Secondary Professional Development Understanding Adolescents Created by Mike Merold, 2007

How Do Adolescents Feel About School? A recent Gallup poll asked teenagers to select three words to describe how they usually felt in school. What do you think were the two most popular word choices? Take a minute to jot down what you think they said and why they said it.

How Do Adolescents Feel in School? Bored BoredTired

The Adolescent Brain Quiz Multiple Choice 1. During adolescence the adolescent brain is______. a. growing a. growing b. becoming smaller b. becoming smaller c. nonexistent c. nonexistent d. scary d. scary

Correct Answer is (b) During adolescence the brain consolidates learning in the prefrontal cortex by pruning away synapses and wrapping white matter (myelin) around other connections to stabilize and strengthen them. Even though the brain of a teenager is maturing, between the ages of 13 and 18 they are losing 1 percent of their gray matter every year. During adolescence the brain consolidates learning in the prefrontal cortex by pruning away synapses and wrapping white matter (myelin) around other connections to stabilize and strengthen them. Even though the brain of a teenager is maturing, between the ages of 13 and 18 they are losing 1 percent of their gray matter every year.

The Adolescent Brain Quiz Multiple Choice 2. The prefrontal cortex controls________. 2. The prefrontal cortex controls________. a. the postfrontal cortex. a. the postfrontal cortex. b. planning, working memory, organization, b. planning, working memory, organization, and mood modulation. and mood modulation. c. the ability to mask all outward signs of c. the ability to mask all outward signs of intelligence. intelligence.

Correct Answer is (b) The prefrontal cortex is the area of the brain controlling planning, working memory, organization, and mood modulation. The prefrontal cortex appears to be the last region of the brain to mature, undergoing major changes throughout puberty (Casey, Gledd, & Thomas, 2000). This area of the brain is not mature until about 18 years of age (Spinks, 2002).

Short-term memory is impacted by synaptic pruning during adolescence. A middle school student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of information at one time. Short-term memory is impacted by synaptic pruning during adolescence. A middle school student can generally retain from 5 to 7 bits of information at one time. Taken in concert with other developmental issues at this age, brain development reinforces the following typical adolescent behaviors: Taken in concert with other developmental issues at this age, brain development reinforces the following typical adolescent behaviors: Engaging in strong, intense interests, often short lived Engaging in strong, intense interests, often short lived Preferring interaction with peers Preferring interaction with peers Preferring active to passive learning (Giedd, 2002). Preferring active to passive learning (Giedd, 2002).

Classroom Activities Compatible With Adolescent Attention & Memory (Beamon, 1997; Sousa, 2001: Wolfe, 2001) Designing project-based units of study where students ask critical questions and then develop their own projects to find the answers, such as interviewing people who have experienced the Great Depression or the Holocaust. Designing project-based units of study where students ask critical questions and then develop their own projects to find the answers, such as interviewing people who have experienced the Great Depression or the Holocaust. Using simulations to involve students in understanding various points of view or discussing complex ethical issues. Using simulations to involve students in understanding various points of view or discussing complex ethical issues. Playing music that links memory to specific learning tasks. Rhythmic patterns are effective memory tools for learning, and music is a great medium for facilitating young adolescents to make sensorimotor connections. Playing music that links memory to specific learning tasks. Rhythmic patterns are effective memory tools for learning, and music is a great medium for facilitating young adolescents to make sensorimotor connections.

Classroom Activities Compatible With Adolescent Attention & Memory (Beamon, 1997; Sousa, 2001: Wolfe, 2001) Having students write reflectively every day to reiterate and consolidate learning. Having students write reflectively every day to reiterate and consolidate learning. Posing visual and word problems or puzzles to challenge thinking so that students learn that there are many ways to solve a problem or puzzle. This type of thinking strengthens the neural connections and gives students more confidence in their abilities to tackle problems. Posing visual and word problems or puzzles to challenge thinking so that students learn that there are many ways to solve a problem or puzzle. This type of thinking strengthens the neural connections and gives students more confidence in their abilities to tackle problems. Using physical challenges to solve problems and build collaboration. Low ropes courses and other physical/mental problem solving involve the mind and body in learning and team building. Using physical challenges to solve problems and build collaboration. Low ropes courses and other physical/mental problem solving involve the mind and body in learning and team building.

Classroom Activities Compatible With Adolescent Attention & Memory (Beamon, 1997; Sousa, 2001: Wolfe, 2001) Involving students in real-life apprenticeships. Students shadow workers in various jobs or learn skills in a short internship that either connects to an area of study or helps them understand one of the problems they have posed themselves and are interested in finding answers. Involving students in real-life apprenticeships. Students shadow workers in various jobs or learn skills in a short internship that either connects to an area of study or helps them understand one of the problems they have posed themselves and are interested in finding answers. Using peer collaboration or cooperative learning helps broaden students' understanding of issues and promotes group problem solving. Using peer collaboration or cooperative learning helps broaden students' understanding of issues and promotes group problem solving. Developing integrated curriculum that encourages students to raise issues and concerns and then weaves those thematically into all disciplines Developing integrated curriculum that encourages students to raise issues and concerns and then weaves those thematically into all disciplines

The Adolescent Brain Quiz True or False 3. There is no point in attempting to teach 3. There is no point in attempting to teach adolescents because they just sit around adolescents because they just sit around with their shrinking brains, text messaging with their shrinking brains, text messaging each other or making snide comments about each other or making snide comments about how boring class is and then falling how boring class is and then falling asleep……. asleep…….

Correct Answer is (False) The saying use it or lose it applies to brain growth during adolescence (Casey, 2000). If a teen is doing music, sports, or academics, those are the connections that will be hard wired. If theyre lying on the couch or playing video games or MTV, those are the cells and connections that are going to survive (Spinks, 2002). Teachers need to engage the senses and emotions to gain students attention for learning. Using essential questions to frame the unit, incorporating the senses and emotions to focus the learning, and then facilitating students in finding multiple ways to solve problems can focus adolescent learning while building complex neuron connections within the brain (Kwan & Lawson, 2000).

The Adolescent Brain Quiz Multiple choice 4. Adolescent girls tend to _______ under 4. Adolescent girls tend to _______ under stress. stress. a. perform better than adolescent boys a. perform better than adolescent boys b. perform the same as adolescent boys b. perform the same as adolescent boys c. not perform as well as adolescent c. not perform as well as adolescent boys boys d. become homicidal d. become homicidal

Correct Answer is (c) Exposure to stress seems to have opposite effects on males and females. In females stress tends to inhibit learning, yet it may facilitate learning in males (Woods & Shors, 1998). For all students a physically and emotionally safe environment is essential. Students should find it acceptable to make mistakes or take risks in the classroom (Wolfe, 2001).

The Adolescent Brain Quiz True or False 5. Teenagers are generally bright eyed, alert, 5. Teenagers are generally bright eyed, alert, enthusiastic, pleasant to be around, enthusiastic, pleasant to be around, eager to learn, and a pleasure to teach first eager to learn, and a pleasure to teach first thing in the morning. thing in the morning.

Correct Answer is (probably false) During adolescence changes in the brains biological timing system trigger a shift in sleep patterns. Teenagers brains arent ready to wake up until 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning (Carskadon, 1999). Teenagers need a little over 9 hours of sleep to function well and remain alert during the day. A survey of 3000 teens showed the majority slept only about 7 hours a night, and more than ¼ averaged 6 hours or less. Sleep deprivation leads to decreased motivation, abseentism, inattention, and difficulty controlling emotions and behaviors (Commision on Behavior and Social Science and Education, 2000).