“The future of civil society in the world rests on the young.

Adolescents represent at any point in history the generational cohort that must next be prepared to assume the quality of leadership of self, family, community, and society that will maintain and improve human life.”

An excerpt from Lerner & Steinberg’s article “The Scientific Study of Adolescent Development: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives” (2009)

This article was a fascinating read and revealed to me the importance of knowledge and research on adolescent development. The research presented stresses our need as a society, and even more specifically as educators, to better understand the biological, psychological and emotional changes that take place during adolescence in order to help the youth of today to react to and grow into these changes in the best, healthiest manner possible. The idea of the future of our society being in the hands of today’s adolescents helps me to see my role as an educator as much more than a transference of knowledge. It reminds me to seek out every opportunity to connect with students on a more personal and human level. It inspires me to find ways to incorporate students’ interests and passions into lesson plans, not solely in an attempt to get students engaged in class, but to remind them of where they are headed and show them how they can get there. We have a responsibility to educate students in the importance of the choices they make and the impact of those choices in regards to their future; to remind them that life really is much bigger than high school.

When I look at my students, I can honestly say that I am filled with hope for our society’s future. Why is that? Because they are growing up in a time unlike any other. They are witnesses of the courageous men and women who are rising up and fighting to right the wrongs in present day society. I believe that they will be inspired by their actions and in turn be the ones to see and meet the need for change in our politics, our socioeconomic injustices, our education policies/standards/funding, and so much more. They will be the ones to say “something’s gotta give” and then find a way to break the cycles and systems and build them back up so that they’re stronger and more just than those we see today.