Analysis of Kayla Vignette

What issue have we identified in Kaylas story?

One of the issues that we have identified within the vignette is Kaylas early physical

development, and how that is creating additional problems, as well as exacerbating other

issues that she is going through. Kaylas early physical or pubertal development is leading to

her becoming vulnerable to emotional and behavioural problems as well as potentially

causing body dysphoria, leading to eating disorders, and twenty percent of adolescent girls

experiencing depression. As Sam mentioned, due to Kaylas early physical development, her

brain is starting to change and shift with her amygdala taking control over so she is making

rash decisions based on impulse. While this is happening, her development over her peers is

also pushing her to associate with people that look like her, and people that physically

identifies which is why she is hanging out with the older more delinquent students. Its easy

to pinpoint her early physical development as the catalyst for most of the other problems she

is facing due to the emotional and mental pressure that being different and ostracised causes

her.

What strategy have we identified to help overcome this issue?

One of the strategies that we can use to help Kayla come to terms with her early physical

development which can be considered the root of all of her other problems, is a Social Club,

like a sports club, or an arts club that runs after school or during lunch periods. It can be a

teacher-led relaxed environment where people of the same interests can hang-out and talk and

involve themselves in their passion.

What research supports this strategy?

Kort-Butler, and Hagewen (2011) conducted a research article that documents the growth of

adolescent self-esteem in relation to their involvement in extra-curricular clubs and found a

positive improvement in self-esteem earlier than in students who werent involved with a

club. So joining a club early on according to the research, results in an immediate benefit to

Kaylas self-esteem and well-being if she was to join an arts club, and even more-so if she

also joined a sports club, because the research shows an even greater improvement in self-

esteem in students who have a mixed portfolio of extra-curricular activities.

What are the pros of this strategy?

A social club will give her a sense of belonging to a group of her own peers that she

needs, distancing her from the older-students that she has being hanging out with. De-

ostracising her from her own peer group and letting her fit-in with the other year 7s.

It will help her to learn valuable skills that she can continue to use into the future, as

well as a chance for leadership opportunities to further establish her sense of self and

her self-esteem.

If she joins an extra-curricular social club, she wont have as much time to hang out

with the other, more dangerous students she usually hangs out with and adolescents

who have an after-school relationship with a mentor are far less likely to use drugs or

alcohol that others who dont have that relationship this meaning that it will work to

separate her from the negative influence of the older students and hopefully replace it

with better influence.

What are the cons or limitations of this strategy?

 Kayla has to want to join the club for this strategy to work, if she refuses to join the

club, or regularly attend, the social club wont be able to help her with any of the

aforementioned problems.

She has to be accepted as part of the club, and if she is not accepted and still

ostracised in an school setting where she feels comfortable (like sports or visual arts)

will only lead to worse behaviour and will lead to more negative behaviour.

The supervising teacher would have to be constantly around and willing to help her if

she gets frustrated or upset in order to stop her from bringing outside social problems

into the group, or creating drama within the social club. The teacher really has to be at

the top of their game in order to make sure the club runs as smoothly as possible.

What have you learnt from this unit about how this knowledge of adolescent

development informs the specific strategies you will use to support students wellbeing

and safety?

I have learnt that not all strategies and approaches are suitable for all students, because of the

differing rate of cognitive development for each student. All students go down the same path

of puberty and development, but not all at the same rate or same time, and that this concept is

really important to remember when creating lesson plans and work-loads. Steinbergs idea of

hot and cold cognitive states is another really important theory that is needed when creating a

classroom learning environment, as its important that school remain a more cold cognitive

state. And on a more personal note, I learnt not to undercut or under value the relationships

that adolescents have with each others and teachers and just how important those

relationships are to an adolescent.

How will this knowledge of adolescent development inform your teaching practice in

relation to your KLA?

The knowledge of adolescent development that I learnt from this uni really caused a big shift

in my teaching method and teaching philosophy. They way that I conduct my lesson will now

incorporate the ideas of cognitive loads and cognitive states, making sure that the student are

engaged, but not overloaded with concepts and information. In an English classroom this is

Important when dealing with language and sentence conventions and make sure that each is

explained and understood before moving onto the next will help with the cognitive load. Also

when deconstructing and analysing a set English text, realising that not all students will be at

the same level on Piagets cognitive developmental scale, and scaffold the lesson

accordingly. As well as trying my best as a teacher, to help then and encourage them to

experience new ideas and things in order to help them grow their brains before they go

through myelination and it becomes harder to develop new brain cells.

References:

Relation of early menarche to depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and comorbid

psychopathology among adolescent girls. By: Stice, Eric, Presnell, Katherine,

Bearman, Sarah Kate, Developmental Psychology, 00121649, 20010901, Vol. 37,

Issue 5

Mendle, J., Turkheimer, E., & Emery, R. E. (2007). Detrimental Psychological Outcomes

Associated with Early Pubertal Timing in Adolescent Girls. Developmental Review:

DR, 27(2), 151171. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2006.11.001

Ge, X., Conger, R. D., & Elder, G. H.. (1996). Coming of Age Too Early: Pubertal Influences

on Girls' Vulnerability to Psychological Distress. Child Development, 67(6), 3386

3400. http://doi.org.ezproxy.uws.edu.au/10.2307/1131784

Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino, Mauri Marttunen, Pivi Rantanen, Matti Rimpel, Early puberty

is associated with mental health problems in middle adolescence, Social Science &

Medicine, Volume 57, Issue 6, September 2003, Pages 1055-1064,

Stice, E., Presnell, K., & Bearman, S. K. (2001). Relation of early menarche to depression,

eating disorders, substance abuse, and comorbid psychopathology among adolescent

girls. Developmental Psychology, 37(5), 608-619. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.37.5.608

Steinberg, L. (2005). Cognitive and affective development in adolescence. Trends in

cognitive sciences, 9(2). Retrieved 12 May, 2016, from

https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc

/download?doi=10.1.1.294.1435&rep=rep1&type=pdf
State University. (n.d.). Clubs - Club Participation, Why Participation is Expected to Benefit

Youth, Benefits of Participation in Clubs. Retrieved May 12, 2016, from

http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1838/Clubs.html

Kort-Butler, L., & Hagewen, A. (2011). School-Based Extracurricular Activity Involvement

and Adolescent Self-Esteem: A Growth-Curve Analysis. Journal of Youth and

Adolescence, 40(5), 568-581.