“The inadequacy undoubtedly has something to do with gender stereotypes, put forward by the media, dictating that females should be attractive while boys should be rugged. Media images remain a powerful force. Rarely do adult perspectives have the kind of influence that peer opinions and advertising campaigns have on young adolescent minds.”
(Understanding The Young Adolescent’s Physical And Cognitive Growth, Chp 2)

I think this phrase sums up why it is so important to remember that we, as teachers, can make a difference. Although peer opinions and media are the most influential tools in impacting our youth,they are not the only tools. Continue reading The Power of Peer Opinions and Media! →

“When a seventh grader doesn’t understand something, he or she can suddenly think about not understanding. Such thinking may not lead to understanding and may in fact lead to frustration. Indeed, many of the frustrations middle school students experience may result from this new reflective thought–this thinking about thinking. They may even worry about why they are thinking about their thinking.” Browne, D., & Knowles, T.

Reading this passage made me laugh at loud and brought me back, if only a little, to my adolescence. While I certainly worried before adolescence, it seemed to go into to overdrive during this time. They were definitely difficult times, but also very fun. As the article suggests, this very turbulent time is very important in youths’ development. I thought it was very important that the article mentioned that teachers need to remain calm and professional in the face of adolescents’ erratic behavior. I know that many of my teachers didn’t act in this way and it only caused harm for many. In this period, when many youths are forming their identity, it is very easy to leave indelible impressions. That is why it is of the utmost importance that we as teachers carefully guide, inform and support students the best we can by using all the knowledge and tools available to us to ensure that they have a chance to come through this stage to the best of their abilities.

“Adolescents want to learn primarily, but not entirely, from their friends. At some level and at some times (and it’s the parent’s job to spot when), the teen recognizes that the parent can offer certain kernels of wisdom – knowledge valued not becuase it comes from parental authority but because it comes from the parent’s own struggles to learn how the world truns.  The teen rightly perceives that she must understand not just her parens’ world but also the one she is entering.” – Dobbs

My response: When children enter adolescence, their self-awareness develops rapidly.  At this time, adolescents understand that they are already an individual in the world.  Even they are not yet an adult but they start getting ready to be an adult physically and psychologically.  I am saying this because I did have this similar experience when I was applying for colleges in China.  All the colleges I applied for were not in my home city because I wanted to live in dormitory and to give me more freedom to explore college life.  Sometimes parents are too protective to children because they do their best to prevent children from any harm that they have already known about.  But they forget that the world is changing, the challenges and ordeals for children is changing as well.  Children have to learn and face to the world they are living in.  The role of parents and teachers is to support and to give advice when they are facing new challenges instead of to impose their own choices and decisions in children.