Young Adolescents' Perceptions of
Family
Young adolescents worry about family
members, disease, divorce, violence, and the condition of the
earth.
Often times students want to discuss a number of things going on
in their daily lives that they see on television, or observe first
hand. The classroom is a great place to do this because open
discussions of thoughts and ideas are encouraged.
What can you do as a teacher?
Provide students with a safe, non-threatening environment in
which they can speak freely about their problems and concerns.
Make time to listen to the students concerns, even if they are
not part of the lesson plan.
Create a way in which students are able to learn from their
thoughts and feelings.This can be done by linking the problem to the
curriculum.
Try to create a forum so that teachers, parents, and educational
leaders can have a chance to discuss their thoughts on news that's
happening either locally or worldly. This will allow them ample
opportunities to talk about how the issues or events may effect their
students and children.
What can you do as a parent?
The parent should participate in forums targeted at them. These
events allow the parents to talk with other adults. The participation
in these types of events will provide the parent with an opportunity
to learn parenting skills.
Parents should listen whenever their child is trying to tell them
something subtle or obvious.
Young adolescents enjoy being with their
families.
There are a number of activities teachers and parents can
participate in with their students/children such as,
1. Skit trips
2 .Picnics
3. Movie nights
4. Bowling
5. Roller skating
6. Camping
Mothers are more influential in the lives
of young adolescents than fathers.
What can you do as a teacher?
There are a couple of things you can do as a teacher to make sure
that every child is treated fairly when it comes to the issues of
parents.
1. Avoid making mothers' and fathers' day cards. Some students
may only have one parent, while others may have no parents at all. If
you avoid doing this activity you can avoid the hurt, pain,
embarrassment, or anger that the student may feel.
2. Do not hold activities that are gender based such as
mother-daughter or father-son games.
3. Have a family and friends night or activity so all students
can be involved.
Young adolescents want to tell their
families that they love them.
Although most adolescents want to tell parents that they love
them, often times they feel uncomfortable in doing so.
What can you do as a teacher?
Provide weekly workshops to help parents communicate with their
children better in a friendly and fun environment.
Write and send home weekly newsletters with tips to help and
encourage parents with their children.
What can you do as a parent?
Allow your child all the time they need in order to share their
feelings with you. Do not push them to tell you how they feel.
Attend the workshops and read the newsletters.
Express to your child the love you have for either directly or
indirectly.
Young adolescents dislike their
siblings.
Teachers should not compare students to their siblings.
Adolescents want to be recognized as their own person with their own
identity. Parents can treat their children more as individual people
by doing separate activities with them.