Adolescent Growth and Adolescent Growth and DevelopmentDevelopment

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Who is Today’s Adolescent?Who is Today’s Adolescent? 10% of total population is in the 12-17 10% of total population is in the 12-17

age group.age group. Ethnicity:Ethnicity:

65% White65% White ∎∎ 15% African-15% African-AmericanAmerican

16% Hispanic16% Hispanic ∎∎ 4% Asian 4% Asian 1% Native American1% Native American

Poverty LevelsPoverty Levels 18% live in poverty18% live in poverty 35% of African-American and Hispanic live 35% of African-American and Hispanic live

in povertyin poverty

Who is Today’s Adolescent?Who is Today’s Adolescent? Parental SituationParental Situation

68% live with two parents68% live with two parents 23% - mothers only23% - mothers only ∎ ∎ 4%- fathers only4%- fathers only 4% neither father or mother4% neither father or mother >50% African American youth: mother only>50% African American youth: mother only

Health IssuesHealth Issues 81% are in good health81% are in good health

Community ServiceCommunity Service 31% volunteer for community service31% volunteer for community service

Who is Today’s Adolescent?Who is Today’s Adolescent?

Audio entertainmentAudio entertainment Television habitsTelevision habits CarsCars FashionFashion Hair and HatsHair and Hats Tattoos and Body Tattoos and Body

PiercingPiercing MusicMusic

Importance of Getting To Know Importance of Getting To Know StudentsStudents

Teachers who are familiar with student Teachers who are familiar with student characteristics have a considerable characteristics have a considerable advantage in planning their teaching.advantage in planning their teaching.

Educational programs must consider:Educational programs must consider: Common characteristics of studentsCommon characteristics of students Significant differences among studentsSignificant differences among students Social forces that affect studentsSocial forces that affect students

Physical Growth and Physical Growth and DevelopmentDevelopment

Boys and girls are taller, heavier and Boys and girls are taller, heavier and mature earlier than ever before.mature earlier than ever before.

Adolescents differ widely in physical Adolescents differ widely in physical growth, body build and physical capacity.growth, body build and physical capacity.

Significant physiological differences exist Significant physiological differences exist between genders and within each between genders and within each gender.gender.

Boys and girls of the same age differ in Boys and girls of the same age differ in rates of maturation.rates of maturation.

Intellectual DevelopmentIntellectual Development Today's youth are better informed.Today's youth are better informed. The wealth of information and The wealth of information and

choices available to teens may cause choices available to teens may cause confusion in processing information confusion in processing information and making decisions.and making decisions.

The number of learning disabled The number of learning disabled students has increased dramatically.students has increased dramatically.

Social DevelopmentSocial Development Adolescents change social interaction patterns Adolescents change social interaction patterns

and challenge parental and authority roles. and challenge parental and authority roles. Peer approval is more important Peer approval is more important Adolescents need to learn to accept Adolescents need to learn to accept

responsibility for their actions.responsibility for their actions. During mid-adolescence, boys and girls During mid-adolescence, boys and girls

mature at different rates.mature at different rates. During late-adolescence, teens become During late-adolescence, teens become

more accepting of others, despite more accepting of others, despite differences.differences.

Emotional DevelopmentEmotional Development

Students need to build and maintain feelings Students need to build and maintain feelings of personal worth and belonging.of personal worth and belonging.

They struggle with appearance, hormonal, They struggle with appearance, hormonal, personality, and mood changes.personality, and mood changes.

They try to establish independence while They try to establish independence while maintaining adult approval and affection. maintaining adult approval and affection.

Youth try on different personalities to find Youth try on different personalities to find one that suits them.one that suits them.

They are concerned about social injustices.They are concerned about social injustices.

Implications of Student Implications of Student Differences for TeachingDifferences for Teaching

Knowing individual differences helps Knowing individual differences helps teachers individualize instruction.teachers individualize instruction.

Students in one grade level may be Students in one grade level may be as much as 11 months different in as much as 11 months different in age, not counting older students who age, not counting older students who have been held back.have been held back.

The trend is toward inclusion and The trend is toward inclusion and acceptance of all students.acceptance of all students.

Implications of Student Implications of Student Differences for TeachingDifferences for Teaching

Motor ability factors predispose students Motor ability factors predispose students to success in different activities (agility, to success in different activities (agility, balance, coordination, flexibility, balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, speed).strength, speed).

Programs should include a variety of Programs should include a variety of activities so students will find something activities so students will find something commensurate with their abilities and be commensurate with their abilities and be challenged to extend their abilities.challenged to extend their abilities.

Meeting Student NeedsMeeting Student Needs Students learn best when:Students learn best when:

learning involves doing.learning involves doing. learning is reinforced by success or learning is reinforced by success or

positive feedback.positive feedback. a variety of meaningful experiences a variety of meaningful experiences

are provided at appropriate levels are provided at appropriate levels for students.for students.

learning is connected with previous learning is connected with previous knowledge.knowledge.

Students choose how to learn and Students choose how to learn and demonstrate the products of demonstrate the products of learninglearning

Individual differences are Individual differences are respected and valued.respected and valued.

Focus on what students Focus on what students cancan do. do.

Equal educational opportunities Equal educational opportunities require different treatments to meet require different treatments to meet differing needs of students.differing needs of students.

Eliminate embarrassment and Eliminate embarrassment and failure.failure.

Choosing teamsChoosing teams

Elimination gamesElimination games

Grading policiesGrading policies

Build ego-strengthBuild ego-strength(self-concept)(self-concept)

Listen to students.Listen to students. Learn names and pronounce them correctly.Learn names and pronounce them correctly. Learn about students--cultures, interests.Learn about students--cultures, interests. Give leadership opportunities.Give leadership opportunities. Provide success in skill performance and Provide success in skill performance and

fitness activities.fitness activities. Compliment students when deserved and Compliment students when deserved and

appropriate.appropriate.

Ability group for mastery Ability group for mastery teaching and student success.teaching and student success.

Success builds self-esteem.Success builds self-esteem.

Success encourages attempting of Success encourages attempting of new skills.new skills.

Success elicits greater effort.Success elicits greater effort.

Alter and adapt.Alter and adapt.

Modify activities.Modify activities.

Emphasize cooperation.Emphasize cooperation.

Capitalize on students' strengths.Capitalize on students' strengths.