Stages of Adolescence
Adolescence can be a turbulent time during which young people struggle to define their personalities and find their places in the world. While it is sometimes a challenge to work with adolescents, it is also very rewarding to be a part of this period of rapid learning and personal growth. Adolescents involved in work-based learning demonstrate their ability to take on adult responsibilities successfully and meet real-world challenges.
Early adolescence (ages 12-15; grades seven to nine)
As their minds and bodies go through rapid changes, young adolescents look for ways to understand the people they are becoming. In this time of emerging self-image, young adolescents can be characterized by the following traits:
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Frequently uneasy about trying new experiences
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Anxious for peer group approval
- Eager for adult status and privileges but not adult responsibilities
- Primarily focused on the present, rather than the future
- Sometimes unable to concentrate for long periods of time
- Prone to generalizing and making strong value judgements
- Learning to socialize with adults; especially interested in displaying these traits to adults other than parents Late adolescence (ages 16 to 18; grades ten to twelve)
Late adolescence is a time when young people begin to define more clearly a sense of self and test their ideas and interests in the context of the adult world. For most it is a period of burgeoning independence.
The following traits are characteristic of late adolescents:
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Eager for opportunities to make decisions
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Sometimes apt to challenge authority
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Very interested in physical appearance (their standard, not necessarily an adult's)
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Wanting independence and privileges but possibly having trouble with responsibility and personal discipline
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Feeling uneasy about their preparation for the future
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Trying out different values; beginning to build personal philosophies
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Highly sensitive to the reactions of adults and wanting respect, although they may feign indifference
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Likely to feel insecure in new settings with adults, though they may put on an air of confidence
Whether dealing with students in early or late adolescence, remember that work-based learning takes students out of their comfort zone of school. As a result, students may be shy or quiet until they have become accustomed to being in the work environment, doing hands-on activities, and meeting and interacting with adults. Do not mistake reticence for lack of interest. Even if students stay in their shell for the duration of the work-based learning experience, they still gain a great deal just by having spent time at the workplace.
From Employer Recruitment and Orientation Guide, Northwest Regional Education Laboratory, Connections: Linking Work and Learning, and Jobs for the Future
