Mr. Scott Mitchell, Principal Brock’s Gap Intermediate School Ten Things Your Adolescent Wishes You Knew (But Won’t Tell You) Mr. Scott Mitchell, Principal Brock’s Gap Intermediate School

OPENING ACTIVITY Using a large piece of post-it paper and markers, list words or phrases that you would use to describe an adolescent.

MR. MITCHELL AS AN ADOLESCENT Interested in Girls but too shy to admit it to them Earned above average grades with little effort Hated reading – like torture for me Good at math but didn’t want anyone to know Let my friends talk me into just about anything, but parents were very strict, so I got away with nothing Loved all sports, but realized that baseball was the one in which I could compete My teachers let me be average in school. All pictures of Mr. Mitchell in middle school have been burned.

PURPOSE OF TONIGHT…… Parents will gain a greater understanding of the needs of an adolescent. Parents will assess the extent to which their interaction with their adolescent meets the needs of their adolescent.

SCHOOL-RELATED

“I need a structured academic evening at home.” NUMBER ONE “I need a structured academic evening at home.”

NUMBER TWO “I need my parents to keep an eye on my agenda, back pack, locker, and binders.”

“I need to know that my parents are on the same page as my teachers.” NUMBER THREE “I need to know that my parents are on the same page as my teachers.”

“I need my parents to help me learn how to study.” NUMBER FOUR “I need my parents to help me learn how to study.”

FRIENDS-RELATED

“I need my parents to check up on me with my friends.” NUMBER FIVE “I need my parents to check up on me with my friends.”

NUMBER SIX “I need to know that my parents are going to regularly view my email, text and picture messages, Facebook page, and MySpace page.”

HOME-RELATED

“I need to use a computer that is out the open and very public.” NUMBER SEVEN “I need to use a computer that is out the open and very public.”

“I need for my parents to listen to me.” NUMBER EIGHT “I need for my parents to listen to me.”

NUMBER NINE “I need for my parents not to take at face value what I say about school (the good and the bad).”

NUMBER TEN “Talking to me rarely changes my behavior – I need actions more than words.”

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING! Scott Mitchell, Principal scmitchell@hoover.k12.al.us 439-1610 Kerry Pate, Assistant Principal kpate@hoover.k12.al.us 439-1612