Fortunately for parents and educators, there has been an abundance of interesting and enlightening research on the adolescent brain over the past few years. During the middle and high school years, there is tremendous activity and development in the brain, and as a result, there is also amazing potential for growth and increasing sophistication. I recently came across an article from Psychology Today, “Parents and Teachers: 6 Ways to Inspire the Teen Brain,” by Sandra Bond Chapman, Ph.D. In this article, Dr. Chapman implies that all too often we view the brain as a vessel to be filled rather than a fire to be lit, to paraphrase William Butler Yeats’ quotation about education (i.e., “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”) One could argue that the teen brain actually craves more complexity, and the way to stimulate teens’ cognitive development is to offer them problems that require complicated, multi-valent thinking rather than cramming their heads with facts upon facts.
Dr. Chapman even offers six easy-to-remember tips for inspiring the brains of teenagers, which are quoted here:
1. Teach your teen to conceive many unique interpretations of movies, books, political discussions, unsettling school or peer issues, or works of art.While your teen may “roll her eyes” at you when you ask her to engage in one of these activities, you might be surprised that she may actually be excited to share her thoughts with you. In addition, this exchange may subsequently lead to a much deeper and more thoughtful conversation. I once heard a student say that the best thing a parent can do is ask his/her teenager a complex question and just nod after hearing the answer, rather than responding; often adolescents feel like parents only ask children questions so they can then share what they’re thinking.
2. Encourage your youth to be a problem finder and solution setter for issues that arise daily and discuss how academic content supports this expertise.
3. Ask your teenager to give you a “message” from a book or movie or hurtful experience rather than a long-winded retell without reflection.
4. Have your adolescent interpret the lyrics of their favorite song from positive and negative perspectives and do the same for your song with them.
5. Watch their favorite TV show with them and share different take-home messages for the different characters.
6. Push for a multitude of answers to a question or problem versus seeking the “right” answer.
Perhaps one of the greatest joys of working in schools is observing the growing sophistication of teenagers and their thought processes. Having taught since 1989, I can honestly say that there are few joys in life greater than engaging with middle and high school students as they wrestle with complicated topics and grapple with ethical questions that require looking at many different angles, maybe reconsidering previously held notions, and possibly even changing one’s mind. These conversations are rich, exciting, and just downright fun. I hope you enjoy them as well.
