Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Adolescent Adolescent Brain Brain
DevelopmentDevelopmentUnderstanding Why Your Understanding Why Your
Students Act the Way Students Act the Way They DoThey Do
Presented by: Melissa Sheaffer, Director of Student Services/HS CounselorPresented by: Melissa Sheaffer, Director of Student Services/HS Counselor
The American International School of JohannesburgThe American International School of Johannesburg
ECIS Hamburg Conference, November 2009ECIS Hamburg Conference, November 2009
““Our youth now love luxury. They Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect authority; they show disrespect
for their elders and love chatter in for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; rise when elders enter the room;
they contradict their parents, they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their up their food and tyrannize their
teachers”. teachers”.
Socrates, 5Socrates, 5thth Century B.C. Century B.C.
What is What is “NORMAL”???“NORMAL”???
Range of “NORMAL”Range of “NORMAL”Dr. Jay GeiddDr. Jay Geidd
Neurologist, National Institute of Mental Neurologist, National Institute of Mental HealthHealth
1994-research on adolescent brain1994-research on adolescent brain
THE TEENAGE BRAINTHE TEENAGE BRAINMy brain is going through
very specific stages of development and my
prefrontal lobe areas are not fully formed
Another missing brain part is in my Occipital lobe – it’s the bit that tells me how to read
and interpret certain expressions on people’s
facesI also have an
overwhelming need to feel accepted and identify with like minded people
and this affects how I feel about significant adults in
my life for a while
So I am often in a high intensity gear
and this means I can have really
dramatic responses to virtually
everything! (I have an accelerator but no proper brakes
yet!)
My brain is biologically growing and won’t be
finished until I’m around twenty-five
And when puberty hits me my sleep clock changes
and my body tells me that the best baby making
times are between 10pm and 2am which is why I am
always wide awake then
2am sleep – I need 8 hours of sleep so waking up at 10am is best. 4am deep sleep
starts and 12 hours later is my optimal learning time – 4pm! - shame school is
over by then!
This means my brain processes information and makes decisions in a very
emotional way using primitive parts of my brain which are
not creative or rational!
Also, around the age of 12 my brain goes through a massive pruning process to get rid of
unused brain cells and networks. This means I get
forgetful and can’t remember stuff I used to know
© Annie Hamlaoui 2007
“Teens are navigating a cerebral hurricane without a compass”
Sherly Fienstein
Key Parts of the Key Parts of the BrainBrain
AmygdalaAmygdala emotional brainemotional brain
HippocampusHippocampus encoding new memories/short termencoding new memories/short term
CerebellumCerebellum MovementMovement Coordination of cognitive processesCoordination of cognitive processes
Pre-fontal Cortex (PFC)Pre-fontal Cortex (PFC) CEO of the brainCEO of the brain LogicalLogical Impulse controlImpulse control
Processes of Brain Processes of Brain DevelopmentDevelopment
Myelination Myelination Blossoming and pruningBlossoming and pruning““Use it or lose it”Use it or lose it”The window of opportunity & The window of opportunity &
sensitivitysensitivity
MyelinationMyelination Meylin sheath-along axon in brain cellMeylin sheath-along axon in brain cell Protects neurons from interferenceProtects neurons from interference Speeds electrical impulses (movement of Speeds electrical impulses (movement of
brain processes)brain processes) Increases by 100% from beginning of Increases by 100% from beginning of
adolescents to the endadolescents to the end Stabilizes & secures learningStabilizes & secures learning No myelination=anger outburstsNo myelination=anger outbursts
Brain CellAxon & DendritesAxon & Dendrites
Blossoming & Blossoming & PruningPruning
Brain’s growth spurtsBrain’s growth spurtsPFC involvedPFC involved““Use it or lose it”Use it or lose it”
Pruning due to no myelin on itPruning due to no myelin on it
Critical period in developmentCritical period in developmentExperiences-huge impact on how Experiences-huge impact on how
brain gets wired-brain gets wired- take the shape of the environmenttake the shape of the environment
Dramatic personality changesDramatic personality changes
““Use It or Lose It”Use It or Lose It”““neurons that fire together neurons that fire together
wire together”wire together” Kitten exampleKitten example
Development of Connections Development of Connections for impulse controlfor impulse control
Importance of consequences Importance of consequences & accountability & accountability
The Window of Opportunity & The Window of Opportunity & SensitivitySensitivity
CommunicationCommunication
RelationshipsRelationships
Impulse controlImpulse control
Interpreting Interpreting EmotionsEmotions
AdolescentsAdolescents Use amygdalaUse amygdala
Often Often misinterpret misinterpret emotionsemotions
Leads to Leads to argumentsarguments
AdultsAdults Use PFCUse PFC
Conflict with Conflict with teensteens
Puberty in BoysPuberty in BoysTestosterone-increases 1000% in Testosterone-increases 1000% in
boysboys 20 times more than girls20 times more than girls
Testosterone-stimulates Testosterone-stimulates amygdalaamygdala
INAH-3-larger in boy’s brainsINAH-3-larger in boy’s brains Sexual thought, desire and driveSexual thought, desire and drive
Puberty in GirlsPuberty in Girls Estrogen & ProgesteroneEstrogen & Progesterone
Fluctuate during menstrual cycleFluctuate during menstrual cycle Dopamine, norepinephrine & serotoninDopamine, norepinephrine & serotonin
influence moodinfluence mood HippocampusHippocampus
estrogen & memoryestrogen & memory Puberty earlier=PFC developmentPuberty earlier=PFC development Myelination-faster in girlsMyelination-faster in girls
Less short circuitingLess short circuiting
Why So Tired????Why So Tired????Melatonin-Melatonin-
sleep hormonesleep hormoneTeens need 9.5 Teens need 9.5
hours/nighthours/nightPuberty-surge Puberty-surge
later at night later at night & stops & stops secreting latersecreting later
ProblemsProblemsImpaired memoryImpaired memoryIncrease in Increase in
cortisol=STRESS!cortisol=STRESS!Compromised Compromised
immune systemimmune systemMoodMoodGlucose-weight Glucose-weight
gaingain
Alcohol, Drugs & Alcohol, Drugs & NicotineNicotine
Causes more damage than in Causes more damage than in adult brainadult brain
Interferes with neurotransmittersInterferes with neurotransmittersAlcohol-hippocampus--affects Alcohol-hippocampus--affects
memoriesmemoriesMost smokers--started in teensMost smokers--started in teensWiring your brain to NEED drugsWiring your brain to NEED drugs
Media ConcernsMedia Concerns40 hours/week40 hours/weekInfluences adolescent Influences adolescent
behaviors (smoking, behaviors (smoking, drinking, sex)drinking, sex)
Violent video games-no PFCViolent video games-no PFCLack of exercise-obesityLack of exercise-obesityUnaffected by violenceUnaffected by violence
Teaching Teaching StylesStyles
What’s your Teaching Style?What’s your Teaching Style?
Most of us are a combination….Most of us are a combination….
Which ones resonate most with Which ones resonate most with you?????you?????
The “Hip” TeacherThe “Hip” TeacherTraitsTraits
The hip teacher The hip teacher will do anything will do anything to be liked by the to be liked by the adolescent and adolescent and his/her friendshis/her friends
Wants to be “in” Wants to be “in” on conversationson conversations
Socializes with Socializes with adolescentsadolescents
ResultResult Not respected by the Not respected by the
adolescentadolescent Confusion & mixed Confusion & mixed
messagesmessages Often manipulated by Often manipulated by
adolescentsadolescents Loses discipline and Loses discipline and
the ability to draw the ability to draw necessary boundaries necessary boundaries for healthy adolescent for healthy adolescent developmentdevelopment
The “Funny at all costs” The “Funny at all costs” TeacherTeacher
TraitsTraits Uses sarcasmUses sarcasm Motivation for Motivation for
everything is to everything is to appear funny appear funny
Will embarrass a Will embarrass a student to get a student to get a laughlaugh
ResultResult Feared & Humiliated Feared & Humiliated
by someby some Some students think Some students think
teacher is coolteacher is cool Students start to Students start to
imitate this behavior imitate this behavior Students confuse Students confuse
“laughing” with “laughing” with “learning”“learning”
The “Tough The “Tough Disciplinarian” TeacherDisciplinarian” Teacher
TraitsTraits Expects students to be quiet Expects students to be quiet
and behave at all timesand behave at all times No excuses will suffice for No excuses will suffice for
anythinganything Believes a well behaved class Believes a well behaved class
means learning is taking means learning is taking placeplace
Sends student to the office Sends student to the office on smallest act of on smallest act of misbehaviormisbehavior
Uses yelling and threatening Uses yelling and threatening as a management tool, often as a management tool, often humiliates students in front humiliates students in front of their peersof their peers
Often gets in power strugglesOften gets in power struggles No “developmental” No “developmental”
awarenessawareness
ResultResult FearFear Reluctance to ask for Reluctance to ask for
helphelp Self DoubtSelf Doubt Self destructionSelf destruction Dislike of teacherDislike of teacher Dislike of LearningDislike of Learning Teacher is not respectedTeacher is not respected Believes teacher is unfairBelieves teacher is unfair Afraid to “set off” Afraid to “set off”
teacherteacher Limited learning takes Limited learning takes
placeplace
The “Academic Only” The “Academic Only” TeacherTeacher
TraitsTraits My way or the My way or the
highwayhighway Believes that they Believes that they
are hired to teach are hired to teach content, ignores content, ignores developmental developmental needs of studentneeds of student
““Chalk & Talk” Chalk & Talk” lecture style is the lecture style is the dominate dominate instructional style instructional style
ResultResult Limited learning Limited learning
takes place takes place (doesn’t get past (doesn’t get past knowledge)knowledge)
BoredomBoredom Many students Many students
don’t understand, don’t understand, but don’t know but don’t know how to help how to help themselvesthemselves
The “Pushover” The “Pushover” TeacherTeacher
TraitsTraits No follow No follow
throughthrough No consistent No consistent
guidelines/rulesguidelines/rules No consistent No consistent
consequencesconsequences Classroom is Classroom is
chaoticchaotic
ResultResult More rebellious More rebellious
behavior behavior because deep because deep down they yearn down they yearn for boundaries for boundaries and rules in and rules in order to feel safeorder to feel safe
Limited learning Limited learning takes placetakes place
The “Tired & Neglectful” The “Tired & Neglectful” TeacherTeacher
TraitsTraits Too busy, too Too busy, too
exhausted…exhausted… Knows what’s right to Knows what’s right to
do, but is distracted do, but is distracted other obligationsother obligations
Not enough time or Not enough time or energy to differentiate energy to differentiate or get to know studentsor get to know students
Plans lessons to get Plans lessons to get them out of the way them out of the way without consideration without consideration for student learningfor student learning
Often compensates by Often compensates by becoming a “push over” becoming a “push over” or “tough disciplinarian”or “tough disciplinarian”
ResultResult Student feels teacher Student feels teacher
doesn’t like themdoesn’t like them Afraid to “set off” Afraid to “set off”
teacherteacher Sometimes think they Sometimes think they
are a burden for the are a burden for the teacherteacher
Limited learning takes Limited learning takes placeplace
The “Caring Consistent” The “Caring Consistent” TeacherTeacher
TraitsTraits Does not take adolescent Does not take adolescent
behaviors personallybehaviors personally Understands the difference Understands the difference
between inappropriate behavior between inappropriate behavior and typical adolescent behaviorand typical adolescent behavior
Sees the developmental needs Sees the developmental needs of the MS/HS learner and plans of the MS/HS learner and plans lessons & activities & lessons & activities & assessment in ways they learn assessment in ways they learn bestbest
Demonstrates that we learn Demonstrates that we learn from mistakes, models sought from mistakes, models sought behaviorsbehaviors
Understands job is to teach Understands job is to teach children what they need to children what they need to learn and lessons need to be learn and lessons need to be repeatedrepeated
Provides unconditional love Provides unconditional love while holding adolescents while holding adolescents responsible for actions; is clear responsible for actions; is clear and consistent, and follows and consistent, and follows through on consequencesthrough on consequences
ResultResult Healthy growthHealthy growth Positive Self EsteemPositive Self Esteem Necessary learningNecessary learning Great brain wiring and Great brain wiring and
pruning!pruning! Strong valuesStrong values Responsible Responsible
individualsindividuals
Always Remember:Always Remember:Be consistentBe consistentFollow through with Follow through with
consequencesconsequencesSet limitsSet limitsTake advantage of Take advantage of
“windows of opportunity”“windows of opportunity”Stay SANE!!!!Stay SANE!!!!
References:References:Feinstein, Sheryl. (2004) Feinstein, Sheryl. (2004) Secrets of the Secrets of the
Teenage Brain: Researched-Based Teenage Brain: Researched-Based Strategies for Reaching & Teaching Today's Strategies for Reaching & Teaching Today's
AdolescentAdolescent. California: Corwin Press . California: Corwin Press Walsh, D. (2004). Walsh, D. (2004). Why doWhy do they act that they act that
way?way? New York: Free PressNew York: Free PressWiseman, Rosalind (2002). Wiseman, Rosalind (2002). Queen Bees and Queen Bees and
Wannabes. Wannabes. New YorkNew York: : Three Rivers Press.Three Rivers Press.Frontline: Inside the Teenage Brain. PBS Video Frontline: Inside the Teenage Brain. PBS Video
(2004)(2004)www.rmaybernetics.co brain slide brain slide
www.fotosearch.com brain cell slide brain cell slideAnnieHamlaouiAnnieHamlaoui
[email protected]@btopenworld.com
