Modern Adolescence

As educators, it is important to understand the various needs of an adolescent, in order to properly reach them socially, morally and personally.  This can only be done through comprehension of the developmental stages and an acknowledgment of wide variance that accompanies adolescence.

This website discusses the social, moral and personal development of the modern adolescent.  I do not intend to regurgitate various forms of information but instead describe the various forms of development, highlighted by two important factors.  There are a number of external factors that influence adolescent development, but are they truly different from one generation to another?

​It is my belief that the general stages of adolescence have not changed drastically; even with the rapid evolution of outside factors.  However, I believe we are at a new crossroads for developmental influences.  Adolescent students face advanced factors that are chemically altering their brain function, thus impeding on their development. While this website covers the basic development of adolescence, it will also showcase that processed foods and over medication (focusing on ADHD medication and misdiagnosis) is altering not only students but humans indefinitely.  ​

The adolescent must never be treated as a child, for that is a stage of life that he has surpassed. It is better to treat an adolescent as if he had greater value than he actually shows than as if he had less and let him feel that his merits and self-respect are disregarded.
-Maria Montessori-