My Adolescence, Middle Schooling and Identity - Essay Example

Rеflесtivе роrtfоliо 1 Name Institution Workshop 1: Adolescence I learned that adolescent is a young person just after the childhood and one approaching adulthood. I learned that it is important for an adolescent to understand oneself and to know one’s identity. It was my understanding that different people influence the life of adolescents differently. It is my understanding that it is necessary to accept one’s status as an adolescent and one should listen and relate positively with others. Being positive about life and respecting different opinions is something I learned (White, & Wyn, 2013). I learned that it is not good for an adolescent to judge other people but to express good faith and be responsible when with other adolescents or people from other age groups. It is widely realized that an adolescent likes relating well with peers and not the family members since one does not understand the importance of having family interactions in one’s development. It was my understanding that when people are in the adolescent stage, the adults and older people requires guiding them accordingly and understanding why they behave the way they do in order to shape their future lives. This is because this is a very sensitive stage that many people fail to be in the right track and this is the stage that mostly matters about one’s future life and relationship with others. I managed to understand that adolescents have some specific characteristics and they include; the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual characteristics. This is where one changes the way of relating with other people. It is perceptible that an adolescent is always emotional when in worry self-confidence, distress, and happiness. I understood that one develops some attitudes where one becomes self-centred, thus not considering other people’s perspectives. The physical body of an adolescent changes drastically because the body develops very fast. Additionally, one starts understanding things in a more mature way that he/she used to do when in childhood. It was my understanding that when in childhood, one loves luxurious things and behaving badly or against the authority. This is where one fails to respect the elders, by ruling over their households. I learned that children like ruling over their parents and chatter in front of people, as they also misbehave while at home and ruling over their teachers. In most cases, an adolescent is oppositional to his/her parents. I understood that the media stereotype adolescents. It is clear that adolescents are handled in a general manner (Masterson, 2013). It is clear that an adolescent’s behaviour is influenced by one’s interest to have new things, develop autonomy, and become more independent. It is necessary for adolescent issues to be addressed through a middle schooling approach. This is because at the middle school, this is where majority of young people get into the adolescent stage. In addition, application of a middle schooling approach when addressing the issues of adolescent allows proper understanding of the adolescents (White, & Wyn, 2013). It allows the adolescents to be confident when faced with changes that occur during adolescent without the fear or being scared away. It is because one takes things normally and understands them to be part of the natural life. When middle school learners learn about adolescents, characteristics and other issues related to adolescents, this allows them to mature positively and strongly during adulthood. This would enable effective preparation of an adolescent to the adult stage where one is expected to behave in a mature manner and to respect other people. Understanding about adolescent and all things related to adolescence enhances proper personal development during the middle years. This is because one is already prepared mentally and emotionally. In addition, one understands the right places to seek for help or advice when faced with problems related to one’s development. This allows a person to relate positively with one’s parents and significant others rather than developing negative attitude towards them because of the experienced changes (Masterson, 2013). It also allows an adolescent to behave well in front of people and understand that it is a general thing for every adult to pass through the adolescent stage. This allows one to understand that even other people go through the same changes when one reaches the middle age. It also allows one to define personal gender and sexual identity and to interact positively with the peers. Workshop 2: Middle Schooling I understood that middle schooling is conducted in the middle schools and to the students in their middle years, that is, from 10 to 15 years. Sometimes the middle schooling practices are pursued in the middle schools. I learned that In Australia, middle ages are different from other areas in the world. I understood that middle schooling involves learning and teaching to enhance educational and developmental imperatives of students in the middle years in the contemporary society. It was my understanding that practices during the middle schooling comprises of assessment approaches and curriculum pedagogy. It was clear to me that these deal with particular interests of the young adolescent persons (Pendergast, & Bahr, 2010). I managed to realise that in the Education approach of the Queensland three-tier, the middle phase is considered as the schooling broad band associated with the school reform. This includes three phases, that is, the early phase, middle phase, and the senior phase. I learned that during the middle years of attending to school, young people make decisions that influence their entire lives. The choices occur in a world full of changes and places where adolescents can manage to get some sophisticated and extensive sources of data, which is not within their families or schools. I realized that mass media aims at using the middle year children in their talks and during advertisements. In addition, the middle schooling students participate significantly in the society characterized with the growing culture of the consumers (Pendergast, & Main, 2013). I learned that they are allowed to take part in places where there is no sufficient certainty of job-related skills where one is not guaranteed reliable employment. There are different factors that can enhance achievement of high level and support school completion. These include; The ability of one to understand what is taught by the teachers and being dedicated to learn and achieve some set goals and objectives. I understood that a middle schooling student has to be supported by one’s parents and teachers in completion of the assignments and tackling of experienced problems. In addition having role models to copy from allows one to be dedicated to one’s studies (Pendergast, & Bahr, 2010). One’s performance during the junior stage reflects on one’s performance during the middle school. I understood that a number of risk factors contribute to leaving schools early or having underachievement. A student has to be willing and dedicated to learn, as well as having a set goal or objectives that one wishes to achieve in order to have high achievements and to complete middle school. It is clear that economic status of the parent matter in completion of middle school of a student (Bahr, & Pendergast, 2007). It is clear to me that when a middle schooling student is given a lot of assignment, this discourages one from learning because of being overworked. The teachers in the middle schools should engage the learners into more practices and exercise as they learn in order to attract their attention when in the class. In the middle schooling approach, the learners should be allowed to share their understanding with other learners and to ask questions where they feel not clear for them. It is necessary to understand the behaviour of the middle school learner in order to handle one accordingly and to be effective in one’s teaching (Pendergast, & Main, 2013). It is also necessary for the teacher to discipline the middle schooling student in order to shape his/her life when it is early enough for the student to learn one’s mistakes and to focus at success in one’s life. By understanding issues related to middle schooling, this enhances the middle school learner to work hard when at school and to focus at one’s goals and objectives. This allows the students to stop being disruptive and to handle their emotions. Once teachers spots different students with different behaviour, this enables one to make the student be on the right track in relation to their future lives and education. It also allows a middle schooling student to be calm and passionate about their future education life. It enables the middle schooling students to take the issue of homework positively. Workshop 3: Identity During this lesson, I learned that having and understanding one’s identity is vital in one’s life as a middle year student. I gained understanding that formation of rational self-identity is a very essential task in adulthood. It was clear to me that identity entails what a person thinks about one self and knows about one self and how one knows his/her identity. It was my understanding that when an adolescent interacts with other people, one manages to know more about one self, thus developing a significant identity (Kaltiala-Heino, Sumia, Työläjärvi, & Lindberg, 2015). It is very important for one to secure his/her identity and avoid being confused about one’s role and identity. I learned that in development of identity, there is identity diffusion, identity foreclosure, identity moratorium, and identity achievement, which occurs when one becomes committed into the chosen identity. I gained understanding that identity is not the same with gender or race. I learned that identity has a great impact on the relevance of knowledge to us. This is it manages to drive our motivation and goals in life. I understood more about terms associated with identity, that is; self-concept, which entails all the information, beliefs, attitudes, and ideas associated with a person. Self-esteem refers to the extent at which a person is satisfied and is proud about personal life. Self-efficacy is termed as the sense of a person managing to handle a certain task efficiently and productively through a specific field. I learned more about Erikson’s theory of psychological development where he argues that life involves a sequence comprising of eight stages in the psychological life (Reimer, & Reimer, 2015). I also understood that turning point and psychological crises are some of the uniqueness of every psychological stage. I gained an understanding that when children are in the school going years, they commit themselves in the activities that are school based, thus being more industrious. It is clear that children tend to compare themselves with their peers an activity that makes them to feel inferior. It is according to my understanding that children experience confusion when it comes to roles and identity. This is where adolescents develop certain identities that reflect to their adulthood. I learned that different roles are used by adolescents when trying to understand whom they are fully. It is clear that development of identity is worsened by continuous changes in the psychological life, as well as pressure from the peers. The issues of identity should be addressed in a manner that allows the adolescents and middle schooling students understand their identity. The middle schooling approach should allow them to be positive when developing an identity and to have a positive sense about their self (Reimer, & Reimer, 2015). There should be clarity to the learners that identity is developed in the entire life and identity keeps on changing with time and according to the current stage in life. Addressing the issue of identity should be done in a manner that allows the learners to understand that being in a certain condition in life should not lead to changing of one’s identity. There should be allowance of the adolescents to explore their identity and choose an identity that reflects to their future life success. It is apparent that understanding about one’s identity and how one should develop an identity influences personal development in the middle stage. This allows one to be positive or negative about one’s self. This also allows one to develop effectively in the social and psychological life where there is no role confusion (Kaltiala-Heino, et al. 2015). It enables one to interact effectively with other people and to respond positively to different crises. An adolescent learns how to respect one’s status in different domains and be conscious when choosing a particular identity. It is widely realized that when a person develops a negative identity about his or her life, one fails to interact positively with other people and one does things that are not according to morals. The social and psychological growth of a person is highly influenced by the identity that one develops in different situations and domains in life. Workshop 4: Belonging I understand that belonging refers to the state of having an appropriate, proper, as well as suitable place or being associated with something naturally, as well as fitting in a certain group through a natural means. I understand that it is not possible for a person to feel comfortable in a place where one feels not to belong. This reflects to the fact that children do not succeed or perform well in schools where they feel not to belong. It is clear that a person has to develop the sense of belonging to a particular place (Mueller, & Haines, 2012). I learned that the feeling of belonging to a particular place makes one to be strong and confident when in that place. When a person is in a place where he/she does not belong, one feels lonely and desperate because one fails to understand what is done in a group. I understood that, in order for a person to belong to a group, one has the have the same interests, appearance, and the same interests of belonging in a group socially. For instance, being in a group of gangs, one has to have common things with the other gangs. It was my understanding that being in a group of criminals, one makes money through illegal activities. Retreat is associated with withdrawing from drugs or the mainstream society (Faircloth, & Hamm, 2011). I gained knowledge that conflict is related to a person’s territoriality, integrity, honour, reputations, and acquisition of social status. On the other hand, social culture entails acquiring methods of speaking, music, and graffiti. I learned that for a student to develop positive relationship when among other students, one has to seek for support and be part of all activities done by other students in the same group. In addition, teachers have to apply the same skills and techniques in the same classroom in order to meet all the needs to the learners equally. Belonging to a school entails having a positive relationship among the students, teachers, administrators, staff, as well as the family in general. There are disciplinary policies applied to make students feel belonging in the same school and to fit in a relationship with each other. I learned that the feeling of belonging at a certain place or group is not dictated but it is an inner feeling and mental acceptance of sharing things and activities with those who are in the same group or place. The issue of belonging might be addressed through a middle schooling approach in a manner that allows the adolescents and middle schooling students to feel being part of the school or a particular class (Mueller, & Haines, 2012). This approach should allow the students to feel accepted and related to each other when in the same class or when they belong to the same stage of growth. Students require being allowed to judge for themselves on the issues that make them to belong to a certain group and not to another. One should be allowed to gain a clear understanding of how to judge if one belongs in a certain place or group, but not being dictated about the necessity of remaining in a certain group. This approach should be conducted in a manner that enables one to have some inner feeling of being accepted and having the same qualities and characteristics with other people in the same place and group. The feeling of belonging to a certain group or place enhances having an effective personal development as a middle schooling student or as an adult. This is because it makes one to be positive when in the place when one feels to belong. In addition, it allows one to survive while in that group or when at that place because of sharing similar things and characters with other people in the same place or group. Ultimately, being in a group where one is comfortable and one feels to belong makes one to feel protected and cared for by other people (Faircloth, & Hamm, 2011). One manages to share problems and issues in life with others, thus feeling relieved and loved after being helped to tackle that problem or after being set free from the disturbing issue. When one gets involved in doing a certain things, this makes that person to recognized and accepted by other people in the same group or other people who are doing the same thing. Workshop 5: Puberty, Gender and sexuality I understood that during puberty, people get stereotyped because of their behaviour. It is clear that teachers in schools have rules to follow in order to play their roles responsibly and to be dedicated in making a difference to students. I learned that teachers get ready for their future lives where they save for their old age with the aim of not becoming a burden to the society once they age. It was my understanding that people spend their time doing different things that are of help to them even for their future lives (Holder, & Blaustein, 2014). For teachers, reading books and the bible is part of their daily lives because it enables them to be informed always as they continue with their works. It was clear to me that smoking and taking of liquor anyhow is an indicator that a person is not concerned about honesty, integrity, intention, and worth. It is clear that during puberty people should have a clear understanding of their gender and sex. I gained understanding that sex is the physiological and biological characteristics. It is the state of being a female or a male. In addition, in the world, people are not much concerned about sex. I managed to understand that gender is identifies as the activities, expectations, roles, and behaviours that people portray in a society. In addition, gender is the state of feminine and masculine and the differences in people’s gender do vary across the world. I realized that people attribute different behaviours and characteristics to the sexes, thus making gender roles (Herlitz, Reuterskiöld, Lovén, Thilers, & Rehnman, 2013). I learned that people of different gender have different expectations and this are relatively affected by their participation at the workplace and the education patterns. It is widely realized that women have increasingly been involved in the labour force that it was in the past and that those who work during part-time have increased by 200% It was my understanding that educating boys and girls differently is important where they learn about poverty, class, rurality, and ethnicity and not only issues related to their gender. I gained understanding that girls are stereotyped to be of poor performance even in schools where their performance rates tend to reflect even in the labour market since they have low labour related performance. The concept of masculinity in boys makes them to be against the common images while in schools. The gender or masculinity does not matter in one’s going to read some books or being at the library, but when a boy is seen playing sports, conventional masculinity is identified as a popular thing since one manages to explore the world and to become active. It was my understanding that boys are supposed to achieve in their lives (Holder, & Blaustein, 2014). It is also not right to see women as nurturers, but they should be allowed to have some positions in the power, so as to impact the lives of their sons. The issue of puberty, gender, and sex should be approached in a way that do not affect the boys and the girls in that stage. The application of middle schooling approach should be conducted in a manner that allows the boys and girls not to feel stereotyped against by the direct society. This should allows boys and girls to understand that sex do not mater a lot in the world, but gender do because it affects how the boys and girls behave differently (Herlitz, et al. 2013). The address of the puberty issue should enable boys and girls understand that it is normal to develop and to have changes in their bodies. This makes them positive and to mature sexually without feeling to be different from others of the same sex. The issue of puberty, sex, and gender tend to influence the personal development of boys and girls especially when the media or the entire society stereotypes their behaviour. It is clear that puberty involves having changes in one’s biological and physiological growth. By understanding that people are different, the boys and girls develop different expectations, activities, roles, and behaviours. Ultimately, during puberty, the hormonal changes make girls and boys to realise their differences when in the same group. Workshop 6: Risk I understood that as people interact as boys and girls, they tend to be at problems with their parents and friends. In the schools and universities, both girls and boys are likely to be bullied equally and are likely to get into risks equally. It was clear to me that with time, the issue of being engaged into illicit drugs continue increasing to all young people in general regardless of sex. It was according to my understand ding that the issue of taking illicit drugs among young people is very common in the developed nations and this leads to a solemn to the young people’s health despite the age. I learned that smoking is a common habit especially Australians (Thoma, & Huebner, 2014). There are different risks that people pass through including inequality, obesity and some communicable diseases that are caused by having sex and engaging into usage of intravenous drugs. I managed to understand that teachers cannot change some things, but they require effort from the affected students and their parents. I also realized that those young people brought up in families with low socio-economy perish easily compared to those from high socio-economy families because of being at high risks. It was my understanding that it is very important to offer social support to the adolescents. This is where families in a neighbourhood require having organized affiliations, trust, and community investments in order for them to function in a positive manner. I found out that anxiety is a common disorder, which is characterized by social phobia, separation, and generalisaion of things in life. Anxiety is also associated with; post-trauma stress and being obsessive-compulsive in life (Brooks, Magnusson, Spencer, & Morgan, 2012). It is clear that anxiety leads to some likely educational adjustments, and implications. It is clear that most of activities that young people engage into lead them into problems without their knowledge. I realized that the society or the community has a duty to offer the necessary support to young people in order to make right decisions of avoiding engaging into activities that put their live in to danger. It is apparent that young people live a life characterized with uncertain future, thus not being careful about their behavior and activities. When applying middle schooling approach in addressing the issue of risk to young people, there should be understanding of the cause of the risk. There should be application of an understanding that when people are exposed in to problems especially associated with bad behaviour, this tends to affect their entire lives. This should allow parents and the entire society to understand young people and to offer the expected support for them to change their behaviour and to avoid being at risk. There should be creation of understanding that feeling anxious results from different things like stress and separation. The approach should enable young people to understand that socio-economic differences are associated with being at certain level of risk (Thoma, & Huebner, 2014). This would enable people from the low socio-economy families to be careful about their lives because being in this status increases their likelihood of being into life problems. The approach should also allow the young people to understand that every activity they engage in has consequences in their future lives. The issue of being at risk influences personal development of young people. This is because it allows them to understand what they are not supposed to do to avoid being at risk in their lives. In addition, it allows the young people to understand things that they should avoid doing since they are likely to ruin their future lives (Brooks, et al. 2012). The issue affects personal development in a manner that makes young people to behave responsibly to avoid getting into issues when undertaking their education and when relating with other people in the society. As people learn where they should seek for help, this improves their confidence in decision-making on whether to stop engaging in to activities that put their lives at risk. Learning about different things that put young people into risk is supposed to enable them be more careful and to have concern about their future lives. Young people avoid being exploited and ensure they are secure and in the good track after learning the dangers ahead of them because of behaving irresponsibly. Workshop 7: Mental Health and Well-Being Mental health and well-being are very essential in the lives of young people because this reflects to their future life when in adulthood. I understood that kids should be saved from being at risk of mental problem because they are the future champions in their adulthood when they tend not to give up about their lives and when other people support them. The mental health of young people is of much concern from other people because of their declining health and well-being. I understood that for one to be considered healthy, this has to be identified from social, mental, and physical well-being, that is, when one is free from illness and disease (Biddle, & Asare, 2011). I managed to learn that young Australians are highly affected by psychological distress, which is at high levels. It is clear that one among four young people experiences a mental disorder in one way or another. It was clear to me that anxiety disorder is among the most frequently reported mental disorders being followed by affective disorders, and substance abuse disorders. I realized that the most affected young people are the indigenous young people whose rate of psychological distress continues increasing with time. It was my understanding that many factors putting young people into the risk of being mentally ill are from outside the classroom. It is important for teachers to understand different behaviour of different students and understand that the respective students have the ability to control them. I learned that some factors leading to mental health problem are associated with personality problems, being highly exposed into the television, poor method of discipline, and difficulty life at home. However, it is necessary for teachers to offer maximum support to those students when within the classrooms. It was clear to me that when young people focus their ability to have increased self-worth and competency when studying, this allows them to gain confidence even when outside the classroom. It is very important for students to be taken through some programs that lead to improvement of their well-being, for instance, ‘You can do it’ program. It was my understanding that when young people are in good mental health, this benefits their school. It is important to engage into respectful relationships and young people should be highly involved in to activities that enhance improvement of their mental health and that of other people. I understood that in order to improve mental health of the young people, there has to be diversity, families playing their significant roles, and community, health agencies, and schools working together. It is clear that when young people develop feelings of togetherness, they improve their mental health and well-being. I found out that in order for a young person to have an improved mental health and well-being, one is supposed to have an adult or a champion whom is to guide him/her and connect effectively. The approach of mental health and well-being issue might be addressed through a middle schooling approach in a manner that allows young people o understand the importance of being mentally well and having improved well-being. The approach should not allow some young people to feel disadvantaged especially those in the indigenous population because of being at high risk of having psychological distress. Young people should be allowed to understand that when they engage into some activities like usage of drugs, this increases the rate of being in mental disorder and affecting their well-being. The approach should be aimed at allowing the young people to be careful about their behaviour because their mental well-being is very important in to their future lives and it matters in the societal development. The approach should allow one to realise that some things like personal problems home difficulties, and poor discipline are likely to lead to psychological distress and not only classroom issues. This should enable young people to be concerned about their self-worth and be competent when in school in order to have a better life even after finishing school. The approach should allow young people to be involved into relationships that are helpful in improvement of their mental health (Kieling, Baker-Henningham, Belfer, Conti, Ertem, Omigbodun, & Rahman, 2011). Understanding about mental health and well-being influences the young people’s personal development. This is because it allows them to understand things that they should avoid and those ones that they require engaging in so that they may improve their mental health and well-being. Once young people have a clear understanding that they have control over their lives and their activities that influences their mental health and well-being, they tend to improve their behaviour and to be responsible people in the society. References Bahr, N. & Pendergast, D., (2007), The Millennial Adolescent, Camberwell, Acer Press Biddle, S. J., & Asare, M. (2011). Physical activity and mental health in children and adolescents: a review of reviews. British journal of sports medicine, bjsports90185. Brooks, F. M., Magnusson, J., Spencer, N., & Morgan, A. (2012). Adolescent multiple risk behaviour: an asset approach to the role of family, school and community. Journal of public health, 34(suppl 1), i48-i56. Faircloth, B. S., & Hamm, J. V. (2011). 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