Can Teachers Bridge the Gap Between Teenagers and Their World?
Teenagers are simultaneously unsure of themselves and their place in the world while also compelled to explore and test the boundaries of their social, emotional, and physical space. They live in conflict between fear and caution, pushing away yet needing comfort. They are eager to lead their lives but generally are unsure of themselves, their boundaries, and their comfort zones. Teenagers can share their ideas and feelings about their experiences growing up. They are allowed to share their dreams and their concerns. It's essential to have positive discussions with students about risk-taking behavior and its role in establishing identity. Forward-thinking teachers can provide appropriate and healthy opportunities for risk-taking in schools and classrooms, reducing the likelihood that teenagers seek out more dangerous opportunities outside of school.
Cavanaugh and his colleagues collected 464 short essays written by teenagers in 2005. These essays were all about the experiences, hopes, and worries of young adults they are facing in today's world. The researchers observed a heightened interest in addressing educators regarding issues related to motivation and active involvement in the learning process, surpassing their initial expectations when these essays were analyzed. The researcher's qualitative analysis suggested six themes along three tension axes: fearfulness and risk-taking, boredom and stress, and frivolity and responsibility. The themes offered clear lessons for teachers working in today’s classrooms.
Jessor, Richard Ed, in the field of adolescent risk behavior, presents the most recent ideas and outcomes about various behaviors that can compromise adolescent development, emphasizing new perspectives on development and person-centered analysis.
How can teachers adapt their curriculum to better meet the needs of today’s teenagers?
Teachers should reflect on the findings of this study and engage in personal discussions about how they can improve the structure of a student's school and classroom experience to reduce distractions that hinder academic, psychological, and physical well-being in teenagers.
In the study, 19% of the teenagers chose to write about fear. These essays covered different fears, including worries about the future (such as war and terrorism), fear of financial instability, and concerns about substance abuse. Other fears included physical safety concerns, like gang violence and bullying, and worries about relationships, such as intimacy and abandonment by friends and family. There were also fears about building positive relationships with peers, teachers, and parents.
Risk-taking or risky behavior was a concern for 72% of the participants. It included physical risks like drug and alcohol use, dangerous driving, violent behavior, bullying, and unsafe sexual behavior. Social and emotional stakes in relationships and academic settings were also discussed.
Boredom was a recurring theme in 49 essays. Some essays used words like "bored" and "uninteresting" to describe the school experience. Students wrote about dull and uninspiring teachers in 141 essays. Only 42 students had positive experiences.
In contrast, 89 student essays discussed stress in their lives, which fell into two main categories. The first was stress from social and relationship situations, such as conflicts with parents, teachers, and peers, and pressures from boyfriends and girlfriends. The second category was school-related stress, including workload issues, academic expectations, and post-secondary pressures.
The themes of frivolity (17% of the essays) and responsibility (25% of the essays) were the last two. Frivolity topics centered around shallow accounts of adolescent values, concerns, and aspirations, such as valuing cars, music collections, appearance, clothing, or athletic ability. Some expressed sadness about loving these items and appearance over deeper qualities like personality and empathy. On the other hand, responsibility was a significant challenge for many teenagers, including employment and caring for family members.
Cavanaugh et al. (2005) offered suggestions to address the concerns raised in these essays, tailored for a mixed audience, not just teachers:
Promote positive affect, interest, and motivation in the classroom, not just traditional achievement. Equip new teachers with practical strategies for fostering motivation and engagement while teaching important content.
Educate teachers more thoroughly about adolescent issues, employing case studies instead of traditional theory-driven studies.
Train teachers to use counseling skills and assume a counseling stance with teens who need social and emotional support, not just academic support.
Encourage positive school risk-taking through role-playing, goal setting, and expressing personal opinions.
Foster longer-lasting relationships between teachers and students through creative scheduling.
Challenge stereotypes of teenagers and recognize their efforts to be successful academically and socially.
Allow independent inquiry and self-exploration in the classroom, aligning with content standards.
Reorient schools with an ethic of caring, preparing teachers for the social and emotional work involved in education and their moral and ethical roles in the lives of youth.
These recommendations aim to address the concerns highlighted in the essays and improve the educational experience for teenagers.
What Are Some Preventive Measures and Anticipated Challenges?
Students who often need help with the feelings and thoughts described here may need more mental energy when distracted to do well in their studies. Teachers can help by making a caring and safe classroom where every student can reach their full academic potential. It should be reinforced that having a stable mind, feeling peaceful, and being mentally healthy results in having more mental energy for schoolwork and their adolescent journey.
References
Cavanaugh, S., Girod, M., & Padales, M. (2005). By teens, for teachers: A descriptive study of adolescence. American Secondary Education, 33(2), 4–19.
Jessor, Richard Ed. New perspectives on adolescent risk behavior. Cambridge University Press, 1998.