who are the kids?
DESCRIPTION
This narrated slideshow takes you through the developmental stages of middle school students.TRANSCRIPT
Q: Who are the kids?
A: Middle schoolers!
Some developmental physiology
Children aren’t teenagers Teenagers aren’t adults
Many adults aren’t even adults (yet)!
Rapid changes in the body (outside)
Changes in size and shape Changes in appearance
Rapid changes in the body
Hormones and emotions S*E*X!!!
And by the way, it’s not happening at the same pace
for everyone Gender Ancestry Individual differences
Rapid changes in the brain
Changes visible on the outside…
Rapid changes in the brain
…reflect changes on the inside
• Gray matter reaches peak size
Rapid changes in the brain
…reflect changes on the inside
Decrease in synaptic density—the brain is rewiring itself
Some key factors to consider
Inconsistencies in comprehension/cognition and output
Some key factors to consider
Emotional lability
“Multiple Intelligences”
Bodily-kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Logical-mathematical Musical-rhythmic Verbal-linguistic Visual-spatial Naturalist
The experience of middle schoolers
What are they like?
The experience of middle schoolers
What are their stressors? What are their supports?
Resilience: characteristics of the child
Social competence Problem solving skills Autonomy Sense of purpose and the
future
Resilience: characteristics of the community
Caring and support High expectations Opportunities for
participation
Check in
What were your middle school years like?
What kind of person were you academically? Socially?
What kind of person did you see yourself as? Which identity/ies mattered most to you?
What kind of person did others see you as? Which identity/ies mattered most to them?
So what does this mean for us at Summerbridge?
Generalities about Middle Schoolersspecific kids
Your preconceptionsyour expectations
Your actions, attitudes, and moodstheir successes (or failures)