Approaching Adolescents: A Reading Response on "Understanding Youth"
School of Education
Long Island University, C. W. Post
January 21, 2009
Long Island University, C. W. Post
January 21, 2009
My experience with textbooks in general is that they tend to be very boring; however, that has not been the case thus far with Understanding Youth. I was very impressed with Chapter One: The Construction of Adolescence. Not only was the layout of the information given easy to follow but, the language used was scholarly, yet understandable. I especially liked how the authors, Nakkula and Toshalis, used the Antwon/Ms. Petersen scenario as a thread to link the contents of the various subheadings together.
As I read the chapter, I found myself underlining key points and seriously asking myself some of the questions posed in the text i.e. How do we, as professional educators [in training], support our teenage students in the productive imagination of themselves and their worlds and are our pedagogies, curricula, counseling approaches, and even disciplinary practices aligned with these efforts, or do they get in the way? I don't believe these are questions that are ever easily answered and then simply put to rest; instead, I believe that the answers are constantly changing and evolving and are based largely on the individual student being referred to, the mission statement of the school administration, and my own personal and professional growth, development, experiences and biases.
There were two concepts that struck me most in this chapter: (1) the idea that we, our students and ourselves, are each coauthoring each others' life narratives in a reciprocal manner. I have the power to affect my student's lives in a decidedly positive or negative way and (2) the research conducted by Mary Metz which showed that because teaching is a profession based almost entirely on intrinsic reward and value, I will need my student's validation to keep me actively and happily engaged in my profession and prevent me from experiencing the type of dissatisfaction that, if not improved upon, can lead to burnout.
I agree with these findings and believe them to be true of any human service/helping profession. This information has made me think more critically about where and I want to teach and whom I want to teach. Is it suburban teenagers or urban teenagers? Is it Caucasians or African-Americans? Is it the privileged or the under-privileged? What are the pro's and con's of working with either segment of society?
I've walked away from this chapter with more questions than answers and that's okay. It's just an indicator that I am thinking and planning, necessary components for the success as a teacher that I and my students are sure to receive.
As I read the chapter, I found myself underlining key points and seriously asking myself some of the questions posed in the text i.e. How do we, as professional educators [in training], support our teenage students in the productive imagination of themselves and their worlds and are our pedagogies, curricula, counseling approaches, and even disciplinary practices aligned with these efforts, or do they get in the way? I don't believe these are questions that are ever easily answered and then simply put to rest; instead, I believe that the answers are constantly changing and evolving and are based largely on the individual student being referred to, the mission statement of the school administration, and my own personal and professional growth, development, experiences and biases.
There were two concepts that struck me most in this chapter: (1) the idea that we, our students and ourselves, are each coauthoring each others' life narratives in a reciprocal manner. I have the power to affect my student's lives in a decidedly positive or negative way and (2) the research conducted by Mary Metz which showed that because teaching is a profession based almost entirely on intrinsic reward and value, I will need my student's validation to keep me actively and happily engaged in my profession and prevent me from experiencing the type of dissatisfaction that, if not improved upon, can lead to burnout.
I agree with these findings and believe them to be true of any human service/helping profession. This information has made me think more critically about where and I want to teach and whom I want to teach. Is it suburban teenagers or urban teenagers? Is it Caucasians or African-Americans? Is it the privileged or the under-privileged? What are the pro's and con's of working with either segment of society?
I've walked away from this chapter with more questions than answers and that's okay. It's just an indicator that I am thinking and planning, necessary components for the success as a teacher that I and my students are sure to receive.
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