Transition into Secondary Parent Information Night (#1). The presentation focuses on the adolescent development, puberty, and the purpose of a transition program.
2. It is the Best of Times,
It is the Worst of Times
Tanya Dickenson
School Counsellor
Puberty
3. Puberty refers to the biological development processes
by which a child’s body changes into an adult body
capable of sexual reproduction
It affects not only the body but also the brain,
reorienting psychological processing of emotional and
social stimuli
Puberty – The defining transition
from childhood to adulthood
4. Measures of most abilities indicate adolescence is the
healthiest and most resilient period of the lifespan.
From Childhood to Adolescence:
Improvements in strength, speed, reaction time, mental
reasoning abilities,
Yet, more mental health issues arise in this time than
any other.
The Health Paradox of
Adolescence
5. Primary causes of death and disability are related to
problems with control of behaviour and emotion.
Increasing rates of accidents, suicide, depression,
alcohol & substance use, violence reckless behaviour,
eating disorders, problems related to risky sexual
behaviours…..
6.
7. Youth are heated by Nature as drunken men by wine.
Aristotle
I would that there were no age between ten and twenty
three…for there is nothing in between but getting
wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing,
fighting…
Shakespeare (The Winter’s Tale; Act III)
Adolescence
8. That awkward period between sexual maturation and the
attainment of adult roles and responsibilities.
Sensation seeking
Risk-taking
Peer directed interactions
These behaviours not only promote the skills necessary
for independence bit also create greater vulnerability to
emotional and behavioural dysregulation
Adolescence
9. The dramatic historical change to earlier onset of
puberty impacts not only the physical aspects of
development but also the social experiences of young
adolescents.
The context of early adolescence in
modern life
12. A set of core self regulation skills mature during this
time, although more slowly than the emotional changes
13. Ability to control social and emotional behaviour
Resistance to peer influence – lots of emotional work
It’s like revving an engine but waiting for brain development. All
revved up and nowhere to go!
Emotional maturity is the ability to control and regulate
Kids are having all of the emotions, they just don’t know what
to do with them.
Psychosocial Development
15. The emotional responses to the changes in sex steroids
are still poorly understood
All families and societies describe a marked change in
children with respect to their relationships with the
parents, peers and members of the opposite gender
Violent events by males increase dramatically in
adolescence
Emotional and Social Changes in
Puberty
17. Often pubertal stage is more strongly associated with
mental health outcomes than is age or other transitions
(eg school)
Puberty and Mental Health
18. Girls who go through puberty early, have a greater
chance of developing depression
Boys who go through puberty later, have a greater
likelihood of developing depression
Smaller – social stressors eg, not as strong, can’t physically do
as much
Girls are twice as likely as boys to develop depression
during adolescence
19. Father Absence
Early Life Stress
Family stress early in life predicts early puberty in girls
Prior Symptoms
Children with higher levels of problems before puberty tend to
have earlier puberty
Determinants of Pubertal Timing
20. Puberty is associated with positive development and
risks
Early puberty is associated with increased risk for
problems such as depression, especially in girls.
Boys are more complex, with studies showing that both
early and late puberty can increase risk in boys
Implications
21. Adolescence do not sleep enough, however, when they
do sleep, it’s good quality sleep
Biologically, they prefer to go to bed later and get up
later.
Not sure if we will be changing the time school starts to
accommodate them
Peer group available 24/7
Increased risk of depression and suicide
Kids become unmotivated to improve sleep
Sleep
22. Students look forward to
More freedom
New challenges
Other subjects
Different teachers
Opportunity to make new friends
High School
23. The social hierarchy is reshuffled
Students in schools with a formal transition program are
less frequently bullied
Small rural schools, where everyone knows each other -
consequences
Absence of physical transition, know the rules, teachers
etc
Absence of social network changes. They know the
students.
Settling in Socially
24. For students wellbeing and belonging, they need to
connect with
School
Teachers
Students
Students connectedness in secondary school is a
predictor of academic and health outcomes
Decreased classroom and peer problems
Decreased emotional problems
Increased social skills
Student Connectedness
25. Researchers in this area, suggest that for a smoother
transition to high school, schools need to give priority to
pastoral care strategies
Rural students demonstrate a higher sense of belonging
than their urban peers when transitioning to high school
26. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate!!!
You are their constant
You are their best support
Encourage them to learn from their mistakes
Support their decisions (the good ones!)
Encourage them to seek assistance when needed
Share your experiences
Do not be afraid to say NO!
Parents
27. What is “transition”?
‘a period of change that can be
both challenging and exciting,
in which children and families
adjust to new roles, identities
and expectations, new
interactions and new
relationships’ (DEECD, 2011)
28. Why is all this important?
Change is difficult. 11/12 year olds move from
self-contained classrooms, to larger more diverse
groups.
There is an increase in expectations of students to
be independent academic performers;
changes to peer groups with concerns around
social acceptance which can lead to low self-
esteem
Declines in academic performance giving rise to
anxiety and depression levels.
Transition is a social and academic turning point for
adolescents.
29. Student Belonging and
Well-being
1. Social connection is very important for adolescents. Positive
outcomes in this area can lead to increased academic
motivation.
2. Gender differences: girls’ difficulty around transition can be
centred on the forming of new friendships; boys have
difficulty negotiating the change in school setting.
3. Divorced/Separated families: girls from these families find
making friends more difficult than boys, though they are
better adjusted to the academic characteristics of transition.
4. Marston’s (2008) study found that boys struggled more with
transition than girls.
5. Students look forward to more freedom, new challenges,
other subjects, different teachers and the opportunity to
make new friends.
6. Connectedness in secondary is a strong predictor of
academic success
30. Support: Teachers and
Parents
Bru et. al (2010) suggests that: ‘Teachers’ ability to
support students is a crucial element for quality learning
environments. Students who feel supported by teachers
are found to have positive motivational orientation
to school work, and experience positive social and
emotioal well-being (p.519-20)
31. Support: Peers
Attendance at primary schools where friendships survive
the move to secondary school have a profound effect on
the how children settle into secondary school and how
likely they are to form solid and stable friendships later
in life (Weller, 2007).
Social aspects of transition to secondary school often
outweigh the significance of academic outcomes.
32. Social lives of adolescents:
buckle up!
It is expected:
That teenagers’ relationships will be complex
That teenagers will experience conflict in these
relationships
That some teenagers will experience some form of
negative peer interaction – this is normal.
That, initially, teenagers should be able to be given the
opportunity to work this all out for themselves
33. Social world of Girls
Social
World
Queen
Bee
Torn
Bystander
Target
Champion
Sidekick
Banker
Messenger
Pleaser/
Wannabe
34. Social world of boys
Interests
Sport
Technolo
gy
CulturalGirls
Other
Interests
35. Academic Outcomes
Factors which affect academic outcomes:
Participation in extra-curricular (positive engagement
with school; increased commitment to school)
Teacher bonding, popularity
Positive social relationships are protective against low
academic performance
Participation in transition programs by both students and
teachers
36. Family-school connectedness
Dimensions of parent involvement: direct
participation, academic encouragement and
expectations of attainment.
Pubertally advanced students need stronger
authoritative boundaries than their less developed peers
(Mothers are very important here).
Smooth transition is aided by parents who: remain a
constant support; monitor their child’s activities;
intervene positively.
Editor's Notes
Completed suicides are high in boys than girls as their methods are usually more lethal.
Risk taking is normal and important. Adults try to decrease kids’ risky behaviour. Risk taking is developmentally important. Kids are going to take risk anyway. Need to be looking at what type of risks are ok. Provide appropriate and scaffolded risk opportunities. Outdoor activities They’ll partake in risky behaviour such as drinking – they’ll brag about it, got pissed, fell over, and spewed. That’s not anyone’s ides of fun, however, they’re bragging about the risk taking.
Adolescence feel positive around their friends, just not around you.
Arguments - Greater frequency when younger but less severe
Less frequent when older but more severe
The absence of physical and social changes in transition prevents students from developing lower self concepts, especially in academic and social self concepts.
You are their parent, not their friend. They need you more now than ever.