It’s that time of year again when college students retreat inside and consume an unprecedented amount of coffee. Finals week is near. In the spirit of finals, here are 10 final takeaways from my Sophomore Block experience!
- You cannot ignore the social context of your students.
Perhaps the largest takeaway from my Child and Adolescent Development class is the reaffirmation that peers and social dynamics are a crucial part of development for adolescents. While this makes sense when considering the average (potentially a tad bit stereotypical) teenager, it was eye-opening to see this manifest in my students. I had one student so upset by drama with her friend group, that focusing on Algebra was hardly an option for her. In those moments, my CT chose to acknowledge the social context of her students and be a safe space for them. Sometimes, the math has to wait.
- Imaginary audiences are real.
While this sounds oxymoronic, it is important not to discount the very real impact of imaginary audiences on our students. An “imaginary audience” is the belief that others are constantly judging oneself. I observed a student very bothered by a particular situation in which she thought other girls were criticizing her and scaring away her friends. In reality, my CT uncovered that the friends were none the wiser! Similarly to #1, we as teachers cannot ignore the real impact of adolescent egocentrism, as it affects the emotional well-being of our students.
- Teens benefit from “play,” too.
I know I wouldn’t enjoy sitting through all-day lectures every single day! Why would I make my students? I had my highest engagement when I implemented games, and I firmly believe in doing so whenever possible. I’m sure Piaget, Vygotsky, and Froebel would agree!
- Every student learns, and develops, differently.
It can be tempting when analyzing development to expect all expressions to manifest identically. However, as I am constantly reminded in this field that all students learn differently. Therefore, they might also show their development differently. Allowing students to demonstrate their understanding according to multiple intelligences might uncover the abstract and critical thinking we are looking for.
- There’s a reason critical thinking is difficult!
Speaking of critical thinking, it is a difficult skill for many students, yet it is so important. Piaget’s stages of cognitive development prove that abstract thinking, reasoning, and deductive logic aren’t developed until the formal operational stage. Students don’t typically begin to reach this stage until they are 12. If it takes 12 years to develop a way of thinking, then it makes sense that it can tangle students’ brains to practice! My students aren’t off the hook for practicing these skills, but this takeaway does make me think about ways I can better scaffold for this.
- Culture can impact engagement.
This fact may seem obvious, but I think the implications of it are much more subtle. Until I took a class about teaching multilingual learners, I didn’t realize how many cultural differences can greatly impact the classroom. For example, certain cultures value collaborative work over independent learning. Maybe a student has developed the skills needed to complete a task independently, but they might take a more collectivist approach. Perspective and cultural sensitivity is everything.
- Growth mindsets will enable growth beyond high school.
The development of a growth-mindset is crucial during motivational development. I had several students never complete their math homework simply because it wasn’t worth their time, as they believed they would not be successful regardless. After trying, and being met with some success, they changed as learners. I truly believe that a growth-mindset is an invaluable asset in school and life.
- Parenting still matters.
In addition to being a Secondary Education major, I work at various early childhood programs. In early childhood, the effects of parenting are so obvious. However, parenting still has a great impact on adolescent development. For example, students with permissive parents may struggle to hold themselves accountable in school due to a lack of consequences at home. We cannot control the home lives of our students. What we can do is provide a loving, safe classroom environment and act as “warm demanders.”
- Choice changes the game.
Being at a project-based learning school, students had immense choice in their learning. Whether it was picking the learning targets they wanted to be assessed on, or choosing how to be assessed, students were more engaged when they were allowed to have autonomy in their learning. The same content can be evaluated whether it’s a skit, poster, or PowerPoint. Plus, it was rewarding to watch some students get creative and really play into their strengths!
- Being a teenager can be tough!
The narrative around teenagers can be very negative, as they are often portrayed as moody or disobedient. It is easy to forget that many students are balancing a full day of school with jobs or home responsibilities, all while trying to figure out who they are, especially as social media continues to be woven into the heart of the teenage experience. When we consider this, it becomes clear that teaching teenagers requires a hearty helping of empathy.
