“Through Carmela’s bewilderment may seem intensely personal, it has everything to do with how students in the middle grades think and behave at school. Unlike in their younger years, their self-image increasingly derives from their social interactions outside the home-how they present themselves, how they imagine that others see them, how their peers interact with them, and how adults at school treat them.” Everything is Off Balance

I was stroked by this reflection of the author to a student, Carmela’s words. It reveals the confusion and dilemma between inside and outside world changes that teenagers need to handle. Through Carmela’s words, we can see these teenagers’ conflict, insecurity, confusing and pretending. They want to be “special”, but they also want to be “involved.”

In this stage, how others see them and treat them turns as the top importance to them. Their self-esteem and behavior to more extent derive from the outside world. In my view, they are getting through the most vulnerable time in their life. Besides the development of brain, which leads them easily to try something new and exciting and be free of taking risk, the other sides is about their self-image. Through “cool” behaviors, they want to create a smart and special image to others and to earn their peers and adult’s praise. These show-offs are actually their self-protection. Because of pretending as a crucial member of a group and following group member’s behavior even they don’t really want to be, it helps them avoid being isolated and teased. This is what Carmela’s words told us. It is the key characteristic of adolescents in this time. As educators, how could we understand and use their psychological traits to build a safety and supportive environment becomes a vital issue we need to handle. Create opportunities for them to work independently and to cooperate with others, give them more trust and care to their inside word, and seize their fast development of brain function. Educators act as a significant role for adolescents’ development.