New research suggests brains scans can identify patterns of brain activity that may predict if a teen will develop into a problem drinker. The study also confirms that heavy drinking affects a teenagers’ developing brain. Using special MRI scans, researchers looked at forty 12- to 16-year-olds who had not started drinking yet, then followed them […]
Continue reading70% of Teens Hide Their Online Behavior from Parents
Despite their awareness of online dangers, teens continue to take risks by posting personal information and risky photos online, unbeknownst to parents. Many teens are accessing inappropriate online content, despite 73.5% of parents whom trust their teens to not access age-inappropriate content online. Specifically 43% of teens have accessed simulated violence online, 36% have access […]
Continue readingTeaching Teens Emotional Intelligence
Helping teenagers succeed at school is about a lot more than just learning the 3 R’s and having access to the internet. As discussed in the last post a teen’s capacity to learn can be severely impacted by their emotional state. When teens feel anxious, angry, or upset they will absorb far less than when […]
Continue readingBeing Social in Youth Is Linked to Adult Happiness
Good social relationships in your youth might translate to happiness as an adult, while doing well in school seems to have little influence on well-being later in life, new research suggests. The study is based on 32 years’ worth of data for 804 people who participated in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study (DMHDS) […]
Continue readingNarcissists, Vanity, & the iGeneration
Experts are warning of the dangers of narcissism – from celebrity culture promoting fame and wealth above ethics and altruism, to internet-enabled self-obsession and discipline-averse parenting styles. Larry Rosen, Professor of Psychology at California State University in Los Angeles believes technology is affecting our emotional stability and exposing us to a range of psychological disorders […]
Continue readingHow Affluent Teens Struggle
Many of today’s most unhappy teens probably made the honor roll last semester and plan to attend prestigious universities, according to research by psychologist Suniya Luthar, PhD, of Columbia University’s Teachers College. In a series of studies, Luthar found that adolescents reared in suburban homes with an average family income of $120,000 report higher rates […]
Continue readingConflict Resolution Tricks Every Educator Should Know
This one is not really research or news, but a resource with a great list of ideas and strategies for managing conflict with teenagers. Teachers wear many hats: counselor, coach, referee, probation officer. With the pent-up energy and (later on) the raging hormones wreaking havoc on students’ sanity, conflict is bound to occur in classrooms […]
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