TEXTBOOK REFLECTION

Adolescent Development

I.                Intellectual

a.      Piagets Work

                                                    i.     How kids progress from a sensory motor to a concrete stage to a more formal stage

                                                  ii.     One studies show that kids start to change from concrete to abstract at age 10.

1.     Not true for all students

                                                iii.     Other studies from Piaget state that kids change from concrete to formal at age 14.

                                                iv.     We need to think about the questions you are going to ask kids about the books.  If they are abstract you might need to scaffold the information.  Find them a way to get them to be able to answer the abstract questions. 

                                                  v.     We need to know where the kids are in regards to their intellectual level.

II.              Physical

a.      Puberty

                                                    i.     Everyone develops at a different rate, time or way

b.     Look for books that will assure kids about their physical development

III.            Morals

a.      Kohlbergs Theory

                                                    i.     Preconventional

1.     Most kids will operate in this stage. 

a.      Make decisions based on reward and/or punishment

2.     Some adults will also operate in this stage

a.      Ex. Speed Limit

                                                  ii.     Conventional

1.     Follow the rules of society and religion

                                                iii.     Post-Conventional

1.     Recognize the laws but we recognize that humanity; that the life of an individual supersedes the law.

a.      Ex. Civil Rights Era

                                                iv.     How does this play with Young Adult literature?

1.     We look for books as to where kids are and to move them to higher levels.

2.     Look at the needs of our kids

b.     Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy

                                                    i.     From top to bottom

1.     Self-Actualization

2.     Esteem

3.     Love/Belonging

4.     Safety

5.     Physiological

                                                  ii.     Bottom needs to be fulfilled before we can meet the next level.

IV.            Development as a Reader

a.      Unconscious delight

                                                    i.     Associate with series readers or serial readers

                                                  ii.     Series readers is where you read books that are part of a series

1.     Ex. Harry Potter

2.     Twilight

                                                iii.     Serial Readers is where you read books by the same author or genre

1.     All Books by Stephen King

2.     All Mystery Novels

b.     Reading Autobiographical

                                                    i.     Reading about books that deal with characters like us

                                                  ii.     There needs to be diversity in books

c.      Reading for Vicarious Experiences

                                                    i.     Window to the World

                                                  ii.     Readers can experience consequences vicariously through the characters instead of experiencing it themselves.

                                                iii.     Experience a different culture, interest or sport

d.     Read for Philosophical Speculation

                                                    i.     Books will cover ethical issues such as religion, or abortion

                                                  ii.     Helps answer the question “Why am I this way?”

                                                iii.     Examples of Ordinary Everyday life

e.      Read for aesthetic reasons

                                                    i.     For the sheer pleasure and joy of reading

f.      Because it develops Empathy

                                                    i.     Ex.  “I know exactly how you feel”; “I have experienced that”

                                                  ii.     Some experiences are through books because we feel the emotions that the characters are going through in literature.

V.              Developmental Stages – Havighurst

a.      Learning to get along with peers

                                                    i.     Peers shift as we move to adolescent

1.     Look for peers that share the same interests

2.     Possible for someone to say “I Don’t have any friends any more” because rate of change is different for everyone

b.     Easy relationships with the opposite sex

                                                    i.     More aware about the differences between boys and girls

                                                  ii.     More at ease with each other

                                                iii.     Easier to have friends of the opposite sex without being romantically involved

c.      Working for pay

                                                    i.     Kids want to get paid for chores

                                                  ii.     Start looking for work where they get paid

1.     Babysitting

2.     Mowing Lawns

                                                iii.     Because getting paid for work is an early sign of independence

d.     Changing relationships with parents

                                                    i.     Start pulling away from parents

                                                  ii.     Question if they believe in the same things as their parents

                                                iii.     Move 180 degrees difference between parents

                                                iv.     Gradually start moving back closer to the beliefs

                                                  v.     Start asking themselves “What do I believe?  What do I hold to be true?”

e.      Finding a vocation

                                                    i.     Find out what is it that I want to be when I grow up.

                                                  ii.     What am I good at?

f.      Adapting to Physical Bodies

                                                    i.     Adapt to body changes

                                                  ii.     Adapt to growth spurts, to things that make us clumsy.

                                                iii.     Adapt to our big feet and big hands

g.     Defining appropriate sex roles  

                                                    i.     Defined by society

                                                  ii.     Can deal with name calling if kids do not fit into sex roles that society has created

                                                iii.     Expectations on how we are expected to act in society

h.     NO ORDER TO THE STAGES

Reflection:  It was interesting to see the different stages that these kids go through.  Especially how they must confirm to how society expects them to act and behave.  In an era where we are more accepting of homosexuality; students are still being bullied and called names if they are somewhat different.  Finding books for students to read that will show them that they are not alone will be extremely helpful.  It was also a refresher course on the ideas of Piaget and Maslow having studied them during my early education to become a teacher.  This was a great lesson that helped me try to understand what our kids are going through. And if we can help them along the way by finding books where they can identify themselves with the characters; then we are a little bit richer for that experience.