In topic 2, we discussed the physical changes adolescents go through when they enter puberty such as the development of secondary sex parts. We also discussed the negative impacts of health choices made during puberty such as making poor food choices, lacking hours of sleep, refusing to exercise and the development of long term stress. In topic 3, we focused our attention on the cognitive development of the adolescent brain and how it compares with the brain of a child. We concluded that adolescents have the ability to think more abstractly, think critically, can either have selective and/or divided attention, and learn to become efficient self-regulated learners. There is a huge overlap and interconnectedness between these two topics. Below are my ideas of their relationship and how they influence or impact each other.

 

According to McMahan and Thompson (2015), adolescents can enter puberty as early as 8 years old up to and including 12. In some rare cases or in less developed countries, teens can enter puberty as late as 16 or 17. Therefore it is difficult to pinpoint an exact age of maturity. In contrast, Piaget argues that children enter the final stage of cognitive development (formal operations) at age 11 or 12. While it may seem plausible to conclude that adolescents experience physical changes simultaneously with cognitive changes, this is not always the case. This raises an important issue because although it is relatively easy for us to visually see physical changes, we are less aware of the cognitive changes. For example, let’s say that a female enters menarche at 9 years old. Her parents, teachers, and peers may begin to treat her differently. Parents may put more responsibility on her, teachers may expect her to think less concretely, and peers could potentially treat her negatively since her body image is no longer the “ideal”. Although her body is screaming “I’ve hit puberty”, cognitively she may not be ready to accept these changes. Her ability to think critically may still be a challenge. Too much responsibility could lead to stress or confusion. It is important to note that these changes do not necessarily occur simultaneously, and we as teachers need to be aware of this. It is also important to note that these changes are ongoing. We need to provide scaffolding to enhance their learning, and be mindful and courteous toward their physical changes.

 

Another important intersection made by these two topics is how the choices an adolescent makes toward their physical health impacts the development of the brain. According to John Medina’s Brain Rules, he speaks on the topics of exercise, stress, and sleep and how they cause potential harm to the brain. For example, he states that exercise improves cognition since it increases oxygen flow to the brain, and it increases neuron creation and resists damage and stress (Brain Rules, 2016). On the topic of sleep, he indicates that lack of sleep hurts attention, executive functions, working memory, mood, and logical reasoning. These are all functions of the brain that are influenced by health choices made my adolescents. It is important to stress a healthy lifestyle and teach students about the implications of their actions.

 

I can influence adolescent development in these areas of discussion by creating a healthy environment in my classroom. Being a professional dancer, I am a strong advocate of exercise and eating healthy. Sitting in a classroom for 90 minutes per lesson is a very long time for students and it is easy for them to lose focus. I would strategically plan my lessons to have at least 3 transitions per 90 minutes. During those transitions, I could have the students get up and walk to a different part of the classroom. I could incorporate “brain breaks”. One of my elementary teachers used to do this with us. She would have us all stand up, do some jumping jacks, touch our toes, walk around, or do any other form of physical activity. This gets the blood flowing and gets the oxygen back into the brain. I could also encourage my students to bring healthy snacks to class. Half way through the lesson I could give them a couple minutes to eat and drink some water. I am also a believer of self-regulated learning. Through getting to know my students, I would begin implementing practices that meet the students’ needs. I could have students put in ear plugs when they are feeling stressed, leave for a 5 minute walk without my permission, or use stress balls to calm down. Self-regulated is a work in progress and will change with each of my students’ needs.

 

Adolescent development will influence me as a teacher since I do not have that much experience working with children. It has been a long time since I reached puberty and although I have been learning about it, working with it will be a different experience. It is important that I stay aware of these physical and cognitive changes. If I have a student having multiple mood swings, it is important that I remain calm, and talk to the student if it becomes a reoccurring issue. It is also important that I do not get frustrated with myself if a student does not understand a concept on the first try. Their brains are still developing and everyone learns differently. It is important that I recognize their zone of proximal development and use scaffolding to help them into the zone of actual development (Vygotsky as cited in Adolescence, 2015). Being reflective on our work and looking to resources for help is the best way for us teachers to manage our stress and be effective in the classroom.

 

Below are some resources I found to help support puberty/health decisions and the brain: