PAIN IN THE BRAIN: TEEN LIBRARY(MIS) BEHAVIOR 101 Presented by Beth Gallaway for WMRLS, May 2009

Beth Gallaway: Contact & Slides Email: informationgoddess29@gmail.com Cell: 603.247.3196 Slides: http://slideshare.net/informationgoddess29/ Links: http://delicious.com/informationgoddess29/brain

Email: informationgoddess29@gmail.com

Cell: 603.247.3196

Slides: http://slideshare.net/informationgoddess29/

Links: http://delicious.com/informationgoddess29/brain

Do you have Ephebiphobia?

Drawing Exercise Group 1: Draw a TEEN, from a LIBRARIAN pov Group 2: Draw a LIBRARIAN, from a TEEN pov Group 3: Draw a TEEN, from a TEEN pov Group 4: Draw a LIBRARIAN, from a LIBRARIAN pov

Group 1: Draw a TEEN, from a LIBRARIAN pov

Group 2: Draw a LIBRARIAN, from a TEEN pov

Group 3: Draw a TEEN, from a TEEN pov

Group 4: Draw a LIBRARIAN, from a LIBRARIAN pov

Library Behaviors Groups Blocking entrance or access Roaming Taking up space “ Courting” Behavior Backtalk and “disrespect” Eating & drinking Cell phone use

Groups

Blocking entrance or access

Roaming

Taking up space

“ Courting” Behavior

Backtalk and “disrespect”

Eating & drinking

Cell phone use

Library Behaviors Language Sex Vandalism Theft Violence Cyberbullying

Language

Sex

Vandalism

Theft

Violence

Cyberbullying

Differentiate between the 2 Ds: Disruptive Normal Annoying Dangerous Abnormal Harmful to self & others Illegal

Disruptive

Normal

Annoying

Dangerous

Abnormal

Harmful to self & others

Illegal

Why Do Teenagers Act That Way? They hate the library? They hate YOU (the librarian)? It’s a contest? Their hormones? The weather? Their age?

They hate the library?

They hate YOU (the librarian)?

It’s a contest?

Their hormones?

The weather?

Their age?

Influences on Teen Behavior Cultural Sociological Personal Psychological Biological

Cultural

Sociological

Personal

Psychological

Biological

Cultural Who taught you how to behave in the library? How do patrons know how to behave in the library

Who taught you how to behave in the library?

How do patrons know how to behave in the library

Sociological Who do teens spend their time with?

Who do teens spend their time with?

Personal What are some personal issues teens face the might influence behavior?

What are some personal issues teens face the might influence behavior?

Psychological What are teens going through during adolescence? What are the unique experiences that characterize them?

What are teens going through during adolescence?

What are the unique experiences that characterize them?

On Rules Create a behavior policy Same rules for everyone No rules set up to fail The less rules, the better Word rules in a positive way Leave rules open ended

Create a behavior policy

Same rules for everyone

No rules set up to fail

The less rules, the better

Word rules in a positive way

Leave rules open ended

Developmental Needs Positive Social Interaction with Adults & Peers Structure & Clear Limits Physical Activity Creative Expression Competence & Achievement Meaningful Participation Opportunities for Self-Definition Source: National Middle School Association (1996). Research Summary: Young Adolescent’s Developmental Needs, 2006

Positive Social Interaction with Adults & Peers

Structure & Clear Limits

Physical Activity

Creative Expression

Competence & Achievement

Meaningful Participation

Opportunities for Self-Definition

Developmental Needs Positive Social Interaction with Adults & Peers (seek attention, socialization) Structure & Clear Limits (push boundaries, challenge authority) Physical Activity (run from computer to computer, roam) Creative Expression (vandalism, MySpace Competence & Achievement (competitive behavior, Runescape obsession) Meaningful Participation (opininated, socialization) Opportunities for Self-Definition National Middle School Association (1996). Research Summary: Young Adolescent’s Developmental Needs, 2006

Positive Social Interaction with Adults & Peers (seek attention, socialization)

Structure & Clear Limits (push boundaries, challenge authority)

Physical Activity (run from computer to computer, roam)

Creative Expression (vandalism, MySpace

Competence & Achievement (competitive behavior, Runescape obsession)

Meaningful Participation (opininated, socialization)

Opportunities for Self-Definition

Biological The corpus callosum stopped developing around age 5 (grows through adolescence) The brain didn’t grow after age 10 (grows through adolescence) Myelination was complete before puberty (continues well into young adulthood)

The corpus callosum stopped developing around age 5 (grows through adolescence)

The brain didn’t grow after age 10 (grows through adolescence)

Myelination was complete before puberty (continues well into young adulthood)

Frontal Lobe Facilitates: Planning Decision-making Results in: Poor decisions Poor management Source: http://www.thecuriousmind.com/brain-cm.html

Facilitates:

Planning

Decision-making

Results in:

Poor decisions

Poor management

Myelin Sheath Facilitates: Intelligent response to gut reactions Learning new things Concrete to abstract thought Results in: Reacting Poor memory/recall Lack of focus and attention Poor organizational skills Bad impulse control Source: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/images/ency/fullsize/9682.jpg

Facilitates:

Intelligent response to gut reactions

Learning new things

Concrete to abstract thought

Results in:

Reacting

Poor memory/recall

Lack of focus and attention

Poor organizational skills

Bad impulse control

Dopamine Controls: Smooth motor skills Pleasure center Results in: Risk-taking, novelty seeking Excitability, loudness Source: http://www.3dchem.com/imagesofmolecules/Dopamine.jpg

Controls:

Smooth motor skills

Pleasure center

Results in:

Risk-taking, novelty seeking

Excitability, loudness

Serotonin Controls: Temperature Mood Appetite Emotion Results in: Moodiness

Controls:

Temperature

Mood

Appetite

Emotion

Results in:

Moodiness

Melatonin Controls: Sleep/wake cycles Biological clock Results: Brain development REM sleep has been linked to learning ability

Controls:

Sleep/wake cycles

Biological clock

Results:

Brain development

REM sleep has been linked to learning ability

Behavioral Strategies Boundary setting is extremely important Address behavior in terms of actions and consequences in a matter of fact, non-threatening manner

Boundary setting is extremely important

Address behavior in terms of actions and consequences in a matter of fact, non-threatening manner

Set Boundaries State unacceptable behavior Optional: explain why it’s unacceptable State consequence of continued unacceptable behavior Ask patron to make a choice

State unacceptable behavior

Optional: explain why it’s unacceptable

State consequence of continued unacceptable behavior

Ask patron to make a choice

Examples “ John, it’s too noisy over here, and some people are trying to study. If you continue to be disruptive, I will need to ask you to leave. You can choose to lower the volume level and stay or you can choose to leave. Mary, your computer time is up, we have someone waiting. If you continue to violate the time limit, I will have to suspend your computer privileges. You can choose to log off now and get more time tomorrow, or lose your computer access for 2 days.”

“ John, it’s too noisy over here, and some people are trying to study. If you continue to be disruptive, I will need to ask you to leave. You can choose to lower the volume level and stay or you can choose to leave.

Mary, your computer time is up, we have someone waiting. If you continue to violate the time limit, I will have to suspend your computer privileges. You can choose to log off now and get more time tomorrow, or lose your computer access for 2 days.”

Keep in Mind… “ Librarians do not kick teens out of the library. Teens get themselves kicked out of the library, because of their behavior.” ~ Nick Buron, NYPL, Queens Branch

“ Librarians do not kick teens out of the library. Teens get themselves kicked out of the library, because of their behavior.”

~ Nick Buron, NYPL, Queens Branch

Correcting Behavior 3 Strikes & You’re Out! Target the Group Leader Good Cop, Bad Cop Invade Personal Space

3 Strikes & You’re Out!

Target the Group Leader

Good Cop, Bad Cop

Invade Personal Space

Follow Through Welcome back Introduce Discuss behavior incident Reinforce consequences of actions Start with a clean slate

Welcome back

Introduce

Discuss behavior incident

Reinforce consequences of actions

Start with a clean slate

Nip Undesirable Behavior in the Bud! Create raving fans of the library Develop personal relationships Give them a space of their own Program them to death Deliver excellent reference & reader’s advisory, and practice excellent customer service

Create raving fans of the library

Develop personal relationships

Give them a space of their own

Program them to death

Deliver excellent reference & reader’s advisory, and practice excellent customer service

Create Raving Fans Meaningful participation Foster ownership of the library and teen space Evaluate!

Meaningful participation

Foster ownership of the library and teen space

Evaluate!

Develop Personal Relationships Talk to teens when they do something RIGHT Introduce yourself, repeatedly Greet patrons by name Get out from behind the desk Get out of the library

Talk to teens when they do something RIGHT

Introduce yourself, repeatedly

Greet patrons by name

Get out from behind the desk

Get out of the library

Give Them a Room of Their Own More than just a shelf and a poster Convert a meeting room to a homework center or program room a few days a week Designate a staff person to serve teens

More than just a shelf and a poster

Convert a meeting room to a homework center or program room a few days a week

Designate a staff person to serve teens

Program Them to Death Engage them in meaningful participation Give teens positive ways to expend their energy Offer after school activities Cultivate a volunteer program

Engage them in meaningful participation

Give teens positive ways to expend their energy

Offer after school activities

Cultivate a volunteer program

Be an Excellent Librarian! Customer Service Reference Reader’s Advisory

Customer Service

Reference

Reader’s Advisory

Reminders for Librarians Stay calm It’s not personal Teens are job security Learn to RAP

Stay calm

It’s not personal

Teens are job security

Learn to RAP

Moment of Truth R emember A ccept P roject

R emember

A ccept

P roject

Thank You! Slides: http://infogdss.wordpress.com Email: informationgoddess29@gmail.com 603.247.3196

Slides: http://infogdss.wordpress.com

Email: informationgoddess29@gmail.com

603.247.3196