The group discussion based off of the article “The Impact of Stage-Environment Fit on Young Adolescents’ Experiences in Schools and in Families” primarily focused on the reasons why adolescents are said to be “at risk” and how schools can adjust to fit the changing needs of adolescents. As a whole, the group agreed that adolescents are “at risk” because of the many changes they face during this time, such as: puberty, changing schools, and sexual desires. Their idea behind the reason for teens being at risk was very similar with points given in the article because the authors concluded that the negative changes occur due to a timing of multiple life changes and a cumulative stress theory due to pubertal development (Eccles, et al.). Once
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To further influence the downward spiral that many teenagers encounter is that their social environments, in school and at home, do not fill the desires that they have which results in a decline in motivation, interest, performance, and behavior. More issues in schools that influence students to decline in the previously listed areas is that there are severe differences when comparing elementary schools to junior high schools, both academically and the bond between students and teachers. Junior high schools tend to have less opportunities for students, more distant relationships between students and teachers, and oftentimes the coursework requires less cognitive thinking skills. The differences are due to junior high schools being larger, more bureaucratic, and teachers having a shortened amount of time with each class resulting in less time to create strong relationships between students and teachers. Similar to the issues seen in schools, issues are seen in family settings between adolescents and their caregivers. The main reason between these issues that the article gives is that parents and children are “asymmetrical in terms of power and authority” (Eccles, et al.). This means that relationships are strained due to children wanting to take on more responsibilities but parents un-wanting to relinquish their control.
To further influence the downward spiral that many teenagers encounter is that their social environments, in school and at home, do not fill the desires that they have which results in a decline in motivation, interest, performance, and behavior. More issues in schools that influence students to decline in the previously listed areas is that there are severe differences when comparing elementary schools to junior high schools, both academically and the bond between students and teachers. Junior high schools tend to have less opportunities for students, more distant relationships between students and teachers, and oftentimes the coursework requires less cognitive thinking skills. The differences are due to junior high schools being larger, more bureaucratic, and teachers having a shortened amount of time with each class resulting in less time to create strong relationships between students and teachers. Similar to the issues seen in schools, issues are seen in family settings between adolescents and their caregivers. The main reason between these issues that the article gives is that parents and children are “asymmetrical in terms of power and authority” (Eccles, et al.). This means that relationships are strained due to children wanting to take on more responsibilities but parents un-wanting to relinquish their control.