Describe why schools are a critical context of adolescent development. a) Mentio
ID: 129653 • Letter: D
Question
Describe why schools are a critical context of adolescent development.
a) Mention what aspects of schools or the school experience have the potential to shape the life of an adolescent. Consider both psychosocial and achievement processes and outcomes in the life of the adolescent.
b) Describe which of those domains (psychosocial or achievement) has more empirical evidence of its connection to school variables.
c) What are examples of studies needed to produce more research evidence for the domain now lacking it?
Explanation / Answer
In today's society, adolescent behaviour problem has become major issue in schools. School is a place to give education regarding positive social and cognitive development. There is no place for misconduct and antisocial behaviour. Today, some adolescents want to spend their life in their own way whether it is right or wrong. But schools do not promote wrong behaviour of any student. These behaviour problems are the results of failure in exams, drug addiction and other social issues.The problematic behaviour appear frequently during high school. The main reasons for this problematic behaviour could be low grades, academic failure, negative attitude towards school and teachers, lack of guidance from parents' side. This kind of behaviour creates hurdles to maintain friendship with good students, to participate in several co- curricular activities of school. Generally these kinds of students develop antisocial behaviour and make school a topic of critical context. They are always against of school rules, lack in academics, disrespect their teachers and other students. Schools are known as critical context of adolescent behaviour.
(a) School is the most important organization to shape an individual. There are several factors that help an adolescent to develop socially and academically in his life. The socio-economic status of the school, the ratio of students to teachers, size of the classroom are the factors that affect the achievement processes of an individual while peer relationship, family are some psychosocial factors that help him to develop socially, emotionally and cognitively. With the help of these aspects a person can grow in a right direction. The role of a teacher has a great influence on an adolescent because teacher is the only person in school ,with whom the students interact the most. The teacher should always pay attention for the development of adolescents. At young age, they need more attention because at this age, they can be trapped by several bad habits. The school should provide the opportunity to participate in curricular academic activites to all students.
The teacher student ratio should be manageable, if there are more students and less teachers than it would not be possible to focus on each one of them. Most important is peer relationship. The friends of any person have a great impact on his personality. Adolescents' good behaviour or antisocial behaviour are generally based on his peers. If he has good friends than he will perform good both academically and socially. If he does not have good company , he will develop antisocial behaviour. For improving conditions, schools should organize several programs to spread awareness regarding violence, antisocial behaviour, misconduct and drug abuse.
Family is also an important factor. Schools should take help of parents in order to improve their child's behaviour and make him a resposible citizen.These factors will help him to socially, emotionally and he would be able to achieve good grades and rank during his exams.
(b) Though both domains are important but psychosocial domain is more important because school is the first organization after family where a child goes. It is the place where a child develop his social as well as cognitive skills. Adolescents also have a great impact of schools on their personalities because of their teachers, peers and school environment. Their academic achievement generally depends on their relation with their teachers, how they treat them and their psych social development. So we can say that psychosocial domain has more empirical evidence of its connection to school variables.
(c)In the field of achievement domain more studies are needed to improve the behaviour of adolescents towards school. Many studies regarding gender differences and self esteem in school achievement are required. There is also a need for the assessment of self regulation and intelligence to study the achievement domain in the context of school.