think you know adolescents

Slide 1: 

So You Think You Know the Young Adolescent!?!

Slide 2: 

Team Challenge Characteristics of young adolescents and effective schools for them .

Slide 3: 

How many studies have been done over the past 20 years to determine the characteristics of successful schools for young adolescents? 3700 2000 Less than 1000

Slide 4: 

A. 3700

Slide 5: 

Which of these publications are known for their recommendations for the organization, curriculum, instruction and other programming in schools for young adolescents?

Slide 6: 

6 A. This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents (NMSA, 2010) B.Turning Points 2000 (Carnegie Corporation) C. Breaking Ranks In The Middle (NASSP, 2006) D. The Forgotten Middle (ACT, 2009) E. NCLB

Slide 7: 

This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents Turning Points 2000 Breaking Ranks In The Middle The Forgotten Middle (to some degree--not a comprehensive look at middle school programming) All of the Above Except E!

Slide 8: 

8 What does research show about middle schools that consistently implement the full array of recommended programs and practices advocated by This We Believe and Turning Points 2000?

Slide 9: 

9 Student self esteem increases but there is no academic improvement. Academic performance increases. It is effective if schools carefully pick and choose which programs and practices to implement. There is no impact on either self esteem or academic performance.

Slide 10: 

10 B. Academic performance increases

Slide 11: 

According to a 2009 ACT research summary on college readiness, which one of the following is THE BEST predictor of college readiness ?

Slide 12: 

High school GPA Advanced Placement courses taken 8th grade achievement Socio-Economic Status

Slide 13: 

13 C. 8th grade achievement

Slide 14: 

What are two immediate effects of hormonal changes in young adolescents?

Slide 15: 

A. Student behavior becomes more predictable. B. Many students are unable to sit still for long periods of time. C. Peer relationships become secondary to relationships with adults. D. There is a greater need for bathing and deodorant.

Slide 16: 

16 B. Many students are unable to sit still for long periods of time --Adrenalin is often secreted in such large quantities that the kids feel like they have been hit with a power surge, and thus they want to move and make noises. D. There is a greater need for bathing and deodorant --Sweat becomes much more pungent during early adolescence.

Slide 17: 

STRESS gets in the way of learning. How does the release of cortisol, the stress hormone, affect learning?

Slide 18: 

Blocks the ability to retrieve info Creates roadblocks in organizing thoughts Causes over-reactions

All of the Above! : 

19 All of the Above!

Slide 20: 

A point for each cause of teenage stress.

Slide 21: 

Don’t judge teenage stress by adult standards! failing an exam perceptions about what others think about them assignment overload zits, bad hair, wrong clothes emerging sexual identity problems on the home front not knowing how to proceed (assignments, friendships, etc.) STRESS = Time Bomb Waiting to Explode

Slide 22: 

Common responses to young adolescents’ unmet need for proper nutrition are...

Slide 23: 

23 Drowsiness Physical Pain Inattention All of the above

D. All of the Above : 

24 D. All of the Above

Slide 25: 

Diet and learning are linked! What percentage of young adolescents eat a good diet?

Slide 26: 

59% 23% 15% 6%

Slide 27: 

27 D. 6 %

Slide 28: 

High quality of food choices in the school cafeteria...

Slide 29: 

has no impact on student learning actually has an inverse relationship to student learning improves student learning

C. Improves Student Learning! : 

30 C. Improves Student Learning!

Slide 31: 

We all know young adolescents change physically--but how much??? What is the span of height and weight changes in 10-15 year olds?

Slide 32: 

They may grow 10-20 inches and gain 40-50 pounds. They may grow 5-10 inches and gain 20-25 pounds. They may grow over 25 inches and double their weight.

Slide 33: 

33 A. They may grow 10-20 inches and gain 40-50 pounds.

Slide 34: 

The most common response that young adolescents have when experiencing developmental changes is...

Slide 35: 

excitement and anticipation calm, reflective, acceptance confusion and self doubt anger and self-doubt

C. Confusion and self doubt : 

36 C. Confusion and self doubt

Slide 37: 

Body parts grow evenly in early adolescence. True or False

Slide 38: 

FALSE Extremities get bigger first. (feet, noses, hands, etc.)

Slide 39: 

What do middle schoolers spend most of the time in our classroom thinking about ?

Slide 40: 

What they are going to eat for their next meal. How their bodies compare to everyone else’s. How they can improve their grade in language arts. Who they will hang out with over the weekend.

B. How their bodies compare to everyone else’s. : 

41 B. How their bodies compare to everyone else’s.

Slide 42: 

So…which of the following elements need to be in place so that students can learn despite these distractions?

Slide 43: 

Students are not teased for their mood swings, clumsiness, etc. Staff views this time of change for young adolescents as an opportunity to help them grow, not as an annoyance. Staff works hard to build relationships with all the students. All of the above

Slide 44: 

D. All of the above

Slide 45: 

Young adolescents are susceptible to bone breaks and muscle damage. True or False

Slide 46: 

TRUE Bone growth exceeds muscle growth so muscles are sometimes unable to do their job of supporting and protecting the bones. Sports Done Right http://www.mcsc.umaine.edu/sportsdoneright/index.htm

Slide 47: 

There is a real physical reason young adolescents are often squirmy. True or False

Slide 48: 

TRUE Rapid bone growth can be uncomfortable. The tailbone is especially troublesome--makes sitting difficult.

Slide 49: 

What thing about themselves are teenagers most dissatisfied with?

Slide 50: 

Their Hair Their grades Not being “cool” enough Their clothes

A. Their Hair : 

51 A. Their Hair

Slide 52: 

Male or female adolescents--which group has the most difficulty passing a mirror without stopping to take a look.

Slide 53: 

BOTH! Teenagers often are plagued by an “imaginary audience” which is noticing every zit, wrinkle, or misplaced hair.

Slide 54: 

Children going through puberty lose some of their ability to identify emotions. True or False

Slide 55: 

They often confuse sadness with anger and surprise with fear True

Slide 56: 

WHAT EMOTION? Adults see fear or horror, young adolescents often see anger.

Slide 57: 

What is the developmental physical reason young adolescents seem to be overly sensitive and seemingly more prone to depression?

Slide 58: 

B. The parts of the brain responsible for reasoning & logic are not yet fully developed. C. There aren’t any. Our society tends to coddle our young adolescents. A. The young adolescent brain relies more on the amygdala (center of emotion).

A & B : 

59 A & B The young adolescent brain relies more on the amygdala (center of emotion). The parts of the brain responsible for reasoning & logic are not yet fully developed.

Slide 60: 

The brain is almost fully developed by what age?

Slide 61: 

Certainly not by 14! Neural connections are being pruned (use or lose it) Temporal lobes still growing gray matter until 16

Slide 62: 

Myelin sheathing is still forming especially in the frontal lobes… Site of abstract thinking, language & the ability to make decisions! (Feinstein, 10)

Slide 63: 

There’s a lot to talk about in advisory groups. In the next 60 seconds brainstorm a list with your team.

Slide 64: 

learning to reading body language and facial expression identifying ways the students have control over their learning e.g. the connection between nutrition and learning exploring why teenagers like to move and how we might address that in class delving into why teenagers often are sensitive to comments by others practicing skills to help teenagers feel more confident in social situations Examples

Slide 65: 

In any given classroom, what is the approximate breakdown of learning styles: Visual Auditory Kinesthetic

Slide 66: 

Visual: 40-46% Auditory: 20-30% Kinesthetic: 30-35%

Slide 67: 

The majority of research studies comparing the impact of heterogeneous grouping to homogenous grouping in middle schools shows...

Slide 68: 

homogeneous grouping lowers academic success for low SES students. Homogeneous grouping increases scores for average and below average students. Over time, homogeneous groups is better for all students.

A. Homogeneous grouping lowers academic success for low SES students. : 

69 A. Homogeneous grouping lowers academic success for low SES students.

Slide 70: 

What characteristics should curriculum and instruction for young adolescents exhibit?

Slide 71: 

Curriculum that is challenging and relevant. B. Curriculum/instruction that bridges concrete to abstract thinking. C. Curriculum and instruction that allows students to practice problem solving and reasoning. Instructional practices that are varied and based on effective practices. All of the above

E. All of the Above! : 

72 E. All of the Above!

Slide 73: 

Which of these characteristics of middle level schools are linked time and again to academic growth.

Slide 74: 

Teaming Common planning time: 4 X a week for at least 30 minutes Departmentalization Teachers have specific preparation for teaching young adolescents.

Slide 75: 

3 of the Keys to Academic Growth in Middle School Teaming (better able to meet needs of students, quicker response to issues, & better communication with parents) Common planning time devoted to working on curriculum & instruction D. Teachers trained in middle level education

Slide 76: 

Finding a Place in the Group Alone In the back of the room With this growing sense of doom Laughter to the left of me Smiling to the right. Alone in the middle No land in sight Drowning in fright Hey, somebody Anybody Throw me a line And I’ll be fine…… Richard Bordeaux Quoted in What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know

Slide 77: 

Works Consulted Feinstein, Sheryl. Secrets of the Teenage Brain. San Diego: The Brain Store, 2004. “Frontline”. Thirteen WNET New York. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/. 10/1/04.1/0 Jensen, Eric. Brain-Based Learning. San Diego: The Brainstore. 1996. 4. Knowles, Trudy and Dave Brown. What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2000. This We Believe: Successful School for Young Adolescents. Columbus, OH: NMSA, 2003. Van Hoose, John, Strahan, David & Mark L’Esperance. Promoting Harmony: Young Adolescent Development and School Practices. Columbus, OH: NMSA, 2001.