Teaching Adolescents

Since psychology is not my forte, I was apprehensive as I entered into our study of educational psychology. But as the class progressed, I was actually able to begin to see how all of the concepts came together into a framework for teaching adolescents during a very unique and often traumatic time in their lives. It is not sufficient to just be well versed in your field of expertise. As educators we also have to develop our skills of interacting with others, putting ourselves into their frame of mind, and using our skill and experience to guide them through their mental, emotional, social, and psychological development. One cannot simply be a brilliant biologist to teach high school biology, and unfortunately most people do not realize this. Educators must have a myriad of skills and techniques at their disposal that are often outside of the realm of their chosen subject matter and this is where the study of educational psychology is of the utmost importance.

Adults think that because they were once adolescents, they must inherently understand how they feel, but more often than not, this is not the case. The readings and open discussions during class really developed a sense of awareness within me. We, as adults, can remember some of the horror and trauma of being a teenager, but every generation is different and faces different problems. It is important as educators to constantly put ourselves into their way of thinking and culture, including fashion, music, and movies, in order to gain insight into their society. We have to remember that their concerns are different and to us may seem trivial but are of enormous importance to teenagers.

The readings on adolescence discussed in class reminded me of the turmoil and angst of being a teenager. I really find myself being more mindful of our discussions as I interact with my students in the classroom. I try to treat my students as adults yet give them the structure and authority they still need. It is also very important to me as a female in the sciences to be a good role model not only for my female students but also to all of the students whose peers have said that it is not ‘ok’ or ‘cool’ to be smart.

As a result of this class I find myself ‘reading’ the students and identifying those that are attention seekers, trying to hide, or trying to act tough and find ways to relate to them and modify my teaching strategies to reach as many students as possible. My initial experiences in the classroom would not have been as rewarding and insightful if I had not had any of the instruction and mindfulness which educational psychology has afforded me.