Middle School and High School Behaviors

Arizona State University

SED 464
D. Aras, K. Exley, M. odrig!ez, ". S#agnolo
Middle School and High School Behavior
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A"%&SK
"he ter' (at%ris)* is a la+el o, '!ch de+ate a'ong ed!cators. "he ter' is de,ined ,or
st!dents -ho are in .eo#ardy o, ,ailing their acade'ics or dro##ing o!t d!e to their sit!ational
circ!'stances. "hese can +e anything ,ro' teen #regnancy, ha+it!al tr!ancy, s!+stance a+!se,
do'estic violence, cri'inal activity and '!ch 'ore. All schools across the nation ,ace these
st!dents in varying degrees and '!st have #olicies/re,or' to hel# these st!dents.
Ed!cators ,eel that la+eling these st!dents as at%ris) ,!rther #er#et!ates the stereoty#es
and generalizations thro!gh social #erce#tions. St!dents -ho are la+eled as at%ris) 'ay ,eel
isolated ,ro' their other #eers and even t!rn to .!st those st!dents -ho are at%ris) and never
recover ,ro' it. 0or exa'#le, i, a st!dent -ho is acce#ted +y his #eer gro!# then is la+eled as an
at%ris) st!dent, he co!ld +e re.ected +y his #eers and not +e 'otivated to get o!t o, +eing at%ris).
"here has +een '!ch re,or' in the ed!cational syste' -ith trying to lo-er the rate o,
and s!##orting c!rrent at%ris) st!dents. 1eneral ed!cational re,or's have +een directed at early
detection as a #reventative 'eas!re and increasing to ex#os!re to s!ccess ,actors s!ch as
#ersonal attentions o, ad!lt #raise and g!idance, and getting st!dents together ,or #eer%s!##ort.
Ed!cators also ,oc!s attention on hel#ing st!dents to 'itigate their o-n #ro+le's that are -ithin
their control s!ch as +ad grades, st!dying ha+its, and #ersonal tr!ancy. Since there has +een
re,or', there has +een '!ch s!ccess in hel#ing all st!dents 2 not .!st those -ith s#eci,ic
circ!'stantial sit!ations that #!t the' at ris).
SE3 EDU4A"&56 7&64. "EE6 8E16A649 A6D 456SE6":
Middle and High School st!dents are in the age -here they are 'at!ring. (Sex!al desires
and aro!sal, sex!al ex#eri'entation and the ,or'ation o, sex!al identity are 'ore #rono!nced in
adolescence.* 7Balter Bl!'e and ;e'+ar $<<=: Having Sex Ed!cation in Middle School and
High School is necessary to in,or' the st!dents the choices that they have in the ,!t!re to-ards
have relationshi#s. Schools can have di,,erent #rogra's ,or A+stinence and 4onsent A-areness.
Having "een 8regnancy a-areness in schools can #ro'ote sa,e sex, red!ce teen #regnancy and
'ore. &n,or'ation is vital ,or st!dents that are entering ad!lthood.
Most #arents are either too +!sy or not in,or'ed eno!gh to teach their children a+o!t sex
ed!cation. >ith the right 'aterial and c!rric!l!', schools and teachers can ed!cate the yo!th
a+o!t healthy relationshi#s, and the conse?!ences o, the teen@s actions. "he st!dents can learn
a+o!t the di,,erent o#tions that they have i, they decide to have sex.
Most st!dents do not learn a+o!t sex ed!cation at ho'e, i, they do, it -ill +e #rior
)no-ledge o, the #arents, and that de#ends on -hat the #arents )no- a+o!t. & +elieve that
schools can have excellent reso!rces to in,or' the st!dents o, their #hysical sex!ality, learning
'ale and ,e'ale re#rod!ction syste'. "hey can also learn o, sex!ally trans'itted diseases and
their sy'#to's. "hro!gh sex ed!cation class, st!dents can learn a+o!t di,,erent o#tions than
sex, thro!gh a+stinence.
>ith training in A+stinence, 'iddle and high school st!dents can o+tain social s)ills,
co''!nication s)ills, and sel, con,idence. St!dents are constantly develo#ing and they need to
)no- that there is no #ress!re to have sex, and that they can -ait till 'arriage or -hen they are
older.
Middle and high school st!dents are in the age o, +eginning relationshi#s. "hey are
interested in other st!dents, e'otionally, #hysically, and sex!ally. "hey do not have any
ex#erience in dating or sex!al activity, so 'ost are !na-are o, -hen to say (yes* or (no*.
4onsent A-areness is i'#ortant ,or all ages. Males need to +e a-are o, -hen to acce#t re.ection,
and ,e'ales need to learn to voice their concerns.
Middle School and High School Behavior
4
"he #ercentage o, teenager 'other has dro##ed over the years, ho-ever 'any are still
having +a+ies and dro##ing o!t o, school. A dro#o!t teenager 'other +rings a +!rden not only to
her ,a'ily, +!t also the co''!nity. Many ,athers do not stay -ith the 'other, only a+o!t $<A
stay. 76ational 4o!nsel o, Senate Begislation: Many 'others are on -el,are assistance and it is
the co''!nity that ,inances the ,a'ily o, t-o. Also, it is re#orted that teen 'others have
children that have 'ore di,,ic!lty in school.
As ,!t!re teachers -e have a great res#onsi+ility to steer o!r st!dents into the right
direction and to 'a)e the -isest choice ,or their lives. St!dents -ill co'e to a teacher i, they see
that they are !nderstanding and non%.!dg'ental. >e sho!ld +e a-are o, the decisions that teens
are conte'#lating a+o!t on their daily lives. >ith o!r -ords o, enco!rage'ent, res#ect ,or each
other, and concern can -e steer st!dents to 'a)e good choices.
"his in,or'ation sho!ld +e shared -ith #arent or g!ardians o, the st!dent, +eca!se they
have an i'#ortant #art in their child@s li,e. "hey need to +e a-are o, the 'aterial that is +eing
ta!ght, i, they choose to o#t o!t o, the lessons, that is o). 8arents )no- their children 'ore, and
)no- -hat they can handle. Ho-ever, it is never too early to train o!r children to )no- -hat to
ex#ect in a healthy relationshi#, and also )no- ho- to s#ea) o!t it there is a #ro+le'. Sex!al
ed!cation in school can o#en doors that #arents did not )no- ho- to o#en and this gives an
o##ort!nity ,or their o-n concerns and con,licts. 5#en dialog!e is reco''ended to all #arents,
st!dents need to ,eel co',orta+le in voicing their concerns and ?!estions.
SUBS"A64E ABUSE
1oing -ith the next to#ic o, s!+stance a+!se, it is also i'#ortant to )no- ho- +ehavior
as#ects change drastically -hen dealing -ith dr!g or alcohol related 'atters. S!+stance a+!se
alone even in the ad!lt -orld have s!ch an i'#act in ho- -e as h!'an ,!nction. "his relates
+ac) to earlier instances, -here the ad!lts no- -ere ex#osed to these 'atters early on. &n 'ost
cases s!+stance a+!se starts aro!nd 'iddle teens to high school. "h!s, +rings the i'#ortance to
)no- and learn the traits that ,allo- strictly highlighting the ages o, C$%CD years old.
>hen dealing -ith children in these age ranges, #eer #ress!re along -ith 'any other
,actors a,,ect o!r st!dents. >hether it +e little or s'all, there 'ind are -illing to +elieve in
anything and are also so eager to #lease yet +e !nr!ly. "his stri)es the i'#ortance to )no- -hen
s!+stance a+!se is #resent. >e as ,!t!re ed!cators need to )no- the signs, #hysical, +ehavioral
and ,or 'ost the signs o, +eing intoxicated. >e are the one -ho give o!r st!dents the tools ,or a
+etter ,!t!re, so let@s do it +y also #rotecting the' ,ro' har's -ay as '!ch as -e can. >e #ose
#ositive role 'odels, even i, -e don@t li)e to +elieve so. As ed!cators and ,!t!re teachers it@s o!r
d!ty to give o!r st!dents the +est o##ort!nities #ossi+le not only in ed!cation +!t also in other
as#ects o, their lives.
Key signs that ,ollo- in )no-ing i, a 'iddle school or high school st!dents re,lect o,
#hysical -ell +eing, and +ehavioral relationshi#s. Starting -ith #hysical sign, these sign vary
+ased on the st!dent +!t are #retty !niversal. "hings -e loo) ,or are the ina+ility to slee#, loss or
increase a##etite, sha)es, staggered 'ove'ent, irreg!lar heart +eat and ,re?!ent or t-itchy
'ove'ents. 6ot all 'ay +e #resent +!t 'any o, s!ch #air hand in hand. Dealing -ith +ehavioral
as#ects, 'ost st!dents ,ace the change or overall attit!de or #ersonality, chronic dishonesty,
#aranoia, 'oodiness, and excessive need ,or #rivacy. 8ersonal a##earance #ays a +ig role in
)no-ing i, yo!r st!dent is res#onding to s!+stance a+!se not only do their #hysical and
+ehavioral as#ects o, the'selves change +!t also there #ro,ile. &, yo!r st!dent is -ell dress on
'ost occasion, then in 'ore recent ti'es there not groo'ed there co!ld +e a chance o,
s!+stances a+!se. "his #oint o!t the reason to +!ild relationshi#s -ith yo! st!dents to hel#
#revent 'iss conce#tions o, these signs.
>hen dealing -ith di,,erent signs, and ?!e!es, there are s#eci,ics to -hich dr!gs are
#resent a'ong the st!dents. "hose o, -hich #ertain to 'ari.!ana, alcohol, cocaine, heroin,
de#ressants, and inhalants. "here are 'any things to )no-, and can al'ost see' too '!ch, +!t
this #oses the need to +e a-are o, o!r s!rro!nding -ith o!r st!dents. &t@s their ,!t!res, and -e
have the i'#act to 'a)e the' excel in the road ahead.
8EE 8ESSUE
Middle School and High School Behavior
6
8eer #ress!re is an in,l!ence -hen a #eer gro!#, or individ!al enco!rages another #erson
to change their val!es, or +ehaviors to s!it other #eo#le@s convenience incl!de 'e'+ershi#
gro!#s, in -hich individ!als are E,or'allyE 'e'+ers, or social cli?!es in -hich 'e'+ershi# is
not clearly de,ined. Everyone in so'e ti'e or another -ill ex#erience #eer #ress!re. &t is o!r .o+
as ,!t!re ed!cators to give all the st!dents the essential tools and )no-ledge to 'a)e the correct
decisions. "here are so 'any di,,erent -ays -e can relate the in,or'ation to o!r st!dents.
>hether it is g!est s#ea)ers, a DAE #rogra', g!idance co!ncilor, all o, these #eo#le have
,irsthand ex#erience in dealing -ith )ids that have 'ade the -rong decisions. 8eer #ress!re
!s!ally isnFt loo)ed at to +e a good thing, and ty#ically it isnFt. >hat a ,e- o, !s have ,o!nd
thro!gh st!dent teaching and internshi# is that #eer #ress!re in a #ositive -ay -or)s very -ell.
Bet@s say in a #hysical ed!cation class & sto# 'y st!dents in class ,ro' the activity they -ere .!st
doing and & don@t get all o, the attention ,ro' the rest o, the class. A tactic 7rather than raising
yo!r voice is to -ait ?!ietly: the other st!dents -ill tell the o,, trac) st!dents to t!rn aro!nd or
sto# tal)ing. So #eer #ress!re is one that can +e hel#,!l to the st!dents or lead the' into things
they nor'ally -o!ldnFt do s!ch as +eing #ress!red into trying dr!gs/alcohol.
e,erence 8age
At%is) De,inition. 7n.d.:. etrieved 5cto+er C, $<C4, ,ro' htt#G//edglossary.org/at%ris)
Balter Bl!'e, Bi++y, and Mary Ho ;e'+ar. Middle Childhood to Middle Adolescence,
Development from ages 8-18. 4ol!'+!s, 5hioG 8earson Merrill 8rentice Hall, $<<=.
6ational 4o!nsel o, Senate Begislation. Teen Pregnancy Prevention.
htt#G//---.ncsl.org/research/health/teen%#regnancy%#revention.as#x 7accessed Se#te'+er I<,
$<C4:.
8revention 8rogra's in Middle School May ed!ce Bater 8rescri#tion Dr!g Use. 7n.d.:.
etrieved ,ro' htt#sG//ncadd.org/in%the%ne-s/6I=%#revention%#rogra's%in%'iddle%school%'ay%
red!ce%later%#rescri#tion%dr!g%!se
Signs and Sy'#to's o, S!+stance A+!se. 7$<C$, Han!ary C<:. etrieved Se#te'+er $J, $<C4,
,ro' htt#G//---.#hoenixho!se.org/#revention/signs%and%sy'#to's%o,%s!+stance%a+!se/