All posts by Mariah Louise Martens

Every Middle School Teacher is NOT a Health Teacher

Biological & Cognitive Development in Adolescence

“We hope that every school for young adolescents provides a health education curriculum that addresses these issues and encourages all teachers to be willing to address sensitive physical growth issues when they arise. We believe every middle school teacher is a health teacher because young adolescents have a constant stream of questions about their health, questions that may never be asked of parents.” (Brown D., & Knowles, T., 2007, pg. 19)

As a sexuality educator this passage stands out to me for juxtaposing reasons. In my work, and studies, I appreciate and believe in positive reinforcement about health and sexuality coming from all aspects of a child or adolescents life. I also believe that access to information about one’s own body should be readily available and come from shame-free ,confident sources. Continue reading Every Middle School Teacher is NOT a Health Teacher →

What about…?

Perspectives & History of Adolescence

“Within the complex interplay of biology and environment that sets the start of puberty, family adversity – including instability in parents’ relationships – has been identified as a fairly consistent accelerator of pubertal timing (Belsky et al., 2007). Turning from antecedents to consequences, the many developmental problems associated with early pubertal timing for girls (e.g., risky sex, substance use) are well documented. Included in this phenomenon are a range of academic troubles that, given the highly cumulative nature of the American educational system, have potential to translate short-term behavior disruptions into long-term life course disadvantages.”

This flippant reduction of adolescent girlhood into risky sexual behavior and low academic performance (or at least my interpretation of this reduction) really irked me. While I’m aware that there has been much research beyond this article about the consequences of early pubertal timing for young women/girls, I think it is dangerous to say that just early puberty leads to (insert scary consequence here), without factoring in the whole picture of a person or the society/culture they live within. What about early pubertal timing plus lack of comprehensive sexuality education and lessons on consent leads to risky sexual behavior? Or early pubertal timing plus growing up in patriarchal society leads to risky sexual behavior and poor academic standing? Or how about early pubertal timing plus teachers and principals asking young women/femmes/trans students/black students to change clothing or hairstyle so that they aren’t distracting – what about that all too common scenario as a more acute factor to poor academic standing?

Seeing Wholeness & Complexity

Observing to Learn and Learning to Observe, Urban Adolescents

“…the protocol provides a list of questions that the presenter might think about and answer in describing the child, under five headings: physical presence and gesture, disposition and temperament, relationships, interests and passions, and ways of thinking and learning (Himley 2000).” (Knoester, 2008, p. 148)

Each ‘heading’ seems to accent a cornerstone in a person’s identity, and it is in my opinion that as educators (as humans!) we probably overlook four at any given time and judge a student, or another person, based upon just one. It is also interesting to me how one persons say, physical presence and gesture may either negatively or positively interact with another person’s physical presence and gesture. The five ‘headings’ do not stand alone but constantly interacting with others. Perhaps a student, or person’s, physical presence is more withdrawn or timid than my own. Their body language may be rounded in towards their core and their gestures may try to hide parts of their body or push away physicality of others. These characteristics act in opposition to my more open body language with gesture that invites people closer to my physicality. As an educator (and person) I tend to think something is wrong, when a persons physical presence does not mirror my own, or I interpret our interaction as disconnected. However, if I really take time to be REFLECTIVE and consider the other four ‘headings’ perhaps I will come to realize that this is not true. That I had been purely basing my assessment of our relating off of one aspect of a person’s identity instead of seeing their wholeness and complexity.

Agents of Salvation – MVP #1

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

“Today, service learning has come to mean something equivalent to an extended and sustained field trip (a kind of localized study away) for privileged learners who often imagine their roles in communities as agents of salvation as opposed to agents of service.” (Kirkland, 2014, pg. 583)

How has the university, the ‘academy’, separated us (educators) from learners? How does it uphold colonial values? Was there ever a time where it didn’t? Continue reading Agents of Salvation – MVP #1 →