Good afternoon FHUMS Families,
I am a big believer that adolescence is a unique time in life. As I continue to read, learn and grow, two of my more trusted resources are AMLE and VAMLE. Recently, while poking around on the AMLE site, I came across this article, All in for Middle Level Education Month. March is Middle Level Month and as it approaches, it is a perfect time to take a minute to appreciate the uniqueness of the adolescent stage of life. I've summarized the article with 10 key points:
1. Adolescents are going through the most rapid physical changes of their lives and doing so at different and irregular rates.
2. The adolescent brain is growing and changing at a rapid rate, also happening in uneven ways from one human to the next. This can lead to impulsivity and risky decisions with little forethought about consequences. In addition, the brain is working to balance increasing hormone levels. This impacts their responses to stress, fatigue and crisis.
3. Adolescents are beginning to see their immediate world and the larger world as morally complicated landscapes. The development of their 'moral thermometer' is taking shape and can result in conflict, internally and externally. Additionally, they may be quick to notice the flaws in others and reluctant to look at their own. Some are ready to grasp the complexities and some are left feeling they are alone and as if no one understands them.
4. They are wrestling with identity - who they are, who they used to be, who they want to be, how they fit in, how they stand out, why they matter, what matters to them and more. They crave freedom but are uncertain of what to do when given that freedom.
5. They are vulnerable and resilient, at the same time.
6. Their social situations are becoming increasingly complex and they are struggling to navigate often turbulent and ever-changing waters with tools that are still developing. This can lead to misreading situations, overreactions to words or behaviors of others, and ever-shifting peer relationships.
7. "We" often works better than you or me. They need their trusted adults to be 'in it' with them and help them sort it all out. For those of us spending time with adolescents, whether at school or in our homes, we will need a rather limitless supply of patience and compassion.
8. They can be boisterous, and brilliant. They can be challenging, and change-agents. They can be selfish, and selfless. The can be wild, and wonderful.
9. Embrace the fact that they have the ability to make you laugh and cry, they can inspire joy and frustration...often in the same day, hour, minute.
10. Appreciate that the swirling potential is what fills the days with energy and limitless possibility.
All of this is and was true prior to the advent of the internet and social media. I do believe those elements are impacting the developing adolescent brain and the world in which they exist in ways we are yet to understand. I'm not sure the impact is all positive.
Keep them close, help them see the beauty in a complicated and often frightening world, remind them they matter, ask a lot of questions, listen to what they say and watch what they do. And remember, they are watching us too.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Jennefer Paquette
Middle School Principal
