Helping Teens to Work With Middle School Youth in Afterschool Programs Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Animal Sounds The TASK: Find everyone that has the same animal name as you The CATCH: You can’t talk You can make sounds or movements that are made by your animal Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Animal Sounds IN YOUR ANIMAL FAMILY: Get to know each other Read the slip with the other questions Chart your group response – Challenge – Asset Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Animal Sounds Sharing Our Results! Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Ice Breakers Why are Icebreakers Important? Helps people get acquainted. Helps people feel more comfortable with the training environment. Helps to give people a preview of the training. Teaches a skill. Encourages people to have fun and be relaxed. Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Overview Help you to train other teens to: – Deliver the curriculum to middle school youth – Understand developmental characteristics of middle school youth – Learn how to use the experiential learning model – Give effective presentations Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Do You Remember When? Developmental Characteristics Physical Social Emotional Intellectual Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Do You Remember When? Ages and Stages Normal differences Can be one age physically, but another age socially Some may more or less mature than others Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Do You Remember When? The TASK: Review the characteristic: – Physical – Social – Emotional – Intellectual Prepare a 1-2 minute skit that demonstrates the characteristic Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Do You Remember When? Sharing Our Results! Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Do You Remember When? Physical Growth – Continues at steady rate – Small muscles have developed (hammering, playing instruments, etc.) – May be as coordinated as an adult, but have lapses of awkwardness Implications for Programming – Provide lots of physical involvement – Use hands-on activities that allow youth to make and do things Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 4 th – 6 th Graders

Do You Remember When? Social Growth – Peer influence grows – Want to be accepted by peer group – Peer groups can become club, gang, or secret society – Prejudice can develop – Independence is increasing – Concept of “fair” and “unfair” Implications for Programming – Provide activities through clubs and groups – Allow youth to make decisions about what they do, make and use – Use same sex groupings Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 4 th - 6th Graders

Do You Remember When? Emotional Growth – Growing independence – Beginning of disobedience, back-talk, & rebelliousness – Fears of the unknown such as failure, death, family problems – Concept of right & wrong – Greater sense of humor – Increasing competence – Strong attachment to their own sex Implications for Programming – Avoid comparing youth to one another – Emphasize progress & achievement Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 4th - 6th Graders

Do You Remember When? Intellectual Growth – Reading is more independent – Greater use of abstract thought – Plans can extend over several weeks – Activities can be evaluated with insight – Attention span increases – Ability to the ‘why’ of things Implications for Programming – Use simple, short instructions – Include real-life objects when teaching – Use the senses in activities Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 4th - 6th Graders

Do You Remember When? Physical Growth – Often have a growth spurt that can cause clumsiness – Most girls are more developed than boys – Distinguishing physical features may be source of worry – Increase in appetite Implications for Programming – Avoid activities that cause youth to compare their physical features – Offer projects that require more coordination Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 7 th - 9th Graders

Do You Remember When? Social Growth – Participation in youth organizations may decline – Still dependent on the rules & regulations specified by adults even though they may protest – Peer group pressure increases – ‘Crushes’ are common – Interest in the opposite sex is shown in contrary behavior….pushing, hair pulling, etc. Implications for Programming – Provide some activities that include both sexes, but still offer same sex activities – Provide opportunities for the group to determine the ‘rules’ Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 7 th - 9th Graders

Do You Remember When? Emotional Growth – Worry and/or shame associated with body development – Strong emotional attachment to older teen or an adult – Keen interest in their own bodies Implications for Programming – Provide lots of opportunities to succeed – Avoid comparing performance with others – Provide opportunities to work with other youth & adults Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 7 th - 9th Graders

Do You Remember When? Intellectual Growth – Growing capacity to reason and think abstractly – Still enjoy working with concrete objects – Ability to persist until desired results are achieved – Avoid tasks beyond their ability – Can take on more responsibility in planning & evaluating their work Implications for Programming – Provide more complex tasks – Projects that require more reading & analysis – Allow them to evaluate their own work – Avoid tasks that are beyond their ability Teens as Volunteer Leaders Characteristics of 7 th - 9th Graders

Learn by Doing What does “learn by doing mean?” Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Experiential Learning Model

Learn by Doing! The TASK: Do Helicopter Activity as a group Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Learn by Doing! The PROCESS: DO – the experience REFLECT – Share what happened – Process what happened APPLY – Generalize – Apply to something else Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Learn by Doing! We remember: 10% of what we read 20% of what we hear 30% of what we see 50% of what we see and hear 70% of what we see, hear and discuss 90% of what we see, hear, discuss and practice Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Learn by Doing! Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Keeping Audiences Turned ON! What does it mean to keep your audience engaged? Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Keeping Audiences Turned ON! What are some of reasons why audiences tune out presenters? Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Keeping Audiences Turned ON! Long lectures Sitting too long Not allowed to do the work Distractions in the room or area Boring subject or presentation Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Keeping Your Audience Turned ON! The TASK: For your assigned topic, brainstorm how you keep your audience turned on! Report back to the whole group Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Sharing Our Results! Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Review the Manual Teens as Volunteer Leaders…. Recruiting and Training Teens to Work with Younger Youth in After- school Programs Teens as Volunteer Leaders

Review the Manual Introduction -What is 4-H Afterschool? Elements of Teens as Volunteer Leaders Teen Recruitment Mentors & Afterschool Program Recruitment 4-H Teen Project Orientation Teen Training Recognizing Program participants Marketing & Publicizing Your Program Teens as Volunteer Leaders

For More Information Sharon Junge County Director, 4-H Youth Development Advisor E Avenue, Auburn, CA (530) phone (530) fax website Teens as Volunteer Leaders