Child Development
Adolescence is an important time developmentally for students. The characteristics below are offered only as a reference to give you a better understanding of your child. Feel free to contact your pediatrician if you have any questions.
Physical Characteristics
- Girls are often taller and more physically advanced than boys in the earlier stages of adolescence.
- Incommensurate growth of heart and body weight may result in functional heart murmurs. ß
- Uneven bone-muscle growth and/or disproportionate changes in weight and muscle development result in awkwardness.
- Cartilage in certain skeletal areas (e.g., tailbone) hardens.
- Sexual maturation often occurs.
- Periods of extreme restlessness alternate with fatigue.
- Chemical and hormonal imbalances often occur.
- Rapid growth results in increased nutritional demands.
- Physical movement, rest, and change of activity are all necessary. Intellectual Characteristics
- Enjoys both intellectual and manipulative activities
- Prefers active involvement in learning ß Motivated to learn when lessons are related to immediate goals and interests
- Argues to clarify own thinking and to convince others
- Possesses a vivid imagination
- Exhibits independent, critical thinking
- Forgets easily because his/her mind is so preoccupied with other issues
- Sees relationships among similar concepts, ideas, and experiences and makes inferences
- Seeks to find causal and correlative relationships
- Begins to understand abstract ideas (but research indicates that many remain in concrete operations stage)
- Makes personal-social concerns a priority over academic matters
- Likes to discuss experiences with adults
- Shows intense curiosity about the world and him/herself
- Forms long-lasting attitudes about learning
- Begins thinking about own thinking (metacognition) Social Characteristics
- Desires to make personal choices
- Desires social acceptance
- Seeks peer relationships in order to conform to group norms
- Has more interest in relations with the opposite sex, but same sex friendships dominate
- Strives to define sex role characteristics
- Vacillates between desire for regulation and direction and desire for independence
- Wants identification with adults but not always willing to accept their suggestions
- Shows concern for oppressed groups
- Shows willingness to work and sacrifice for social rewards
- Tests limits of acceptable behaviors
- Needs frequent reinforcement that significant adults including parents care
- Diminishes family allegiances and strengthens peer allegiances but still strongly dependent upon parental values
- Is frightened by new settings, including school
- Easily loses track of time
- Likes fads, especially those shunned by adults
- Needs moderate amounts of time alone, in order to regroup and reflect on daily experiences
- Feels vulnerable to social inequities Emotional Characteristics
- Relates self-esteem and self-concept to degree of physical development
- Questions whether he or she is normal as related to physical appearance and development
- Begins to deal with and understand nuances and “shades of gray”
- Experiences simultaneous emotional conflicts
- Exaggerates responses to anything with sexual implications
- Seeks to sort fact from folklore in regards to sexual development
- Desires attention, sometimes without regard to how it is secured
- Shifts moods rapidly
- Can become rebellious toward adults “The Young Adolescent Learner” 5
- Is easy to offend, sensitive to criticism
- Believes adults do not understand
- May be inconsiderate of others
- Shows optimism, hope for the future ß Displays prankish sense of humor
- Values direct experience in participatory democracy
- Observes flaws in others easily but slow to acknowledge own faults
- Believes personal problems, experiences, and feeling are unique to self
- Searches for the answer to “Who am I?”
References
Alexander, William M. and Paul S. George. The Exemplary Middle School. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers, 1993. ISBN: 0030768446. California State Department of Education. Caught in the Middle: Educational Reform for Young Adolescents in California Public Schools. Sacramento, CA: Author, 1987. Lounsbury, John H. “Understanding and Appreciating the Wonder Years.” National Middle School Association Web Site www.nmsa.org 2000. National Middle School Association. This We Believe...and Now We Must Act. Westerville, OH: Author, 2001. ISBN: 1560901675. National Middle School Association. This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents. Westerville, OH: Author, 2003. ISBN: 156090142X. Wilson, Lucinda M. and Hadley Wilson Horch. “Implications of Brain Research for Teaching Young Adolescents.” Middle School Journal 34.1 (September 2002): 57-60