The Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress

"A key role of education and of life at home consists of helping children and teenagers see the coming attractions of adulthood, so that they discover what life is likely to be like some day. We must then prepare them to be up to it and up for it, ready and waiting for that which lies ahead!"

Dr. Mel Levine, author of All Kinds of Minds (from Helping Their Heads to Look Ahead, available at www.allkindsofminds.org)

One day your teenage daughter is elated about a new friend, but the next that friendship is SO over. Though your son can spend hours absorbed with an Internet chat room, getting him to "chat" with you for more than a few minutes can be like pulling teeth.

Just when you are questioning who these kids are and why they’re acting so erratically, comes comforting news from science: you can attribute the teenage ups and downs to their brains. No, their brains are not malfunctioning. They are developing as nature intended.

For years we have heard about the vital importance of the first three years of children’s lives – this is supposedly when all brain function develops and is set in permanence. However, dramatic discoveries indicate that the pre-teen and teenage years are just as important when it comes to brain development.

At the beginning of the decade, scientists at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced exciting research showing there is a significant surge in growth of the pre-adolescent brain. Prior to this study, research had shown that the brain produced large amounts of "gray matter" in the womb and for about the first 18 months of life. After that, the brain supposedly underwent a process of pruning (eliminating unnecessary brain connections known as synapses).

However, researchers now understand that significant brain development happens on into adolescence. Here is what the research means for teens:

• Though brain size may stabilize by age five, brain growth and change continues through the teen years in differing ways.
   

• The surge of hormones at puberty seems to stimulate brain growth in pre-adolescents. The brain’s frontal lobes (the areas that aid self-control, judgment, emotional maturity, organizing and planning) begin to grow again, starting at about age 10 for girls and age 12 for boys.
   

• Nerve cells that aid intelligence, consciousness and self-awareness keep growing even into a person’s 20s.
   

• Brain growth is basically a "use-it-or-lose-it" process. The brain’s ability to acquire and retain new information will expand if stimulated or shrink if neglected. Those skills that are regularly exercised or experiences that are traumatic or particularly positive become part of the brain’s long-term memory. Those that are not tend to be lost after a short time.

• During the teen years, other parts of the brain that control sight, sound, speech, language, emotions like fear and anger and the area that creates memories are also under construction. [top]

Using this research to promote learning

The quality of a teen’s experiences actually directs how their brains are eventually hard-wired or finished. According to Dr. Jay Giedd, the lead scientist who conducted the NIMH research, "Teens have the power to determine (the direction of) their own brain development. Whether they do art, music or sports, video games or books, those brain structures are adapted accordingly." And those areas that are not stimulated may be pruned away to make room for the areas that are growing.

Here are some ways to influence your child’s brain growth and promote learning:

• For brains to grow, they need proper stimulation. Teens who spend much of their time overdosing on nonverbal, sedentary activities like watching television or surfing the Internet risk losing their brain’s capacity to process and strengthen other more challenging and useful skills.
   

• Brain burn-out can be as big a problem. Teens with jam-packed schedules may have too little time to let their minds rejuvenate. Teens need a range of active and passive experiences for their brains to grow and stay healthy. They also need your help to find the right balance.
   

• The areas of a teen’s brain that regulate self-control are not fully developed. That’s why they often seem so impetuous. Again, teens need your help to understand the limits of acceptable behavior and the consequences of going too far.
   

• The areas of their brains that influence organization are also still developing. Therefore, they may need your help to develop organizational strategies. For ideas, talk to the school’s guidance staff or link to www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-3676.html
   

• Emotions have a strong impact on brain development. Teens need to feel safe in order to grow mentally strong. In fact, brain research shows there is a chemical released that blocks learning when students feel threatened. Parents can help by maintaining a positive home environment, as free as possible from strife. Keep the lines of communication open. Talk with your teens about what bothers them. Realize that your efforts to work through disagreements and find common ground can make a difference in how well they learn.
   

• Sharpening the brain is an ongoing process. One of the best ways to help your teen develop the lifestyle of a learner is to be a good role model: Make sure your son or daughter sees you doing what you love and what keeps you sharp. [top]