Teens, are they worth it?

Do you remember what it was like when you were a teenager? Well, sometimes we need to sit back and reflect on how we were and what problems we had.

Teenagers face real concerns, between 13 and 19 years of age, daily as this is the most awkward growth stage of their lives. During this time, teens are exposed to some overwhelming external and internal struggles. They go through and are expected to cope with hormonal changes, puberty, social and parental forces, work and school pressures, and so much more. Many teens feel misunderstood. Their feelings and thoughts must be validated in order for us to be able to relate and understand them.

Here's what we're up against

• Self-Esteem and Body Image
• Stress
• Bullying
• Depression
• Cyber Addiction
• Drinking and Drugs
• Defiant Behaviors
• Peer-Pressure and Competition

1. How should we deal with these problems?

• Being vigilant towards these signs at an early stage may help stop further damage and help guide them towards healthy ways of dealing with their concerns.

1.  When should we intervene?

• When in the adolescent’s life, there is an imminent danger or when there is a pattern of self-defeating behavior or when actions are becoming self-destructive.
• These are times when teachers should intervene and contact their director to set up a meeting with the parents; there may be some ongoing issues at home that we may be unaware of. Identifying severe problems early on and knowing what to watch out for is essential.
• Dropping grades diminished interest, and preferred isolation are all early signs of depression--heightened demands to perform, competing with friends, etc. may also lead to unwanted stress. 

Their Empathy

“You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself.”

John Steinbeck

This is a compelling statement. What does it mean to you? For teens to see anything through an empathetic lens is challenging, since teens in general often do not reflect on how their actions affect them, let alone others.

Your Empathy

"Children come to classrooms with prior learning and understanding, which has to be assessed, built on and incorporated into their new frameworks of understanding. Central to learning, therefore, is not just the child’s ability to understand the teacher but the teacher’s ability to understand the child and the diverse range and nature of understanding in different children. This requires a considerable degree of empathy."

Bouch, A. and Sasse, M.A. (1999) Network quality of service: What do users need? 4th International Distributed Conference. Madrid, 22nd-23rd September 1999.

• How can your empathy impact your classroom environment?

It’s not about being their friend--they already have enough friends. So, the essential idea is to find a balance between teacher and confidant. This balance will probably take a bit of time before you find a way that works, but it is possible to find a workable balance. More importantly, make certain the students always remember that you are the one leading the lessons, whilst at the same time staying approachable. Respect your students, but at the same time make sure they respect you. You are not their friend. But you aren't a dictator either.

Rapport

• Why it is so important?

Because rapport between a teacher and his or her class is what builds trust and fosters a healthy relationship for both teacher and student.

• Is it easy building rapport with teens?

The simple answer should be yes, although that isn't always the case. Here are a few tips on building a great rapport with your class.

1. Learn your students' names, and learn them quickly; this helps build that relationship; everyone likes to hear their names, especially in a positive light.
2. Use their names frequently in class when referring to them.
3. Treat your students with respect, and demand respect in return. Without mutual respect, you might as well not be teaching.
4. Make eye contact in the class when you’re speaking with your students; look at them; for that moment, they are special, but be careful as some students shy away and feel intimidated. Eye contact is powerful, use it carefully.
5. Share a bit about yourself; your students are curious about you, your culture, your experiences, etc. but don’t be that teacher that talks about themselves throughout the entire lesson either, chances are they don't care plus it’s egocentric!

"Your class may be the best part of a student's day; make sure you don't disappoint."

Steve Nickodemski

Different Learning Styles

1. Visual or spatial learners:

They need to see things to fully understand them. They learn best from visual objects such as diagrams, charts, etc. They prefer to write things down.

2. Auditory or musical learners:

They learn mainly through listening so they learn best through discussions and talking. They benefit most from reading texts aloud and using a tape recorder.

3. Physical or kinesthetic or tactile learners:

They learn through using their bodies, hands, and sense of touch. They tend to use their muscles so they can be used well in playing, tidying, cleaning the board, collecting activity books, etc. They learn best through using their hands making things, fitting things together or taking them apart so hands-on activities are ideal to help those students learn best.

4. Social or interpersonal learners:

They prefer to learn in groups or with other people. They have the ability to understand others’ feelings and intentions.

5. Solitary or intrapersonal learners:

They prefer to work alone and use self-study. They have the ability to understand well their feelings, strengths, and weaknesses. They tend to write a personal diary, achieve independent projects, discuss feelings about certain topics, express likes, and dislikes, etc.

6. Verbal or linguistic learners:

They prefer using words, both in speech and writing.

7. Logical or mathematical:

They prefer using logic, reasoning, and systems.

Learner's Experience in the Classroom

A bad experience in language learning can be detrimental in a student’s ability to learn that target language. Students come to me with all types of stories about why they dislike English. Sometimes a student has a mental block when it comes to language, this is usually due to some traumatic experience; unfortunately, most of the time it's due to a teacher. When this happens, the student shuts down, consequently learning is hampered.

I draw from my personal experience, not with English, but with maths. When I was in secondary school, I had a difficult time understanding the basic concepts of Algebra. I had a teacher who could have cared less if I learned the basic principles or not. Back in those days, if you brought home a bad mark, it was your fault and nobody else's. My parents hadn't a clue how to help me, and back in the early 80s, a tutor was out of the question. So, the school sent me to remedial maths, where I was able to add, subtract, and multiply without a hitch. I was kept there for three years. It was only later on in life that I overcame my fears and decided it was time to learn. However, still to this day, I frequently have problems with maths.

Praise and Reprimand

 My rule is to always praise in public and reprimand in private; sometimes it's not possible to take a student out of class at that given moment, however, when you have the chance, speak to them alone and find out what is going on. Above all listen to them. Remember to give both positive and negative points—don’t focus just on the negative.

Don't Play Favorites

We want to consider all of our students equal in our eyes, but I would be lying if I said that were true. Frequently we have a favorite or least-favorite student; it's merely human nature. Never show it! (We all have a student or students whom we love and a student we would sometimes prefer that they missed a day)—but in the end, we love them all equally. 

We want to consider all of our students equal in our eyes, but I would be lying if I said that were true.

In the end, being a teenager is a difficult time in a child's life, please don't purposely make it more difficult for them. Listen to them, love them for who they are, and always remember that you were once a teenager as well. 

Bio:

Steven Nickodemski is an English language teacher and teacher trainer. He has been teaching for 17 years and teaching English as a Second Language for the past 14 years. He is the owner and founder of Mobile English Academia de Inglés, a Cambridge Preparation and Cambridge University Press Partner Center in Rota Spain. He holds a bachelor’s degree in E-Business Management from Strayer University, Washington, DC and a Degree program in Federal Acquisition and Contract Management. He also holds a Trinity CertTESOL and a Cambridge DELTA. He is a member of ACEIA, FECEI, and ACADE.