High School Developmental Characteristics Grades 9-12 Physical Cognitive Social/Relational Continuing through puberty Achieved formal Interested in co-educational stages operational stage, can experiences Teens often appear older than think abstractly and Prefer adults to take their age need fewer concrete supportive role in their Development of both fine and examples to education large motor skills understand complex Sense of care for thought social consciousness Body and mind work together Increased attention (opportunity for service span learning) Internally and Need opportunities for externally motivated Thinking and Value peer input discussion is often More open-minded (may future-oriented begin to open their More open to group to include others who other’s perspectives and able they were once uncomfortable to see point of with) other’s view Enjoy when learning provides opportunity to apply knowledge/skills OLDER TEENS SO TEACH THEM BY have a strong desire for independence. offering a safe environment for expressing doubts and asking • • have complex lives. questions. • may feel pressured to conform. equipping students to make decisions based on anti-bullying • • feel stress. principles • want to succeed. remembering who they their grownup bodies with • • are; don’t confuse may be lonely. emotional maturity. • want to belong and feel secure. remembering that many students have been bullied themselves at • • some time and so although they can have compassion for the target, they may be wary of standing up to the bullies themselves
High School Developmental Characteristics Grades 9-12 Physical Continuing through puberty stages Teens often appear older than their age Development of both fine and large motor skills Body and mind work together Cognitive Achieved formal operational stage, can think abstractly and need fewer concrete examples to understand complex thought Increased attention span Internally and externally motivated Thinking and discussion is often future-oriented More open to other’s perspectives and able to see other’s point of view Enjoy when learning provides opportunity to apply knowledge/skills Social/Relational Interested in co-educational experiences Prefer adults to take supportive role in their education Sense of care for consciousness (opportunity for service learning) Need opportunities for Value peer input More open-minded (may begin to open their social group to include others who they were once uncomfortable with) OLDER TEENS • have a strong desire for independence. • may have complex lives. • feel pressured to conform. • feel stress. • want to succeed. • may be lonely. • want to belong and feel secure. SO TEACH THEM BY • offering a safe environment for expressing doubts and asking questions. • equipping students to make decisions based on anti-bullying principles • remembering who they are; don’t confuse their grownup bodies with emotional maturity. • remembering that many students have been bullied themselves at some time and so although they can have compassion for the target, they may be wary of standing up to the bullies themselves
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