Last week I did a podcast with author and speaker Ed Gerety, CSP, on the subject of Tapping the Power of the Adolescent Brain. Some of the take-aways from the interview include:
- “What were they thinking?” A lot of things are going on in the teenage brain that were not going on 2-3-4 years ago.
- It’s amazing that teenagers are as reasonable as they are given the neurological changes and growth happening within the teenage brain.
- The teenage brain can often seem that they have their foot on the gas pedal, but the brakes haven’t been installed yet. They have an insatiable need for new experiences.
- The teenage brain fully develops around the age of 22-23 or later.
- Giving teens the chance to make choices and take responsibility is important for their mental growth.
- Help your teen to self-regulate their emotions. Help them understand what the triggers are and then help them develop their own strategies on what they can do about it.
- Teens are looking for leadership, people who can help them learn things. Be sure that they are learning from people who have their best interest in mind. Help them find mentors in their area of interest so they can have hands on experience.
- The teenage brain is seeking reward. Social media plays a huge role in that need. Parents can tap into rewarding their teen in ways that satisfy that need without giving way to social media.
- We are born as geniuses with the joy and passion to learn. Over time, that can be diminished. As parents we can stop suppressing the things that they love to do. Let them have the experiences that help them decide what they want to move towards.
There are three ways to listen to the podcast:
I hope you’ll listen in, and if you’re interested in what you hear, learn more by purchasing my book The Power of the Adolescent Brain: Strategies for Teaching Middle and High School Students
Follow me on Twitter: @Dr_Armstrong.
