teaching and development from nakkula and toshalis' "understanding youth"

8/19/2019 Teaching and Development from Nakkula and Toshalis' "Understanding Youth"

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Teaching and Development Project

Section One: Aspects of Development

Physical: Adolescents undergo significant physical changes which affect social interactions

Entrance into early adolescence is often accompanied by significant physical changes,

known as puberty. Pre-puberty, there is an equality of physical and emotional between genders.

However, as puberty progresses and students enter full adolescence, males experience increased

amounts of testosterone which leads to height and to muscular strength !, "#$-""#%. &oth

genders reali'e new sexual desires. (hese desires often lead to romantic relationships which are

most likely innocent at early adolescent stages and sometimes lead to sexual intimacy in later

stages. !bviously, this biological shift significantly changes the dynamic between genders. )ome

educators place heavier emphasis on the discovery of sexuality and its influence on social

interactions. *ichael +akkula and Eric (oshalis state, sexual identity development evolves as

adolescents attempt to meet certain aspects of their physiological needs with the complex

interplay of social expectations +(, "$%./

Cognitive: Adolescents demonstrate the ability to make theoretical, cognitive connections

&uilding on the work of psychologist 0ean Piaget, cognitive developmentalist 1aren

&artsch describes the adolescent cognitive sphere in one word2 theoretical +(, 34%.. 5dolescents

craft theoretical interconnections in order to reconcile many different areas of life and growth.

(his ability results in an increased imagination for the future6education, career, family. (his

concern for a future self often leads to a desire for improvement of the current self +(, 34%. (his

theoretical thinking is rooted in assumptions about the way things work6assumptions that are

then tested through real-world, trial-and-error experimentation +(, 7%./ Piaget would place this

theoretical thinking within his fourth stage of development known as formal operations. 5 key

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element of formal operation is experiencing perspective-taking, or the ability to view

perspectives other than one8s own +(, 39%.

Linguistic: Adolescent linguistic ability develops beyond proficiency and into the theoretical

5n adolescent8s increasing ability to think theoretically is mirrored in his:her ability to

approach use and understand language theoretically. 5s a result of both formal instruction and

informal sociali'ing, adolescents should progress linguistically to the point of recogni'ing the

figurative nature of words, including symbolism, metaphor, and hyperbole !, 7$%. (he

understanding of underlying linguistic elements is aided by an increased ability to recogni'e and

utili'e an expansive vocabulary. 5t early adolescence ages $-"7%, students have knowledge of

approximately 9#,### words, many of which relate to specific disciplines6academic or

otherwise !, ;"%.

Social: Adolescents learn best when meaningful social relationships are established

)tudent feedback consistently reinforces that adolescents learn best for teachers who

demonstrate respect and value for their students< teachers who treat their students like real

people/ +(, 9"%. =ev >ygotsky coined the phrase interpsychological development. +akkula and

(oshalis define the concept as, ?each@ individual mind develops within the context of other

minds by which it can be influence/ +(, $%. (he teacher has the ability to set that context while

in the classroom, setting the student up for either success or failure. Aobert )elman asserted that

relationships become developmental learning laboratories in which adolescents experiment with

both egocentric and more accommodating orientation toward others/ +(, $7%. Aelationships,

then, are understood as both the means and the ends of our development/ +(, $%. 5s students

discover who they are and where they fit in society, safe sociali'ation becomes crucial. (he form

of sociali'ation varies based on surroundings. 5s mentioned in the section on physical

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development, inter-gender sociali'ing often becomes awkward and defined by sexual-tension.

Healthy teacher-student sociali'ation is based on respect and careful guidance. Binally,

sociali'ation among friends is often defined by reinforcement of gender norms and increasing

self-identity +(, """%.

Affective: Adolescents more easily relate to those around them as they develop an ability to take

a third-party perspective

5s students enter early adolescence, they experience an increased ability to empathi'e

and to view the perspectives of others. (his experience allows a new level of kinship which

psychologist Harry )tack )ullivan argues is the first appearance of true love. Brom here on,

healthy relationship will no longer be based on a give-and-take system, but on genuine care and

affection +(, 93%.

Moral: Adolescents morally transition as they discover a new self-identity

5s adolescents cognitively explore the theoretically, inevitably relational, faith, and

moral convictions are called into question. =awrence 1ohlberg proposed multiple stages of

morality maturation. Early adolescents usually demonstrate mutual interpersonal relations, in

which moral behavior is anything that pleases, assists, or meets the approval of others/ +(,

7#9%. (his demonstrates the beginning stages of perspective taking by considering the desires of

others in order to determine proper behavior. Eventually, consideration expands to include

societal authority and constructs in the social system and conscience stage. =ate adolescents

begin to develop personal convictions on morality and enter the social contract and individual

rights stage. Here, the student8s self-identity is strong enough to include a personal moral

compass that stays true to internal convictions, regardless of societal standards +(, 7#9%.

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Section To: !mplications for Teaching

Teaching Principle "#: The ability to experience varying perspective allows for accurate

expression in performance of program music affective%

Program music is composed with the intent of communicating a particular narrative or

concept. (his in contrast with absolute music, which is music for music8s sake.% Brequently,

when a new piece of program music is taught in secondary music classrooms, the teacher

explains the narrative or concept in order to evoke playing which corresponds. However, that

process does nothing to encourage perspective taking in adolescents. 5 much more effective

activity is to ask students to listen and:or play the piece and then have them attempt to take the

composer8s perspective by retroactively describing the narrative or concept. Psychologically, this

encourages perspective-taking and relating to others non-verbally. *usically, this activity

provides opportunity for basic analysis using notational contexts such as title, dynamics,

articulations, themes, modes, etc.

Teaching Principle "$: Develop a classroom environment centered on respect social%

Cf students learn best when they feel respected and possess respect for the other party,

then creating an atmosphere of mutual respect should be a priority for any educator. 5s a

performance driven discipline, music lends itself to competition and musicians can easily harbor

negative thoughts toward those who perform at lower levels. *usic teachers need to champion

the right of every student, whether a gifted or a struggling performer, to enDoy the making of

music. (his is accomplished by shifting the daily classroom focus from merely performing music

to enoying music, which everyone can do on a personal level. Ct is also worth communicating,

however, that increased personal enDoyment of music can often be found by performing at a high

level. (his offers incentive for continued growth.

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Teaching Principle "%: !usic is always connected to something greater cognitive%

(eaching music to adolescents is a fantastic opportunity to discuss incredible connective

possibilities of music. 5s student8s grow in their ability to think abstractly and theoretically, they

should be prepared to discuss the intangible effect of music on the persona and on society. Bor

example, an important part of rudimentary musical analysis is asking, How did this music make

me feel/ 5s music moves the soul through emotion, those who experience that movement

together form an invisible bond. 5dolescent students will be more than competent to discuss how

that invisible bond has the potential to shape culture and personal identities6all theoretical

concepts that are grounded in the history of music.

Section Three: &valuation of the 'oo(

Psychological Strengths

5uthored for educators, "nderstanding #outh8s psychological foundation was rather

explicit. (hroughout the book, +akkula and (oshalis frequently cite a variety of developmental

and educational psychologists. (he book takes a definite organismic view with a maDority of the

content building on stage theories from Piaget, >ygotsky, 1ohlberg, Erickson, and

contemporaries of each.

'i)lical Strengths

"nderstanding #outh emphasi'es very clearly the importance of mentoring and

developing the next generation. )cripture provides many great example of mentor relationship

built on mutual respect and the desire to learn from those who possess great wisdom6*oses

and 0oshua, EliDah and Elisha, 0esus and the disciples, Paul and (imothy. (he biblical principle of

learning in community is demonstrated in Ecclesiastes 32$-"#, (wo are better than one, because

they have a good return for their labor2 Cf either of them falls down, one can help the other up.


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&ut pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 5dditionally, the book does a decent

Dob at presenting the benefits of faith as an element in development, particularly on pages 7#4-

7#F. )cripture speaks generally on development in " Gorinthians ";2F, hen C was a child, C

used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child< when C became a man, C did

away with childish things./ (he &ible even provides a picture of 0esus developing through

adolescence, 5nd 0esus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with Iod and men/

=uke 727%. 5ll of these &iblical concepts were supported by the book content.

Psychological *ea(nesses

Cf consistent organismic views are a strength for "nderstanding #outh, then the lack of

any mechanistic views is a weakness. +akkula and (oshalis seemingly failed to acknowledge the

influence of behaviorism and motivational theories on educational psychology. hile there may

be some disagreements with behaviorism, behaviorist principles can be quite useful in helping

people of all ages acquire productive behaviors in classrooms and other settings/ !, "$$%.

!verall, the book seemed to be lacking concrete and practical suggestions for classroom

management. hile social elements are important, they can also easily get out of hand. 5long

the lines of practical application, there also seemed to be a lack of motivational theories, which

can vary even within the adolescent stage. )tudent motivation is reflected in personal

investment and in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement in certain activities/ !,

";F%.

'i)lical *ea(nesses

(he portion of "nderstanding #outh most contrary to &iblical standards was Ghapter $2

Jeveloping a )exual Cdentity !rientation. Bor you may be sure of this, that everyone who is

sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous that is, an idolater%, has no inheritance in the

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kingdom of Ghrist and Iod/ Eph 2%. (he &ible has little tolerance for sexual immorality. Cn

Ghapter $, the authors discuss a variety of topics from sexual desires to pornography to

homosexuality. (he book8s stance on sexual desires was unclear, but the &ible8s stance is

undeniable2 B=EE 7 (im 7277%. Psychological issues resulting from pornography were

discussed, but never any moral issues. Cf one has the view that untamed sexual desires are

acceptable and again the book was foggy%, then it only follows that perhaps pornography is not

the worst thing in the world. 5dditionally, the authors seem to have no concerns about the

morality of homosexuality, despite its obviously counter-&iblical nature.

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Gedarville Kniversity)chool of Education

(eacher Education Program

$ex, %its, and $ocial &espect'

An (valuation of )akkula and Tosalis*s "nderstanding #outh

Presented in partial fulfillmentof the requirements for EJKG-7## Educational Psychology

&y

0onathan *. =yons

&ox L3#F4

+ovember 73, 7#"

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teaching and development from nakkula and toshalis' "understanding youth"

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