1. COFFEE WITH THE COUNSELORS WHY DO THEY ACT THAT WAY?

2. APPETITE FOR DANGER

3. LACK OF COMMON SENSE

4. SOCIAL AGGRESSION

5. IDENTIFY FORMATION

6. DID YOU KNOW? The brain is fully developed by age… 25 Kids experience a second surge in brain growth during… Puberty (ages 12-18 is a vulnerable period in the brain)

7. FACTORS INFLUENCING TEENS Volatile emotions Complex social networks Who to respond to drugs and alcohol Figure out their own values Renegotiate relationships with peers Get good grades in school They have to figure out how to get enough sleep Plan for their future

8. SCENARIO Consider this : Sarah is a 7 th grade student at Raney Intermediate School. She stayed up late last evening snacking in her room while reading and sending text messages to her friends. In school the next day one of her friends, Emily, told her to “mind her own business” and she couldn’t believe what she had heard. She quickly lashed out and told her to “shut her trap.” She then went to her next class and told 3 other girls that she couldn’t stand Emily and shared a personal secret that Emily had shared the night before. Her teacher reprimanded her for disrupting the class and by the end of the day all of her friends were mad at her. She forgot her books at school and couldn’t remember what homework she had. When she got home from school her mom asked how her day was she told her it was terrible and she hated school because all of the girls were so mean.

9. ADOLESCENCE BEGINS AT PUBERTY AND ENDS….SOMETIME Adolescence is not childhood, and it is not adulthood. It is the period in between these two stages of life The brain goes through its final stage of development during adolescence It begins around 11 or 12 and lasts about 15 years Adolescent behavior is directly linked to the changes happening in the brain

10. BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT Challenge #1 Girls Boys Growth spurt 10-12 12-14 Onset of puberty 10-12 11-13 Early maturation 7

11. 4 KEY PROCESSES OR FACTORS IMPACT THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN Use it or lose it * Soft Wiring and hard wiring * Experience Blossoming and Pruning Happens twice in ones lifetime (once at age 2 during language acquisition, 2 nd time during adolescence) Overproduction of neurons Eventually creates understanding of abstract concepts Windows of Sensitivity Windows of Opportunity

12. SHARE “BRAIN BASED” CONNECTIONS: TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR How does this brain based learning apply to Sarah’s scenario? Have you ever witnessed your adolescent trying to navigate their own “million way map?”

13. BOTTOM-LINE Adolescents do not have the ability to control impulses and understand cause and effect in the same way that is possible for a mature adult Puberty gives adolescents a body that looks like an adult and a brain that goes through wild emotional swings and powerful surges Parents must be the mature, “substitute,” pre-frontal cortex for their developing adolescent Clearly stated rules and parental discipline will help keep an adolescent’s behavior from becoming destructive to the family, themselves, and other

14. PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX VS. AMYGDALA The pre-frontal cortex is the “executive center” of the brain Its job is to think ahead about consequences and to plan In an adult brain, it controls impulse control Studies show that the pre-frontal cortex is not fully developed until the mid-twenties The amygdala is the seat of fear and anger, or the fight-flight response Adolescents use the amygdala to interpret facial expressions and read emotions Adolescents read emotions with a gut reaction

15. AMYGDALA AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT For example, brain research shows that adolescents see anger when shown a picture of a face showing an expression of fear or surprise or sadness or worry Misreading emotional cues can lead to real communication problems Adolescents overreact because their brain misinterprets a comment as a threat or insult These emotional responses can push the adult’s button (parent, teacher, etc.) who also becomes upset This can very quickly turn a comment into a situation that spirals out of control and leads to hurt feelings

16. COMPLEX PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL WORLD Rapid physical changes such as growth spurts, voice changes, hair growth, skin problems, body development Changes in intensity, stability, and explosiveness of their emotions The shift of influence from parents to peers The search for identity

17. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS

18. WHAT CAN I DO TODAY, NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH Have clearly stated rules and expectations Keep “cool” because it’s a lot harder for the adolescent brain to “be reasonable” Remain calm and rational during communication situations Clearly spell out feelings to help adolescent understand correct interpretation Help adolescent understand the importance of getting enough sleep After 9pm: no high sugar beverages, limit time watching TV, limit time playing video games

19. WHAT CAN I DO TODAY, NEXT WEEK, NEXT MONTH Provide constant support and guidance Remain involved in your adolescent’s lives, it’s not butting in, but pouring in love and guidance to protect their future hopes, health, and happiness Talk with your adolescent about peer pressure and how to manage it Encourage them to make independent decisions