Teenagers: Is anyone in there????

TIRP 11/6/10

The answer to:• “What were you thinking?”

• “Why in the world did you think that was an OK thing to do?”

Girls Take the Lead• The frontal lobes of girls

mature faster than those of boys during puberty. (Sowell et al., 1999).

• This lets girls “connect the dots” better than boys. While female brains maturebetween 18 and 25, it takes boys longer (age 20-28) to catch up to girls’ brain development.

“Brain Damage”

• Bill Cosby

Are today’s kids brains different?

• Read the handout- look up when finished.

• Find a partner at least 2 rows away and sit.

• Discuss and agree on the 5 statements that you think are having the biggest impact in your classrooms.

Brains areVulnerable

• We know that brains absorb positives. It quickly learns brand new languages, picks up culture and the family’s experiences.

• But this same brain also absorbs negatives.It absorbs toxins, mixed messages, apathy, problems fear, anger, threats or violence.

Begin with Prior KnowledgeBegin with Prior Knowledge

Let’s figure out what we

already know about

teen behavior.

Beliefs about Teens

1. T F Peers influence how kids turn out more than parents

2. T F Birth order plays a significant role in teen behavior

3. T F Teens learn how to behave by watching parents

4. T F Teenagers lying is a direct result of bad morals or lack of ethics.

5. T F The content of what teens learn is mostly irrelevant outside the home

Beliefs about Teens 6. T F Extreme positive parenting may help a

very troubled kid succeed7. T F The teen brain is like an adult’s, but with

much less experience8. T F The relationship with their parents

influences teen behaviors9. T F Terrible parents may turn a normal kid

into a delinquent10. T F The correlations between behavior at

home and behavior outside the home are very large and statistically significant.

Quiz Answers

1. T F… Peers influence how kids turn out more than parents-- YES…After age 5

2. T F… Birth order plays a significant role in teen behavior-- Controversial-mixed studies

3. T F… Teens learn how to behave by watching parents -- Most parents do things teens don’t

4. T F… Teenagers lying is a direct result of bad morals/ethics-- Often it’s a typical teen brain.

5. T F… The content of what teens learn is mostly irrelevant outside the home-- Most schooling

offers little to teenage lives except voc/ed.

Quiz Answers 6. T F… Extreme positive parenting may help a very

troubled kid succeed-- Yes, it can and does.7. T F… The teen brain is like an adult’s, but with

much less experience. Different in many ways.8. T F…The relationship with their parents

influences teen behaviors.-- In narrow areas.9. T F… Terrible parents may turn a normal kid

into a delinquent-- Only the bottom 25%.10. T F… The correlations between behavior at

home and behavior outside the home are very large and statistically significant-- No way.

Common Conflict areas between teens and teachers

Teacher issues Teen issues

Unfinished work vague directions

Bullying boring lessons

Tardiness/truancy failure as a threat

Lying/cheating inconsistency

Attitude/inattention “they don’t listen to me”

“Why do I need this?” “Why do I need this?”

Story Time!

• Look over the 6 areas of concern (complaint) teens have about their teachers.

• What one complaint do you think your students might have about your class that is valid?

Story time part 2

• Form groups of 3 or 4 using your number cards. If you are an even number, you must be in a group of other “evens”, odds with odds.

• Find a comfortable place to STAND and take turns briefly sharing your teen complaint. Brightest colored shirt goes first.

• Listeners will ask a question or offer suggestion.• I will signal “30 Sec” with one whistle and “time to

stop” with 2 whistles.

Old Paradigm: Little to Big Brains New Paradigm: Predictable Periods of

High Vulnerability (0-5 and 12-18)

Overview of Teen Brain:5 Behavior-Related Features

• Vulnerability to stress, rewards or risky behavior

• Greater sensitivity to rewards but less awareness

• Lessened ability to read or manage emotions

• Fuzzy brain is sleepy and weak at spontaneous problem-solving skills

• Poor at future orientation

Teen Brain Issues

#1:Vulnerability to stress, rewards or risky behavior

Coping Strategies

• Drugs, alcohol, smoking

• Antisocial behaviors

• Eating disorders

• Depression, suicide, cutting

• Lying

• Denial

Perry, B. (1997) and Surgeon General Report (1999)

What do adolescents worry about?(Stressors)

• Schoolwork and tests

• Strained relationships with parents and peers

• Pressure for good college/good job

• Money

• Insecurity about appearance and physical development

• Global issues

• Concern about future

Stressors continued

• Individual crises

– Death of a friend/family member or poor health

– Poverty

– Discrimination

– Family violence

– Divorce/separation

Vulnerability to Stress, Rewards or Risky Behavior

Compared to any other age group, teens have a greater vulnerability to the challenges of:

•Stress, pressure and anxiety

•Drugs and medications

•Reward-type behaviors

(gambling, smoking, racing,sex, foods, screen time, etc.)

Teens and Drug Abuse:Using Ecstasy as an Example

Research Tells Us Drugs Do Long Term Brain Damage

Note damage to serotonin neurons years after ecstasy abuse

Examples of Vulnerability

If a teen and an adult, age 30, both experienceddrugs for the first time, the odds are much greaterthat a teen would become addicted to them (ecstasy, cigarettes, alcohol or meds). Stressed teens are more likely to become depressed or use drugs. This is a risky time of life!

The Results… Teens have the

highest risk of any age group for:

• Head injuries

• Drug usage

• Car accidents

• Unsafe behavior

• Depression

What does Dr. Phil say? Teen: Texting and Driving

Teens Lead All Age Groups With Cases of Depression

The #1 most idiotic thing I

ever had a student do.

Stop-N-Think

• Stop #1 What have you learned so far that you can put to use in your teaching?

Teen Brain Issues

#2:Greater sensitivity to effects of stress,drugs and rewards but they have muchless awareness that it’s happening

Sensitivity to RewardsSensitivity to Rewards

• Greater sensitivity to rewards but less awareness of the effects of any substance.

• This means a teenager who smokes dope, uses crack or drinks alcohol needsmore to feel the same effect.

• But their body is being affected MORE than an adult’s body.

• This can create catastrophic risks.

Teens Seek Novelty (green) before their Built-in “Brakes” (frontal lobes) are Ready

Question: Is the teen brain closer to that of an adult or a 3 year old?

Teenage Risky Behaviors…“We Won’t Get Caught”

• Unauthorized Parties• Sneaking Out Late• At the Wrong Places• Driving Fast• Using Drugs/Alcohol• Accepting “Dares” • • Seeing Forbidden Others

Resistance to Peer Pressure Grows with Age…Early Teens Especially Vulnerable

Marijuana is #1 Illegal Drug

for Teens 13 and Older (alcohol is #1 legal drug)

Changing Brains• Gray matter (brain cells) thickens

first (between ages 11-13) and later thins (reduces 7 to 10%) between the ages of 13-20. There’s a growth spurt of gray matter in the teen brain. (Paus et al., 1999).

• Electrocortical evidence indicates that a wave of synaptic proliferation occurs in the frontal lobes around the age of puberty onset. This may account for the “fog” of the teen brain. (McGivern et al. 2002)

Think Legos, not LegolandThink Legos, not Legoland• Teen brains often Teen brains often

overproduceoverproduce synapses, synapses,causing slow andcausing slow andfrustrating decision-frustrating decision-makingmaking

• Frontal lobes are still Frontal lobes are still very immaturevery immature

• Certain areas are Certain areas are growing very rapidlygrowing very rapidlybut are unconnectedbut are unconnectedTeens are often in a

developmental fog

Use it Or Lose It

• Get into groups of 3 by your number cards (one group is 1,2,3 next group is 4,5,6 etc. Hint: #1,4,7,10,13,16,19, 22, 25, 28, 31 are looking for the next two higher numbers)

• The “middle” number in each group will pick up handouts for everyone.

Use it or Lose It con’t• There are 3 main paragraph. Assign those

paragraphs by number card order.

• Everyone in group silently reads article.

• For your assigned paragraph create 1 question you would like to ask the others.

• Ask questions in order.

1 train whistle means 30 sec. left

2 train whistles, time to stop

Inside the Teenage Brain

• The Wiring of the Adolescent Brain

Video clip

Teen Susceptibility to Age-related Risks

• Teens are particularly susceptible to the risky Teens are particularly susceptible to the risky extremes of novelty. Novelty juices up their extremes of novelty. Novelty juices up their unstable systems with brain chemicals like unstable systems with brain chemicals like dopamine and noradrenaline. dopamine and noradrenaline.

• They choose short-lasting, immediate rewards They choose short-lasting, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards. Their under-over larger, delayed rewards. Their under-developed frontal lobes play a significant role in developed frontal lobes play a significant role in reckless behaviors.reckless behaviors.

Stop-N-Think

• Stop #1 What have you learned so far that you can put to use in your teaching?

Teen Brain Issues

#3:Lessened ability to read or manage emotions

1 in 12 High School SeniorsFaces Serious Distress

The Teenage Emotional “Stew”

• Emotions are essential to learning, and teens are still learning how to understand

and manage emotions.

• They are poor at reading emotions, and weak at selecting the right friends.

• They often can’t read sarcasm, nuances or hints very well or get their mind outside their own world of feelings.

Inside the Teenage Brain

• “You Just Don’t Understand”

Video clip

When Teens Get Depressed, When Teens Get Depressed, Affected Brain Areas Hurt Affected Brain Areas Hurt Cognition and MemoryCognition and Memory

Teen Report on Their DepressionHighlights Magnitude of Stressors

Depression and Drug AbuseCorrelated at Ages 12-17

Teens and SuicideNearly 2 million

adolescents in the U.S. each year attempt

suicide, and almost 700,000 receive

medical attention for their attempt. From

ages 10-24, every year the risk increases. (AACAP, 2001).

The Emotional Brain

In the mature brain, more of our everyday decisions are a result

of many integrated areas. In the teen brain, many

decisions are made by an instant unfiltered reaction

from the amygdala, shown on the right.

Hypothalamus/Amygdala driven individuals:

– Male (males have larger hypothalamus and, in general, are more driven by it)

– Hypothalamus knows 3 words: eat, kill, sex (Robert Sylwester)

– Biggest reason for HDI is the way brain functions: thoughts fire neuron pathways. Every firing makes it easier to fire the next time. The more often you think something, the easier it is to think the next time.

– Kids reflect the world they grow up in.

Stop-N-Think

• Stop #1 What have you learned so far that you can put to use in your teaching?

Teen Brain Issues

#4:The Fuzzy Brain:Sleepy and poor at spontaneous problem-solving skills.

Bored? Let’s Ask 81,000 Students from 110 High Schools

Data was collected and analyzed by the Project director of Center for Evaluation and Education Policy. The study was Indiana University's Annual High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE). The survey was released 2/28/07.

How Often They’re Bored in School

Source: Yazzie-Mintz (2007) Indiana University's Annual High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE). He’s project director of Center for Evaluation and Education Policy. Survey released 2/28/07.

Teens Tell Why They’re Bored

Source: Yazzie-Mintz (2007) Indiana University's Annual High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE). He’s project director of Center for Evaluation and Education Policy. Survey released 2/28/07.

• Students spend over one in four minutes slumped, sleeping or resting (28% of their time) in a state of apathy (Csikszentmihalyi, 2005)

• A monitor recorded the amount of time kids ages 8-15 spend in the upright position. Of the 529 in this study, mean uptime was 5.4 hours (range 1.5 to 10.3 hours) Eldridge, et al. 2003.

Data on Adolescent States

Effects of “Fuzzy Brain”Teens are more likely to do

“stupid” things and to lie about it than those at other

ages. They can’t think through…

1) better options

2) how to tell parents/teachers the truth

3) the likelihood of getting caught eventually

Teens and “Fuzzy Brains”

• Teen brains are in a wild state of metabolic flux, PLUS:

• Many teens eat poorly which can impair cognition

• Many teens don’t exercise

• Many teens do drugs/alcohol

• Teens are influenced by “mob” mentality” of their peers

Why Do Some Teens Often Appear “Brain-Dead”?

• Typically, teens have significantsleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness (Carskadon et al. 1998).

• The result is typically drowsy teens in class and academicunderperformance. (Maquet, 2001)

• Less sleep contributes to poor emotional regulation (Dahl, 1999).

• Daytime naps are a great idea for teens (Maquet, et al., 2002).

Inside the Teenage Brain

• “From zzzzz’s to A’s”

Brain Changes Make Risky Choices More Attractive

Stop-N-Think

• Stop #1 What have you learned so far that you can put to use in your teaching?

Teen Brain Issues

#5:Poor at future orientation

What Drives Their Brains toMore Risky, Crazy Behaviors?

• Their brain is experiencingnew feelings (fun and pleasure)from brain chemicals that they’ve never had before!

• Yes, hormones do play a part in the attraction and risk-taking of sexual nature (mating)

• In addition, other forces include:being liked by peers (affiliation), and thinking that they are in charge (autonomy).

Risk Perception Skills Weaker in Teens than in Pre-Teen Years

Teens often make decisions even a 9-year-old

would call stupid. “What were

you thinking?”

Emotional Processing SpeedSlowest at Ages 13-18

Lack of Planning • Teens have trouble anticipating the

consequences of their behavior because they rely on their immature frontal lobes.

• They don’t see options very well. They get confused easily under stress and rarely plan more than one move ahead.

• One reason they get in trouble is they don’t think ahead of how to solve potential problems for each upcoming adventure.

Practical Suggestions

Proactive problem-solving is essential. Help them think through potential awkward situations and emergencies to anticipate problems and develop solutions. Discuss pros and cons of various options. On the spot, teens will be unlikely to do this, and that failure could cost them their lives.

Teens and Crowd Morality• Most legal infractions, injuries and fatalities

occur with peers in the “mob effect.” Teens are highly susceptible to peers—more so than to parents or teachers.

• Teenagers spend an average of 28 hours a week digital (video, TV, internet, etc.) and most of it is spent alone.

• Teens often seek out peers (even if it’s negative) and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors in peer groups than alone.

Stop-N-Think

• Stop #1 What have you learned so far that you can put to use in your teaching?

Teaching teenagers?