Teenager's Theory in the Firts Classes

     

Teenager's Development 

Adolescence is a period of changes in physical, psychosocial and cognitive development that occurs in both boys and girls. During the adolescence teenagers develop the capacity to act more mature but in other cases, teenagers have different problems with food, drugs, behavior etc.

First, I would like to share what I knew and believed before I watched videos and read the article. Somethings that I knew is body’s changes. I thought that every teenagers change at the same ages but I discovered that the genetics to everyone is different. They get shameful when somebody sees the changes. Also, when teenagers do not know about going on with their bodies and many of them get afraid. In the other hand, there are teenagers that know what's going to happen with the teenager’s period. Moreover, I believed that teenagers never take care about decision because they think that they are in this period of their life. They believed that they can do whatever they want. In this age, I supposed that teenagers are enjoying the best period of life. Finally, I knew that friendship do not affect your personality but in some cases, adolescences are influenced. 

Physical Development 

I have learned about physical development in teenagers, they have similar and different changes in the part or their body. Girl’s changes: Height growth, growth of pubic hair, grow breasts, widening hip, eating disorder, menstruation, etc. According to American Psychological Association stated “Research findings suggest that adolescent girls who are unprepared for the physical and emotional changes of puberty may have the most difficulty with menstruation” (p.7).  It means that teenagers have to be prepared because they won’t feel comfortable with the changes. Parents have an important part in physical development. They have to explain before beginning an adolescence. Thereby, they will comprehend  the  future changes.

Boy’s changes: Height growth, growth of pubic hair, voice changes, growth shoulder, stronger, etc. I remember that the video “Adolescence: Crash Course Psychology #20” said that teenagers spent energy at night doing other activities because a part of the brain is not fully development.  This part is “Prefrontal Cortex”. At the age of 25 years old this part is fully. 

Cognitive Development 

Also, I have learned about the cognitive development in teenagers. It includes the ability to reason effectively, problem solve, think and reflect, and plan for the future. Piaget describes the individual development in four stage: Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational and formal operational. The last one is related to teenagers.  It is the stage of reasoning and they have the ability to use logic.

The video “The teenage Brain Explained” explain that “adolescences could be especially important time to use your brain”. This means that is the age where you learn more and fast. For example play an instrument, practice sports, learn a language, etc.  

In addition, teenagers have more reasonable thinking because some of them are mature and they analyze better the situation to take good decision.  This is possible for the Limbic Area, teenagers make decision commonly than the prefrontal cortex.

Phycosocial Development

At last, I have learned psychosocial development. It is the interaction that adolescents have with friends, family, community. In this process adolescences want to imitate friends and famous people. For instances, the way that they dress, act and look and for this reason they cannot find their self-personality. Furthermore, I saw the videos and I have learned the 8 stages of progressive psychosocial development. The most interesting point was the stage number 5 “Adolescence” and the issue is identity vs role confusion. Erick Erickson said that the adolescents should determine their own sense of self and ask the question who am I? But many of them experience confusion. American Psychological Association expressed that “Another theory stresses that many of these risk behaviors occur in a group context and involve peer acceptance and status in the group” (p.30). It means that many time, teenagers all the things that their peers do all thing that  their peers say (drink, smoke and sex) to be accepted in the group. I consider that some of them have not the same risk behavior because they think in the consequences.
 

Conclusion 

As a conclusion, teenagers are creative, spontaneous and rebels. Now, I understand more this period.  I learned that teenager have different physical, cognitive and psychosocial development. I think to teens is a little bit difficult to accept all the changes. As teachers, we can be positive influence in their life and have confident attitude. When physical development is coming, it is difficult that teenagers participate in all the activities that the teachers have planning and for this reason, I think is important the communication T-S. In addition, we can use learning strategies actively engage students to achieve challenges. It help them to activate the brain, feel comfortable and create a social environment in classes. Moreover, the materials are very important because we have to take in account the capacity, interest and attitudes according to cognitive development. As a future teachers, we have a big challenge teaching to teenagers but we can do it.