This means that there is added pressure to be looking for and implementing strategies that develop brain activity to reduce negative adolescent outcomes. As a current teacher and Hispanic I understand the extra responsibility teachers have and have had in the classroom. For minorities teachers are expected to do more than just teach, we are being asked to also develop morality and ethics in students. Those aspects of life - in my opinion - are learned mostly at home and are usually implied in the content we provide in the classroom, but those responsibilities are thrust upon educators without much preparation. And being unprepared may lead to just dismissing negative behavior and punishing it because it is easier. However, educators should try to curb it with data driven techniques and strategies at any age for the student.
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteIt is really important for teachers to understand the science behind a teen’s brain. Although teens may feel they are grown up, their brain is not! This helps us to understand why teens do things at time that make no sense at all. As an adult we would not do something they did, but they just do not have the brain development to make the right choices all of the time.
You are so right that many behaviors that have been leaned at home in the past, have not been and often teachers are filling in the gaps for this.
Thanks!