This document discusses how to leverage the developmental phases of intermediate, junior high, and high school students. It notes that parents have around 936 weeks or 6,552 jelly beans of influence on their child from birth to graduation. As a teacher, their time of influence ranges from 135 to 222 hours depending on the school. It emphasizes the importance of understanding what developmental phase a student is currently going through, as students at all phases experience physical, mental, cultural, relational, emotional, and moral changes. By knowing what can be expected at each phase, teachers can set appropriate expectations and leverage where students are developmentally.

1. Intermediate / Junior High / High School
It’s just a phase…
Presentation content liberally
borrowed from It’s Just a
Phase So Don’t Miss It: Why
Every Stage of a Kid Matters,
and at Least 13ThingsYour
Church Should Do About It by
Reggie Joiner and Kristen Ivy

2. Where do the Jelly Beans come in?
• A parent has an average of 936 weeks (6552 Jelly Beans) between a child’s
birth and graduation
• 936 weeks of influence
• As a teacher, you have approximately ______ hours to influence the
students in your classroom
• ( ≈ 180 at MRIS/CGIS, 222 at MJHS, 135 at MHS)

3. Making it Real…

4. What is a phase?

5. What phase applies to your students?

6. How can you use a phase for leverage?
• Accept that kids at all phases are changing in 6 ways:
• Physically & Mentally
• Culturally & Relationally
• Emotionally & Morally
• Know what can be expected of students at each stage
• If you don’t know what can be expected of a student, you may be expecting too little.
• If you don’t know what can be expected of a student, you may be expecting too much.