Young Adolescent Development

It’s Different Now

Four experiences for educators to consider about today’s young adolescents It’s not our imagination, kids really are different. Today’s youth face four constructs that adults either did not experience at all or did not experience in the same way as youth today. Athletics As a parent of athletes, I see the benefits of athletics, including

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Creating Safe Spaces—Four Lessons Learned

Taking time to listen to and learn from students makes a difference Emily, one of my former students, was in seventh-grade when a close friend leaned over to share a secret. “I’m bisexual,” Alison* told her. “I like guys and girls” (from Emily’s blog at https://jwa.org/blog/risingvoices/education-allyship) After that, Emily suddenly noticed how often classmates insulted

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Don’t Pick Up the Rope

Why it’s not worth getting into a struggle with students It was the summer of 1998. I lived in a two room apartment with my now husband. The shower was in the kitchen. We drove clunker cars, scrounged change for take-out, and let me tell you, we were living our best life. We were young,

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Getting to Know Our Students

A successful school year starts—and continues—with knowing well the students we serve One of the highest forms of respect around the world is to prove to someone that we really know them, and that we see them as worth knowing. We can connect with the grumpiest of individuals when we prove such things, and, of

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