All posts by Claudia Giribaldi

Adolescence, a Unique Transition MVP #4

Biological & Cognitive Development in Adolescence

 

“Culture clearly shapes adolescence. It influences its expression and possibly its length. It can magnify its manifestations. Yet culture does not create adolescence. The period’s uniqueness rises from genes and developmental processes that have been selected for over thousands of generations because they play an amplified role during this key transitional period: producing a creature optimally primed to leave a sage home and move into unfamiliar territory” 

(Dobbs, 2011, pg. 5)

I believe that our identity as human beings, as we get out into the world and become more independent, is more influence from outside culture and our peers are doing. However, it is crucial to understand that teenagers are still are developing and growing into young adults. Dobbs proves, in his experiments, that teenagers are still developing brain activity that allows them to think through their emotions and practice self-control. As a future teacher of high school, I need to learn how to guide and adapt to my students changing behaviors and realize that their emotions at that moment in the class don’t necessarily reflect their overall identity. Also, it’s important to be perceptive on the changes that are happening physically, mentally, and socially as they start making their own decisions away from the close scrutiny of their parents ensuring an environment of trust while they are in school and in the classroom. 

MVP #3 Why Is There A Heavier Burden For Young Adults?

Perspectives & History of Adolescence, Urban Adolescents

“We have not developed and strengthened institutions to serve young adults” Mr. Frustenberg said, “because we’re still living with the archaic idea that people enter adulthood in their late teens or early 20s”

(Cohen, 2010)

This quote resonated with me because it’s the reality. While schooling has increased after high school, the cost of college education has also increased and placed a heavier burden to parents in the middle or low socioeconomic backgrounds. Students in their late teens and early twenties have to pay higher tuitions, look for scholarships, increase their work experience through internships (mostly unpaid) to prepare them for the “real world”. There is a great imbalance on the cost of living for these young adults to become more productive and fetch on their own. There isn’t a balance between having a college education and being eligible in the job market anymore. I think young adults are taking longer to finish their education and become independent from their parents because there aren’t enough social, economic and education programs previous to entering to college or during college to budget for a living lifestyle that welcomes equal opportunities. Despite there being unequal access to education between young men and women prior to the 70s, the cost of living and the payment for a college education was less expensive and more accessible. Currently, there are plenty of opportunities for college degrees and low-paying jobs for young adults, but not equal access to economic resources to attain them and succeed after college. 

How Do We Present Our Students? MVP #2

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe, Urban Adolescents

 

Knoester, 2008, pg 149-150

 

I found this passage relevant because as a future teacher of high school, it is very important to keep in mind and constantly reflect that our students are not just students, but also full human beings. Knoester (2008) pointed out the importance of assessing our students not only as students of our class, but by looking at the whole picture through different assessment methods. There are presentation protocols that help teachers describe a student in different contexts and his or her connections with different adults. According to Knoester, these protocols can help remove any general stereotypes and preconceived notions that teachers have of students. But Knoester argues that is pretty time-consuming and challenging to assess a child with these protocols. Even though it can be difficult to do it for every student we encounter, I wonder how, as teachers, can we collaborate more strategically with other teachers to create a more effective and well-rounded profile of our students? What things can we do in the classroom to prevent these generalizations and help students have equal opportunities to succeed?

MVP#1: The Relevance of Black Suffering Today

Culturally, Linguistically, and Socioeconomically Diverse Adolescents in Urban Contexts: Framing the Conversation, Urban Adolescents

 

Dumas, 2018, pg. 34

According to Dumas (2018), when people address issues of racial exclusion and inequality in the United States, black suffering is often dismissed in the public discourse. In mainstream discourse, black suffering is still viewed as anachronistic and counterproductive, since it’s regarded as something from the past, that happened in the past, when black people were enslaved or were subjected to the harsh and repressive treatment of the Jim Crow laws (Dumas 2018). However, Dumas believes that this is far from true. Continue reading MVP#1: The Relevance of Black Suffering Today →