Development is defined in a somewhat holistic light, by separating it into three distinct categories:  intellectual, social, and personal.  As explained by Robert E. Slavin (2003) in Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice, adolescence begins with the onset of puberty but includes more than simply physical development.  Intellectual development during this age introduces the student into Jean Piaget’s “formal operation stage”, in which abstract thought begins to form.  Social development moves students from adults to peers as chief influences in their lives.  Finally, personal development involves the formation of identity and self-concept—ideas identified with Erik Erikson (pp. 86-90).  The following discussion will further explain each of these three developmental categories, suggest proven strategies for addressing accompanying factors in adolescent teaching, and provide examples of how specific instruction can be applied in the classroom to positively meet the needs of each category.

First, in developing teaching strategies to meet the intellectual needs of students, educators need to identify and understand how intellect develops during adolescence.  As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, students begin to form more abstract analytical skills, meaning they are better able to think critically and construct their own learning from information and ideas presented to them.  Child psychologist Jean Piaget calls this concept the “formal operation stage” of development.  The onset of this stage averages around age eleven—once students begin to use logic in solving problems instead of only copying directly-modeled steps in doing so.  Strategies such as deductive reasoning and propositional thought enter students’ arsenal of cognitive problem-solving tactics (Berk, 2001, pp. 370-71).

Intellectual strategies that take intellectual development into account must first involve capturing student interest.  As Paul R. Burden and David M. Byrd (1999) explain in, Methods of Effective Teaching, student curiosity and interest must be obtained and maintained in order to appeal to their intellectual needs.  Some teaching activities that achieve this goal are those which incorporate students’ personal interests, are active and interactive, and involve questioning and/or opinions (pp. 283-86).

Second, this discussion turns to adolescent social development and how classroom instruction meets students’ needs within this category.  As with intellectual growth, educators must know and identify how social growth occurs within this age group.  In explaining social development, Laura E. Berk (2001) identifies formation of peer relationships as the primary factor impacting this category.  Students spend less time with family member and other adults, and spend more time with classmates and friends during this period of life (p. 403).  In fact, she reports that most positive emotional experiences among adolescents occur during time with friends (Larson & Richards, 1991, as referenced in Berk, 2001, p. 403).  Berk also notes benefits of peer social development as deeper explanation of self and others, better ability to deal with the stress of growing up, and improved attitude about school and academic success (p. 404).

In creating curriculum that accommodates and assists in social development, teachers should provide ample time for students

to interact with, and learn from, one another.  One suggestion to accomplish this task, mentioned by Burden and Byrd (1999) is peer tutoring.  Peer tutoring can involve pairwork within the class or one-on-one interaction outside of the formal class.  In either scenario, benefits of peer tutoring include engaging students who do not respond well to adults, and students discovering how to both teach and learn.

Finally, the third category of adolescent development involves the personal growth of the student as a unique and important individual.  It is during middle and high school years that students form their own definitions of who they are and what they are about.  To further expound on this observation, Erik Erikson sees this stage of development as one of a series of dilemmas people experience in approaching adulthood.  Stage Five of Erikson’s psychosocial development model is called, “identity versus role confusion.”  During the teenage years, students try to answer the question, “Who am I?”  To answer, they must analyze their own motives, abilities, and beliefs.  Failure to do so results in identity crisis.  Successful identity development is called either identity achievement (commitment to pursuing life goals) or moratorium (delay of commitment to pursuing goals).  Unsuccessful identity development falls into either identity foreclosure (commitment to goals without exploring options) or identity diffusion (lack of both commitment and exploration) (Erickson, as referenced in Woolfolk, 2004, pp. 68-69).

Academic instruction that includes consideration of personal development must allow students to explore their own beliefs, goals, and talents.  Burden and Byrd (1999, p. 287-89) believe developmental instruction involves making subject matter relevant to students as more than students, but as people.  Such lesson should include having students set learning goals, helping students assess their progress, and allowing students control over their learning.

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Now that the three categories of adolescent development are defined, and the instructional needs of these students are explained, I would like to demonstrate specific ways in which these aspects of development can be applied to classroom lessons.  In doing so, I will provide examples of how I accomplished this task via my student teaching experiences in New York during the 2008-2009 school year.  My hope is that these activities exemplify progressive methodology and effective application.

To begin with intellectual development, I present an experiential activity facilitated in a tenth grade global history class during the Spring 2009 semester.  The activity took place during a unit I created on “The Spread of Communism”, and opened a lesson on the Berlin Blockade and Airlift.  The objectives of this activity were for students to identify problems associated with political opposition between countries, how everyday life can be affected as a result, and to make predictions about possible options countries have in resolving opposition.  The activity opened with two students dividing the classroom in half with duct tape, essentially blockading the room from certain supplies and materials.  Next, I explained the necessity of these supplies for a map activity on NATO and the Warsaw Pact.  Following, students discovered firsthand that the items needed were only available to one side of the room.  The neglected side was forced to think through its steps in solving this problem.  After a few minutes, I stopped the activity and we discussed what happened as a group.

Through experiencing this activity without explanation of its historical relevance prior to participating, students engaged in an activity that forced them to think critically and move into abstract analysis.  They began with the concrete details (tape, divided room, no supplies), built upon those details to state a problem (inability to complete the map project), to finally thought critically about solutions (sneak under the barrier, secretly convince the other side to pass supplies through the barrier).  By making the activity experiential, students’ interests were captured.  They were not just “doing” the activity, they “were” the activity, therefore personal interests were involved.  By discussing their participation and thoughts afterward, students were able to better connect the abstract idea of effects of political conflict to their concrete quality of life and success.

Next, in applying the instructional needs that accompany social development, I created an activity that combines primary resources with peer teaching.  In the same unit on communism, I taught the importance of the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences to the Cold War through using the jigsaw learning strategy.  The goal of this activity was for students to explain how their given conferences resulted in conflict that led to the Cold War.  To begin, students were paired up.  Next, each pair was given a copy of one conference’s transcript.  Each document was scaffolded by providing definitions alongside difficult words.  Students also received graphic organizers with guiding questions to further support learning.  Third, one student in each pair read his/her document to the other, while the other student recorded answers on his/her organizer.  Fourth, pairs discussed their answers with each other to obtain a consensus.  Finally, each pair shared their answers with the rest of the class, as a jigsaw that allowed students to continue teaching each other.

It was through the pairing and sharing strategies in this activity that students demonstrated peer tutoring or teaching.  They

collaborated with one another in pairs and taught each other in order to get a greater understanding of their documents and the documents of other pairs.  I think this activity was more effective than a simple lecture or presentation because the need for students to interact with each other was fulfilled.

Finally, in demonstrating how instruction can assist adolescents with personal development, I will explain a survey I administered to my middle school students during the Fall 2008 semester.  In order to become more acquainted with individual students in a Civil Rights History course, I handed each person a reading preference questionnaire.  The questionnaire includes items on reading preferences, self-assessment of reading ability, and opinions about reading with others.  After receiving completed surveys from my class, I learned that all but one person enjoys reading, most of the girls enjoy reading with family members while most boys like reading alone, and that one student does not think he is an effective reader. In addition, students named books they enjoy, which gave me a sense of their personal interests and motivators.  It was a very fun and useful activity.

The biggest benefit of the survey is that it allowed students to tell me about themselves and share things in their lives they feel are important.  In doing so, they continued to develop their identities through analyzing personal interests, beliefs, and preferences. They also demonstrated openness in sharing parts of themselves with me in doing so—further forming trust.  I certainly want to administer this questionnaire with every student I teach in the future—to build relationships and to learn how better to differentiate my teaching.

In closing, making lessons interactive, taking into account each student’s learning needs, and involving students’ interests creates great motivation in students to participate in lessons, as well as provides a springboard for their development from children into young adults.  Making students feel like important individuals and contributors will make your lessons important to them.

REFERENCES

Berk, L. E. (2001). Development through the lifespan. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Burden, P. R. & Byrd, D. M. (1999). Effective teaching. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Slavin, R. E. (2003). Educational Psychology: Theory and practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Woolfolk, A. (2004). Educational Psychology. Boston: Pearson Education.