Adolescence:
Change and Continuity
Adolescence:
Change and ContinuityThe following questions were asked by middle school teachers. There are many different answers possible. These are answers from students in an advanced class in adolescent development. What would you do? If you have responses you'd like to post, send them here.
"I want to use collaborative
learning in my classroom and break the kids up into groups. But the
kids won't talk to each other because they're in different cliques. Why do they
do this? What can I do to get around it?"
One answer . . .
Adolescents are beginning to form their own identity away from their parents. Cliques aid in this new identity in that they provide a group of peers with common interests and values to identify with. The main purpose of these cliques is to provide a stepping stone to form an individual identity separate from their parents. When you mix these cliques, you have put these students in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation. They do not want to interact with other cliques for fear of being judged by the others in their clique. The kids also probably have a great fear of being rejected by their own group and are not willing to take that chance by interacting with other crowds.
One way of overcoming this in the classroom is by keeping them in one large group and beginning a discussion. This can be done by directing questions to students that relate topics in school to experiences in their lives outside of school. This will aid in breaking down barriers and you can slowly move into smaller discussion groups.
It is very important to let them know that they do not have to agree with everyone's values in their new discussion group, but ask them to collaborate on a single, neutral goal. You as a teacher also need to know that it is important not to discourage these cliques, rather encourage outside interactions.
Another answer . . .
Cliques are small interaction-based groups which provide support, intimacy, and independence from family. Cliques naturally form from similar activities and they are important for normal socialization. In the classroom, it's important to identify the cliques which are present and use those individual leadership positions in the classroom.
It would be important to encourage the students to interact as a whole class before breaking them up into groups. Group activities should be gradually introduced. Students should not be allowed to assign themselves to groups because they will only stay within their natural cliques. Leaders of the cliques should be identified, separated, and given responsibilities with the classroom. Giving activity groups, group grades is another way to increase the investment each student has about the class assignment.
And yet a third . . .
Perhaps do a lesson on the clique and crowds research that we recently discussed. This information could be presented in a fun, entertaining, and educational way. One great lesson that I was exposed to in high school was the blue-eyed, brown-eyed experiment where groups were created, friendships were dissolved, etc. Something at this level may also give them a sense of confidence that they can understand concepts that "graduate students" are learning. I think that kids like to know that they are understanding "real world" phenomena, not just textbook stuff. If they understand why they are making these cliques and groups they may see the negative results of excluding people and not learning from others.
One answer . . .
Girls in junior high school have not yet formed a secure self-identity. According to Larry Steinberg, "Many young women feel caught in a bind between pressures to be academically successful and pressures to be popular with peers." Another reason girls might not participate is because of pubertal changes and the increased awareness that they bring to the opposite sex. This might prohibit them from concentrating when the opposite sex is present.
As a teacher you should be aware of the gender socialization that intensifies during the age of early adolescence (puberty). Girls tend to be socialized by more feminine roles like nurturance, passivity, and quiet play, whereas boys are socialized to be more aggressive, and dominant, especially in poverty-stricken communities.
Therefore, there are certain strategies teachers can implement to get the girls more involved in the group work. For example, assign boys and girls together in groups. Within the groups assign specific jobs to each member by certain characteristics (i.e., height, color of shirts, etc.). Also, it is important to implement the self-fulfilling prophecy way of teaching. By expecting a lot the students will learn more and try harder.
And another . . .
Boys are raised to be aggressive and more achievement oriented. Their identity forms through what they achieve or accomplish. It is natural for boys to want to show to others what they know. This also helps in improving their self-esteem by impressing not only the other boys but also the girls in this class.
Girls are raised to be passive and relationship and friendship oriented. They are more self conscious because they mature earlier than boys and have a hard time dealing with these changes. Girls want to do things that are more socially acceptable. Because of this it is hard for them to disagree in a group setting. Girls' self-esteem comes from their status and who they are friends with.
Strategies:
And still another . . .
Maybe the girls could have their own groups and then at the end, all of the groups could present their solutions and the class, moderated by a fair and impartial (of course) teacher, the entire class could come to one unified solution.
"You can see the different crowds you were
talking about in my classroom. The nerds, the jocks, the cool kids. And I can
see that some of the cool kids are really interested in what I've got to say.
They want to ask a question or they've got something to say. But then they do
and their friends start laughing at them and then they're afraid to talk because
it makes of their friends. What should I do?"
One answer . . .
Early adolescents is a time when conformity to your peer group is very important. Younger adolescents care more about what their friends think of them than do older adolescents. Belonging to a crowd becomes less important after early adolescence. This problem may solve itself as these adolescents mature over the year(s). Here are some solutions as the problem still exists:
A second answer . . .
Junior high age kids have very unstable peer groups. It is very difficult to be at the top and even more difficult to stay there. The cool kids in your classroom want to stay cool. They look to other cool kids to find out how to behave so that they can stay where they are. These influences are really strong. If others who they look up to laugh at them when they speak in class, they stop talking because they don't want to turn into a nerd and lose their cool status.
Here are some possible strategies:
One answer . . .
During adolescence many changes take place in an individual. Two of the most notable changes involve identity formation and reference groups. They are going through Erikson's stage of identity vs. identity diffusion. They are trying to establish a meaningful self-concept. They do this by going through a variety of identity formation statuses. In doing this, they must integrate who they were, who they are now, and what they want to be.
Also during this time reference groups and peers have a great influence. They are influenced more by peers and they want to try and act cool because they feel their peers are watching. They want to impress them with behavior in challenging authority, then acting like they don't care if punished. Peer acceptance is more important than adult acceptance in daily issues, such as behaving during class.
One strategy would be to ignore the defiant behavior. Peers then also won't pay attention and reinforce the behavior as well. If the peers aren't watching, then they won't continue.
Another way is to remove the students from the peer group. They can't look cool in front of their peers if they're not in their presence.
A second one . . .
Children of this age are trying very hard to form their own identity. Their classmates and peers have the biggest influence on them. More importantly is how the rest of the class perceives their image. A common theory in developmental psychology is the imaginary audience. This is when the adolescent feels that everyone is watching them and checking them out. By trying to "outcool" one another, they challenge authority...the cool thing to do is be the biggest bad ass.
Don't give in to their disruptive behavior. Don't play their game. Try and incorporate things that interest them (cars, stereos) into daily curriculum. Try and involve parents because home is where the behaviors are beginning.
A third perspective . . .
Students respect teachers who respect themselves. Too often, the problem is with the teacher. The curriculum is often boring, the teacher may be teaching it in a boring manner. More creative materials, bring in things that are important to them and control their behavior by gaining their attention. For instance, have them analyze their favorite song, etc. Write a report about their idol. Something that connects them to their work, and
lets the teacher see who they really are. The big problem is that the students aren't engaged in their work.
One thought . . .
As a teacher, you have the option to do nothing or to make a change. First, try to get to know your student and establish a relationship with her. This shows the student that you care about her and a certain amount of trust exists between you both. Approach her about your concerns without accusing her of anything. Accusing her and judging her may cause her to rebel more and no longer trust you anymore. Suggest some resources that are available to her and her family and approach her about discussing this with her family, with the student involved if she wishes, and see how she reacts. If it is not an option to get her parents involved, suggest school counseling.
A second perspective . . .
Characteristics of adolescents that may lead to this behavior:
Plan
1. Call the parents and ask them to come in for a conference with all of the student's teachers to confront them about the problem.
2. Teacher's job: Get proper resources (AA, Drug & Alcohol Programs) to student. Teacher's job is not to solve the problem but to get help to the child. The resource person's job is actually to find out why this problem is occurring (because of family or peers) and solve the problem.
And a third . . .
The only way that it can get worse is if no services are provided to the child. Either a good program for intervening exists, or the teacher needs to collaborate with another teacher/principal. I think a possibility is a senior year buddy. Where, a senior high school student who is interested in human services works with the principal and the 7th grader and as a team try to work this out. Then, an educator has information from another student who is much more likely to get the real story, get to the bottom of the problem, and serve as a role model.
One thought . . .
Teens often need parental role models. If they are from a single-parent family or from a disengaged, dysfunctional family, they may be seeking attention. This may be positive or negative in nature. When kids bug you to get attention in a disruptive way and you answer them, you are conditioning them to keep up their behavior. Instead of answering this girl's questions during class, you should take her aside privately and explain to her that you do not mind answering her questions as long as it is not on class time. Also, explain to her that she is disrupting the class by doing this when she is supposed to be engaged in other activities. Make sure that you speak to her in a positive manner because you don't want to discourage her from coming to you with her future problems. Additionally, she may see you as an example of what one may attain through education.
The student is probably very concerned about what is going on around her and how it impacts her. For example, when she inquires about the cost of your clothing, she is probably very concerned with monetary value (especially because she is from a low income family).
After speaking with this student, if the behavior still permits, you should ignore it. Even negative reinforcement is reinforcement. In addition, you should reward her for her positive, nondisruptive behavior.
Another thought . . .
Characteristics of Adolescence:
Adolescents are typically exploring themselves and testing boundaries. They are just beginning to develop their identity and learn about themselves. They have many identities to explore, for example, vocational, sexual, etc. In addition, they experience many cognitive and physical changes that affect their ability and willingness to connect with people, especially their peers. Adolescents want to explore these different options and really want to be accepted. They are very curious, and want a role model--someone who they can look up to and admire; someone they want to be like. Rather than establishing their own identity, it is easier for them to adopt someone else's preferences and establish as their own. This is very typical of an adolescent in identity foreclosure.
Why she might be doing this:
She seems to need some attention, maybe she does not get attention at home. She might not have many connections with people (i.e., family members) to base herself on. She might not get a lot of support from her parents, or might not have many friends that she feels she clicks with. Also, her behavior might be techniques she is using to get attention - both yours and her peers.
What to do?
There are a few different ways to approach this matter. Possibly, if you have time, maybe you could schedule time after class to get to know her and understand why she does this. Or, just answer the questions you feel comfortable with to make her feel accepted. Most importantly, don't push her away! When she compliments you on a material item, thank her, but also ask her why she likes them. What exactly does she like about your shoes? Sound silly? Well, by doing this maybe you can help her discover her favorite color. Thus, she will establish her own identity preferences. If she turns the focus back to you, explain to her that what you like is not important. You need to know what she likes to teach her. In addition, establish boundaries. Explain to her that your boyfriend, house, etc., are irrelevant to her education. Furthermore, if she continues to disrupt the class explain to her that you will be forced to take disciplinarian action. Be sure to establish this boundary prior to the violation so she can weigh the consequences. These boundaries are important to establish for your safety as well as her personal benefit.
A third . . .
The girl is looking for answers, so the teacher should talk to her in a hypothetical manner. For instance, "I like your shoes" could be reflected back to the student as, "I've noticed how observant you are about fashion, would you ever consider being a designer?" Or even, "you ask very personal question of a person who is here to listen to you. I'd rather know about where your boyfriend lives." I think that teachers need to keep boundaries from kids. It makes them feel safer knowing someone is looking out for them and that they are still the student.
One perspective . . .
At this stage of development, adolescents are struggling to create their own identity. In doing this, adolescents attempt to become autonomous, and therefore rebel against school, teachers, and any type of authority. In addition, peers are a strong influence on behavior; peers offer positive reinforcement for negative behaviors in a classroom. These children have become immune to punishment. Also, as identities are being formed, constant punishment becomes a part of individual self-concepts, and children begin to see themselves as trouble-makers with no incentive to reform their actions.
Therefore, we suggest varying forms of discipline. For example, instead of directing attention to misbehavior, focus attention on the positive, no matter how small. A reward system will work to make students want to identify with peers who are being rewarded. This will also work to change negative identities to positive ones.
It is also important to assess why they are misbehaving. The teacher can only have control over so much of this. However, assessing the adolescents' interests (i.e., music, drama, group work) incorporating this into lessons could enhance classroom climate and leave less time for misbehavior.
This site was produced by students taking HDFS 433: The Transition to Adulthood and HDFS 239: Adolescent Development at the Pennsylvania State University. Feedback can be sent to the individual authors or to Nancy Darling (darling@bard.edu).
Last updated 4/16/01.