Standard 2: Young Adolescent Development

Standard 2. Young Adolescent Development

Middle level teacher candidates understand and reflect on the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to young adolescent development and use that knowledge in their practice. They demonstrate their ability to apply this knowledge when creating healthy, respectful, safe, inclusive, equitable, supportive, and challenging learning environments for each young adolescent they teach. They successfully model middle level practices that affirm the diversity of all young adolescents.

Components

Component 2.a. Knowledge of Young Adolescent Development:

Middle level teacher candidates demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of young adolescent development. Knowledge of young adolescent development includes the cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and moral characteristics, needs, and interests of young adolescents, inclusive of the central roles technology has in their lives.

Component 2.b. Implications of Young Adolescent Development for Responsive Learning Environments:

Middle level teacher candidates use their comprehensive knowledge of young adolescent development to create healthy, respectful, safe, inclusive, equitable, supportive, and technologically rich and challenging learning environments for all young adolescents, including those whose languages, identities, and cultures differ from their own or others. Candidates establish relationships with young adolescents in order to understand the uniqueness of each adolescent, especially as it concerns the pervasive role of technology.

Component 2.c. Implications of Diversity for Young Adolescent Development:

Middle level teacher candidates demonstrate their knowledge that diversity has implications for the development of young adolescents. They are responsive to young adolescents’ individual experiences and identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, language/dialect, gender, culture, age, appearance, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, family composition). They successfully model middle level practices that affirm the diversity of all young adolescents.

Personal Reflection:

AMLE Standard 2 exemplifies the importance of understanding and applying knowledge about the developmental characteristics, needs and interests of young adolescents in creating supportive and inclusive learning environments. To me, it expands on the fundamental role of young adolescent development and the roles it plays in effective teaching, emphasizing cognitive, physical, social, emotional and moral development.

Throughout my academic journey specifically, I have been able to engage in coursework readings, discussions and other activities or research that expanded my understanding of young adolescent development. With these resources, I have been able to implement my findings and understanding within my internship and student teaching where I have observed and interacted with students in diverse contexts. I was also able to attend Professional Development Seminars on UofSC campus in February of 2024 that further prepared me as a future educator.

In my professional life, I plan to continue to deepen my understanding of young adolescent development through professional development seminars, research and collaboration with colleagues. Evidence-based strategies and practices, from what I have consumed as a student myself, are responsive to diverse needs and experiences of students as well which would also greatly and positively allow me to grow in this area.

Alignment with each component:

(Component 2.a) I have demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of young adolescent development through coursework at the University of South Carolina, where I gained background in middle-level education and studied areas of student development that included the cognitive, physical, social, emotional and moral aspects. As an intern and student teacher, I have been able to carry my learnings into the classroom directly. In the classroom, I actively strive to consider the development of young adolescents and take time to assess various levels of development that are not limited to simply academics. For example, I hosted ‘wellness warm-ups’ frequently in the beginning of classes. During this time, it gave students an opportunity to share how they were feeling while also exhausting resources that were offered through the school.

(Component 2.b) Through my internship and student teaching, I have applied my knowledge of young adolescent development to create learning environments that are healthy, safe, respectful and inclusive. As a student, in various courses, we discussed the important role technology has as well on building a responsive learning environment. Throughout my internship, I have incorporated technology into instruction in ways that enhanced student engagement and learning.

(Component 2.c) I have demonstrated an awareness of diversity and its implications for young adolescent development through coursework, discussions and practical experiences from my internship and student teaching. Inside the classroom during my student teaching, I have strived to build inclusive environments that embrace students’ diverse backgrounds. I did this by first creating a safe learning environment that emphasized value and respect for ‘differences’ and affirming the values of each students’ identity and background. In addition to this, incorporating diverse perspectives ,voices and materials into the curriculum or lesson plans, is a great strategy I have found to have cultural representation of all individuals.

Relevant Artifacts:

(Component 2.a) Wellness Check In:

During my internship, I created lesson plans throughout units with the assistance of my CT at the time. The video below (until 4:08) demonstrates component 2.a by taking time during class to check-in with students and how they are feeling physically, emotionally and academically. The warm-up activity was a paper toss, where students shared what they wanted (names were not required) and then I anonymously read several, sharing news, advice or feedback for students!

(Component 2.b): Use of Technology:

During my internship and student teaching, I utilized technology in any way that would benefit students! In the clip below, I created a Kahoot game for students to practice examples of proper use of apostrophe's. The students enjoyed this practice and review too!

(You will need to request access and be granted permission to view. There are student faces pictured and is NOT viewable to public)

Karli Terlinde_English Video Case Lesson (Hot n' Cold)

(Component 2.c): Student Bulletin Boards

This artifact demonstrates just one example of young adolescent development. During a specific assignment, students were asked to draw 'monsters' showcasing different backgrounds. Each 'monster' was unique in their own way. This also tied into our Genetics unit as we focused on certain traits that might be inheritable. Showcasing student work is also a great way to build on healthy relationships with students!

An additional artifact that cannot necessarily be photographed, would be my practices in modeling and affirming the diversity of young all adolescents.

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