PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT:

ADOLESCENCE
BY: KARSHEMA FOSTER
ECE 497
NOVEMBER 24, 2014

ADOLESCENCE
CHILDRENS PHYSICAL BODIES STARTS TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY.
DURING THE ADOLESCENCE PHASE, CHILDREN STARTS TO HAVE A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING OF ABSTRACT IDEAS, AND A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF
RIGHTS AND WRONGS (NIH, 2014).
ADOLESCENCE ARE CAPABLE OF STARTING AND MAINTAIN HEALTHY
RELATIONSHIPS.
ADOLESCENCE ARE MORE INDEPENDENT AND SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE
WITH AUTHORITY.

PUBERTY IN ADOLESCENTS
PARENTS AND ADOLESCENTS NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON THE PHYSICAL
TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD. WHEN ADOLESCENTS HIT PUBERTY THEIR BODIES
STARTS TO FORM ADULT SIZE BODY PARTS. ADOLESCENTS STARTS TO
PRODUCE OFFSPRINGS AS WELL. FEMALES IN DIFFERENT CULTURES
EXPERIENCE PUBERTY AT DIFFERENT AGES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN NORTH AMERICA
GIRLS REACH PUBERTY AROUND 12 AND HALF YEARS OLD AND GIRLS IN
WESTERN EUROPEANS HITS PUBERTY AROUND THE AGE OF 12 (BERK, 2013).
BOYS USUALLY HIT PUBERTY AROUND THE AGE OF 14. BOYS VOICES STARTS TO
CHANGE AND FACIAL HAIR STARTS TO GROW. THIS IS THE PERIOD WHERE BOYS
AND GIRLS STARTS TO ENGAGE IN SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.

NEGATIVE BEHAVIORS IN ADOLESCENTS

ADOLESCENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12-17 TENDS TO SPIRAL OUT OF
CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE: COMMIT MINOR CRIMES SUCH AS, STEALING,
VANDERLISM, AND DRINKING, WHICH LEADS TO AN ARREST. THEY CAN BE
NEGATIVELY INFLUENCED BY PEERS, THE COMMUNITY, AND PARENTS. WHEN
ANTOSOICAL BEHAVIOR LEADS TO REPEATED ARRESTS THEN THERE IS AN
CONCERN.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL

MY ROLE AS A CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL IS TO HAVE A CLEAR
UNDERSTANDING OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION PROBLEMS, SO I
CAN PROVIDE UNDERSTANDABLE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR ALL
CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES (SHERIDAN, EDWARDS, MARVIN, & KNOCHE,
2009).

COLLABORATING IS ONE MAIN STRATEGY I WILL USE TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN

PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY. ITS NOTED, COMPREHENSIVE
COLLABORATION REPRESENTS A PROMISING INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS BARRIERS TO
LEARNING, ENHANCE HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT, AND STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AND
NEIGHBORHOODS (ADELMAN & TAYLOR, PG. 3). SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITIES NEED
TO PROVIDE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH DIFFERENT SERVICES TO SUPPORT
CHILDREN DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING. FOR EXAMPLE, SOCIAL SERVICES, LIKE
HEALTH CENTERS, FAMILY CENTERS, AND PARENT CENTERS (ADELMAN & TAYLOR, PG.
15).

BRONFENBRENNERS ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM

THE MESOSYSTEM IS THE SECOND LEVEL OF THE SYSTEM, WHICH IS LINKED TO
THE MICROSYSTEMS, SUCH AS THE HOME, SCHOOL, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND
CHILDCARE CENTER (BERK, 2013, PG. 29). AT THIS LEVEL A CHILDS ACADEMIC
SUCCESS DEPENDS ON CLASSROOM CURRICULUM AND PARENTS BEING
INVOLVED IN CHILDS ACADEMIC LEARNING BOTH AT SCHOOL AND HOME. FOR
CHILDREN IN LOW-INCOME ENVIRONMENTS FAMILY-NEIGHBORHOOD
CONNECTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL. FOR EXAMPLE, CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN
TUTORING PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE GRADES.

EPSTEINS SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT

PARENTING
COMMUNICATING
VOLUNTEERING
LEARNING AT HOME
DECISION MAKING
COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY

PARENTING
1. HELP FAMILIES CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR CHILDREN AT
HOME WHICH SUPPORTS THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING.
2. PROVIDE FAMILIES WITH VIDEOTAPES OR WORKSHOPS THAT TEACHES
FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND/OR ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

COMMUNICATING
1. EFFECTIVE FORMS HAVE BEEN CREATED TO SEND HOME BY STUDENTS TO
KEEP PARENTS INFORMED ON THEIR CHILDS PROGRESS AT SCHOOL AND
OTHER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND PARENTS. PARENTS CAN ALSO USE THE
FORMS TO COMMUNICATE WITH STUDENTS TEACHERS.
2. THE SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY CAN PROVIDED TRANSLATES FOR STUDENTS
AND PARENTS WHO DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH WELL.

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VOLUNTEERING
1. ASK PARENTS TO VOLUNTEER AT SCHOOL EVENTS WHICH ENHANCES
CHILDREN DEVELOPMENT.
2. HELP CHILDREN IMPROVE IN SOCIAL SKILLS.

3. SEND OUT FLYERS LETTING FAMILIES KNOW THEY ARE WELCOMED AND
APPRECIATED AT THE SCHOOL.

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LEARNING AT HOME
1. PARENTS ARE GIVEN INFORMATION AND IDEAS, WHICH SHOWS THEM HOW
TO HELP STUDENTS WITH HOMEWORK AND OTHER CURRICULUM-RELATED
ACTIVITIES, DECISIONS, AND PLANNING (EPSTEIN, 2014).
2. HELP IMPROVE CHILDREN SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND TEST SCORES CONNECTED
TO SCHOOL CURRICULUM (EPSTEIN, 2014).
3. PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH HOMEWORK, WHICH REQUIRES PARENT
INVOLVEMENT.
4. PARENTS NEED TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ON THE DANGEOURS OF SEX AT A
YOUNG AGE.
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DECISION MAKING
1. ALLOW PARENTS TO MAKE DECISION CONCERNING CHILDRENS LEARNING
AND ALLOW PARENTS TO SERVE ON SCHOOL BOARDS.
2. AWARENESS OF REPRESENTATION OF FAMILIES IN SCHOOL DECISIONS
(EPSTEIN, 2014).
3. PUT TOGETHER A PTA MEETING FOR ALL DIFFERENT CULTURE OF FAMILIES
TO MEET.

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FAMILIES/COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR

ADOLESCENTS
SCHOOLS CAN ADD SEX EDUCATION AS A COURSE TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ON
SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO PRACTICE ABSTINENCE.

FAMILIES CAN TALK WITH ADOLESCENTS ABOUT SAFE SEX AND THE USE OF
CONDOMS IF ADOLESCENTS ARE SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
COMMUNITY CAN ADD RECREATIONAL CENTERS FOR TEENS TO ATTEND
AFTER SCHOOL.
PARENTS CAN SET RULES FOR ADOLESCENTS TO FOLLOW WHEN OUT IN
PUBLIC.
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COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY

1. STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF DIFFERENT CAREER CHOICES AND COLLEGES
FOR THEIR FUTURE.
2. PROVIDE ALL CULTURES WITH SOCIAL SERVICES TO MEET ALL STUDENTS
AND FAMILY NEEDS.

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REFERENCES
ADELMAN, H., & TAYLOR, L. (2008). FOSTERING SCHOOL, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT: EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR CREATING SAFER SCHOOLS AND
COMMUNITIES. RETRIEVED FROM
HTTP://SMHP.PSYCH.UCLA.EDU/PUBLICATIONS/44%20GUIDE%207%20FOSTERING%20
SCHOOL%20FAMILY%20AND%20COMMUNITY%20INVOLVEMENT.PDF
BERK, L. E. (2013).CHILD DEVELOPMENT. (9TH ED.). UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ:
PEARSON
EPSTEIN, J. L. (2014). EPSTEIN'S FRAMEWORK OF SIX TYPES OF INVOLVEMENT.
RETRIEVED FROM
HTTP://VIZEDHTMLCONTENT.NEXT.ECOLLEGE.COM/PUB/CONTENT/1810565D-A60241BB-BE3EA03F05E17C1B/EPSTEIN_J._N.D..__EPSTEINS_FRAMEWORK_OF_SIX_TYPES_OF_INVO
LVEMEN.PDF
NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF HEALTH. (2014, NOVEMBER 7). ADOLESCENT
DEVELOPMENT. RETRIEVED FROM
HTTP://WWW.NLM.NIH.GOV/MEDLINEPLUS/ENCY/ARTICLE/002003.HTM
SHERIDAN, S. M., EDWARDS, C. P., MARVIN, C. A., & KNOCHE, L. L. (2009, MAY 1).

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