A Teaching Moment...

Teachers often see teenagers through the eyes of what they expect of them. For example, a biology teacher will expect his/her students to learn, to thrive and to be successful in the classroom and on tests, presentations and exams. The English, Language and maths teachers will expect the same. How do teachers deal with students when their expectations are not met….do they express disappointment or anger? Are they upset? Do they personalise it? Or, do they look further than what they see and what they know in terms of their relationship and expectations of a particular student? Is it a teacher’s responsibility to see teenagers as human beings with complex needs? Do teachers take the time to consider all the many, many other things that might be going on is a teenagers life that could impact performance and results? How many teachers ask the teenagers in their classes how they are doing? How they are really doing? Are teachers aware of and interested in the complexities teenagers are confronted by as a result of adolescence? Do they take into consideration the enormous impact that hormones, developmental physical change, emotional change, and relationships with peers, family, and people around them have on their well-being? Sometimes, poor performance on a test, in a sports match, or in the music or art studio can be as a result of: having had a fight at home; having had an argument with a peer, a boyfriend, a girlfriend; having discovered a pimple; being upset about having a ‘squeaky’ voice; facial hair; and/or feeling ugly, unhappy or unstable. Sometimes it is necessary to take the time to think back and reflect on your own teenage years and remind yourself of how you had moments of awkwardness, confusion, inner difficulty, and how others around you just did not seem to understand. Remember what it was like for you and the next time a teenager does not meet your expectations, stop and think about what else might be going on in their lives.

“Expat Teens Talk” A book to ‘hit’ shelves in bookstores worldwide, is all about what teenagers think, feel and are going through. Read it and lean more. In the meantime, TALK to us and let us know what’s on your mind…