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The Teen Years: Growth and Development• Teenage years are the bridge to
independent adulthood• Children highly anticipate becoming
teens• All areas of growth and development
are significantly interrelated• There is a great deal of variation in the
development of teens
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Objective
• Compare the rate of growth during adolescence to previous periods of development.
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Physical Growth and Development
• Rate of physical growth and development
from ages 13 to 18 are second only to that during infancy
• Puberty begins when the pituitary gland signals the endocrine system to release hormones
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Understanding Adolescent Growth and Development• Growth spurts can cause adolescents to
grow as much as four inches in a year– Significant weight gains increase both
muscle mass and fat tissue.
• Teens may look and feel uncoordinated because of asynchrony
• Hormone shifts trigger sexual development
continued
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Understanding Adolescent Growth and Development• Girls:
– Breast development– Menstruation
• Boys:– Voice changes– Larger gains in height and weight– Broader shoulders, muscle mass
continued
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Understanding Adolescent Growth and Development
• Growth continues after sexual maturity is reached
• The heart doubles in size and lung capacity increases, resulting in greater strength and endurance © Sebastian
Kaulitzki/Shutterstock
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Coping with Physical Changes• Timing is highly individual
– Adults may have unrealistic expectations of early developers, who they perceive as adults
– Late developers feel left behind
• Self-conscious teens imagine everyone is paying attention to them
continued
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Coping with Physical Changes
• Egocentrism causes them to focus excessively on appearance
© stefanolunardi/Shutterstock
continued
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Coping with Physical Changes• Body image is a major concern• Negative body image can lead to
unhealthy habits• Teens may spend a great deal of time
with– diet and exercise– grooming– hair– clothing
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For Reflection
• How might your experiences as an adolescent help you better understand your future teenage pupils?
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Objective
• Analyze the thinking skills commonly required of teens in school.
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Cognitive Development
• Significant changes occur in brain development during the teen years
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Developing Abstract Thinking• Young teens are in the concrete
operational stage• They move into the formal operational
stage• Abstract thinking includes the abilities
to– grasp abstract concepts– think about the future– consider consequences of multiple
potential solutions to problemscontinued
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Developing Abstract Thinking• Abstract thinking includes the abilities
to– figure out why things are the way they are– understand complex math problems– think critically about a person’s own
thinking (metacognition)
• Younger teens still use concrete thinking
• Abstract thinking leads to better problem solving
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For Discussion
• What are some examples of ways you have used abstract thinking today?
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Understanding the Adolescent Brain• The teen years are a window of
opportunity to strengthen neural connections
• This happens through activities that repeatedly stimulate the brain
• Inactivity wastes this opportunity• Brain development may play a
significant role in teen mood swings
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Meeting School Challenges
• Teens learn best through activities linked to real life
• Classes require a rapid pace, more complex learning, and more independent learning
• Multitasking may have a negative impact on students’ academic performance
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Setting Goals for the Future• Students begin to think seriously about
career goals• They begin to understand long-term
effects of their decisions• They may have inflated, unrealistic
plans
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Objective
• Identify the social skills teens need to develop for adult success and devise strategies for teaching one such skill.
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Social-Emotional Development• Teens define their importance as
individuals• Movement toward independence
– increases importance of peer relationships– may put strain on teen-parent
relationships
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For Reflection
• What influences your behavior more: your parents or your peers? Why do you think this is the case?
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Redefining Self
• Teens begin to– question who they are– establish a personal identity independent
of parents
• This includes sexual identity• Adults can reinforce positive self-
concepts• Redefining self continues into early
adulthood
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Moving Toward Independence• Hormones trigger the drive toward
autonomy• Teens also look to adults outside the
family for acceptance and advice• Teens may feel fully mature, but their
confidence may lessen outside of high school
continued
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Moving Toward Independence
• Young teens still need rules and limits
• These are gradually loosened as teens prove they are reliable and trustworthy
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Refining Relationships
• Relationships change significantly during adolescence:– Peer relationships– Romantic
relationships– Family relationships
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Peer Relationships
• For young teens,– popularity is important– mistakes feel like major disasters– it is easier to blame the group instead of
taking personal responsibility– friendships may change with frequency– fads are common
continued
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Peer Relationships
• Older teens– form closer, long-lasting friendships– choose friends based on personality,
character, common interests– may find social acceptance and leadership
opportunities in extracurricular activities
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Romantic Relationships
• Young teens may feel shy and awkward with the opposite sex
• They begin by socializing in groups– Male clusters– Female clusters
continued
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Romantic Relationships
• May be some pairing off, but group dating is common
© oliveromg/Shutterstock continued
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Romantic Relationships
• Older teens may– form couple relationships– decide to delay sexual relationships or
become sexually active– stay in a hurtful or even abusive
relationship
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Family Relationships
• Teen years are difficult for parents and teens© Iakov Filimonov/Shutterstock continued
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Family Relationships
• Teens must learn skills needed to become independent adults
• Parents must gradually give teens more freedom and less supervision
• Parents must balance between needs for safety and independence
• Peers become more influential than family
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For Reflection
• Do you agree that teen years are difficult for parents and teens? How have you overcome difficulties in your family?
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Dealing with Emotional Challenges• Changes result in confusion and
anxiety• Coping methods include
– sports and activities– diaries and journals– developing resilience
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For Discussion
• Discuss examples of how resilience can help teens cope with emotional changes.
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Objective• Identify the impact of various influences that
impact teens’ development of personal values.© Konstantin
Sutyagin/Shutterstock
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Moral Development
• Teens move from concrete to abstract thinking– They begin to think in terms of being
morally wrong instead of the consequences of punishment
– They may see moral decisions in all-or-nothing terms
– Older teens are often idealistic and concerned with their impact on the world
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Establishing Personal Values• Teens must decide for themselves
what type of people to be• They may question existing values,
reexamining parents’ and society’s beliefs, rules, and laws
• Teens develop more empathy and satisfaction in helping others
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Understanding Risk-Taking Behaviors• Teens often have a feeling of
invincibility• High-risk behaviors give teens a feeling
of independence and control• Brain development that regulates
judgment and self-control may not yet be complete
continued
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Understanding Risk-Taking Behaviors• Other characteristics associated with
high-risk behaviors include– low self-esteem– struggles in school– negative peer influence– lack of parent-teen communication– lack of parental supervision
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For Discussion
• Have you ever experienced a feeling of invincibility? Why do you think this was the case?
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Key Points• Physical changes during puberty can
be difficult for teens to handle• Teens begin abstract thinking• Social-emotional development is
especially challenging as teens become independent
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Review• What is metacognition?thinking critically about a person’s own
thinking• ____ is independence that includes
personal responsibility and decision making.
Autonomy
continued
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Review• Why is resilience a positive way of
coping?It helps teens bounce back after a defeat
or setback.• What characteristics are associated with
teens who are likely to engage in high-risk behavior?
low self-esteem, struggling in school, negative peer influence, low parent-teen communication, lack of parental supervision