Social!"motional Social!"mot ional Development

 

Implications for ractice  ecause of young adolescents need for a'liation and belonging, they must have opportunities to form a'rming and healthy relationships with peers!  %eachers  % eachers must recogni.e recogni.e the importance of peer relationships relationships and friendship (cales, 3G1G) and provide occasions for positive peer interactions (Iellough F Iellough, 3GGJ)! %eachers can design cooperative learning activities and collaborative eperiences eperiences for young adolescents to interact productively with peers (cales, 3G1G)!%eachers 3G1G)!%eachers can also plan activities that engage students in argumentation or debate in academic settings as well as those that simulate social situations through role*plays or simulations (Iellough (Iellough F Iellough, 3GGJ)! chools play a &ey role in providing young adolescents with educative programs that promote freedom freedom and independence within a safe s afe space! chools can also ensure young adolescents a dolescents  access to student government, service clubs, or other leadership groups that allow them to develop their own proects and guidelines for behavior (Iellough F Iellough, 3GGJ)!

#onclusion  Houng adolescents warrant  Houng warrant educational eperiences eperiences and schools that are organi.ed to address their physical, intellectual, emotional+psychological, moral+ethical, spiritual, and social developmental characteristics! $ractitioners, $ractitione rs, parents, and others who wor& with young adolescents need to be aware of both subtle and a nd obvious changes in developmental characteristics! uch changes can give adults insights into the challenges facing young adolescents and illuminate possible reasons for shifts in their abilities and behaviors!  %he middle school founders (e!g!, :illiam :illiam Aleander, Aleander, >onald 2ichhorn, Kohn Lounsbury, 9ordon ars) ars) emphasi.ed the need to consider young adolescents when developing education environmental and organi.ational structures! structure s! %he desire for developmental responsiveness responsiveness was what set the middle school apart from its predecessor, the unior high! %odays educators and policyma&ers need to continue their support of initiatives that a-ord a -ord young adolescents with developmentally appropriate learning eperiences and environme environments! nts! :hat $arents 7an >o

 

:hen young people feel connected to home, family, and school, they are less li&ely to become involved in activities that put their health at ris&! $arental warmth and strong, positive communication helps young people to establish individual values and ma&e healthy life decisions! =urture a positive relationship with your child! :hen parent*child interactions are characteri.ed by warmth, &indness, consistency, respect, and love, the relationship will ourish, as will self self*esteem, *esteem, mental health, and social s&ills! 2ncourage independent thought and epression in your child! %eens who are competent, responsible, and have high self self*esteem *esteem have parents who encourage them to epress their opinions and who include them in family decision ma&ing and rule setting! how genuine interest in your childs activities! %his allows parents to monitor their childs behavior in a positive way! $arents who, together with their children, set rm boundaries and high epectations may nd that their childrens abilities to live up to those epectations grow!