After reading and
pondering the debate about teens lacking adult reasoning capacity, yet being
held to adult consequences, what do you think this means for you as a teacher?
As a future secondary ed teacher, this question has great
relevance for me. I will be working with a group of students who look a whole
lot like adults in terms of their physical development. And they will think of
themselves as adults, craving all the freedom and self-determination that comes
with full maturity. But behind the latest hair style and carefully applied
make-up lies a brain that is still under construction and in fact, is
undergoing the same rate of growth and development as the brain of a 2- to
3-year old. When we consider the
challenges toddlers face with impulse control and emotional regulation, it
helps us understand why our teenagers are so moody, oppositional and impulsive.
It reminds me of one of Bill Cosby’s routines about his children. “WHY did you do this?” he asks of his young
children after one mishap or another. “I
DON’T KNOW!” they wail in return. I
think that perfectly captures the essence of mentoring or parenting our
children at all ages – they really have no idea why they do some of the things
they do. The problem is, at some point, we adults start expecting
adult-appearing teenagers to really think and react like adults… but they can’t. They need us to continue to be patient,
explain what’s happening to them, and guide them through this last phase of
childhood with grace, understanding and dignity.
No comments:
Post a Comment