The Runnign Head: Cognitive Development

In chapter 1, the author states that adolescents in the United States are not doing well. In the last twenty years there has been an increase in bullying, attempted suicide, and drug use. All these issues are causes for concern. The United States is spending millions of dollars each year on ineffective programs. We know they are ineffective because drug use, aggression, and youth crime remain unacceptably high. Dr. Steinberg, states that we should be concerned because clearly we are doing something wrong in how we raise our adolescents (2015). For example, obesity and diabetes in adolescents has increased drastically since the 1970s. Something that hasn’t increased since that year is high school standardized test scores.

Another concerning issue is teachers are being threatened by students and physically attacked. According to Dr. Steinberg, adolescence is a vulnerable time with great change, where they are prone to risky behavior. During my years in middle school and high school, I witnessed all of these issues presented. There were times where students would talk back to teachers and wouldn’t care about the consequences. There was also a time in 8th grade where a group of five boys were caught doing marijuana in the bathroom. But not all adolescents are like this. Sometimes we make the mistake to assume that the behavior of one student determines the behavior of all of them. As a student who is majoring in secondary education, I know I will be teaching adolescents. Learning occurs though experience and changes in the brain. Adolescence is a time where teens do more complex thinking. As a future educator, I need to be prepared to encourage healthy cognitive growth. I can do this by having students set goals, praise them for well thought out decisions, and help them with poorly made decisions. I want to be there for my future students because the decisions they make during their adolescent years often comes with health consequences and can change their lives forever.

In chapter 4, we learn about the limbic system and its three phases. Dr. Steinberg defines the limbic system as an important role in generating emotions (2015). The first phase is known as starting the engines because teens become sensation seekers. This means that they want more intense and exciting experiences but become sensitive to the opinions of others (Steinberg, 2015). The second phase is known for developing a better braking system. At this time, adolescents start to think as adults. They start to improve their decisions, plan ahead, and solve problems. The third phase is called putting a skilled driver behind the wheel. This is the time where adolescents start to think about the long term consequences of their actions and decisions. The limbic system relates to cognitive development because these phases eventually help the adolescent to think and understand like an adult. I feel that I am in the third phase because I always think about how my decisions will affect me. My brother, who is a senior in high school, is in phase two. I remember when he was a freshman he would make bad decisions. For example, he would leave home early to go to school but somehow he would always be late to his classes. Now he understands the consequences for being late and that it can prevent him from graduating. He is still not quite at the third phase, but I know that with guidance and support he will eventually be there.

As a future educator I am aware that emotions affect learning. If a student is depressed or stressed than the student won’t be able to concentrate on learning. I hope to find ways to guide and educate students to eventually reach the goal of phase three. There will be obstacles along the way but with support, I know that we can change how adolescents think.