Module 1 Later Years Students

I think the most definitive characteristics of later years students are:

• Physical- Students are in the final stages or have completed their physiological development and may be less concerned about their physical appearance (KidsGrowth.com, 2016).
• Psychological-  Has begun to form an independent identity through challenging parents and other adults as will as ideas they previously accepted in childhood and young adolescence (National Youth Mental Health Foundation, 2016, para. 3), as well as being "characterised by more settled, introspective and self-conscious behaviour" (The Department of Health, 2016).
•  Cognitive- "improved self-control and skills in planning, problem solving and decision making" (Raising Children, 2016), as well as the ability to think abstractly and use logical reasoning (The Department of Health, 2016, para. 10). 
  
• Emotional- They are able to better manage their fluctuating emotions of irritability, frustration and moodiness, as well as a shift from self-centeredness towards an empathy for others (National Youth Mental Health Foundation, 2016, para 6).
• Social- Social groups become less important while intimate individual relationships become a priority (National Youth Mental Health Foundation, 2016, para. 8), in some cases positive relationships with parents will be restore (KidsGrowth.com, 2016). 

What implication/s will the structure and functioning of Year 10, 11 and 12 have on your teaching of later years students?

I imaging that teaching later years students is a balancing act. They are nearing the end of adolescence where they are developmentally in the process of becoming more mature beings (as described in the above reflection). Though in many ways their youth and inexperience means they still need help, guidance and support "managing school, study, leisure and extra-curricula activities" (Sparks, 2016, p. 2). Additionally there will continue to be a range between the different students knowledge and maturity. In order to appropriately support their growth a teacher needs to find a balance where they can support when necessary, but allow the freedom for continued growth. And to be flexible as this differs between individuals and where they are in their progress.

What are two things you can do in your teaching to actively encourage lifelong learning?

• Teaching students how to access and evaluate information. "Information literacy: accessing and retrieving information is assessed as an integral part of students' learning, students are given specific guidance on how to seek and evaluate information - for example, how to evaluate the authenticity of Internet sites and students are encouraged to use multiple sources of information" (Bryce & Withers, 2003).
• Structure the units and lessons in my subject so that it is easy to make links from Outdoor Education to other fields of study, such as: Sciences, Geography, History and Maths (even though I'm not very skilled in this field).

Some ideas I may be able to incorporate into my teaching of later years students gained from reading Willis' (2010) Current Impact of Neuroscience in Teaching and Learning

• Get neuroimages of my students brains (just kidding).
• Share knowledge about the way the brain works and develops with the students. Willis says this enriches motivation, resilience, memory, and the joys of learning for her students.
• I don't need to know all about the neuroscience, but I need to be passionate about teaching and informed.
• Use strategies to encourage width and breadth of learning (definitely not just memorised facts).
• Relate new information to existing knowledge. 
• Make the information relevant to the student.
• Use relevant and interesting current events within lessons.
• Make cross-curricular connections, such as examining what students learnt from a different perspective.
• Can compare learning difficult subject matter with things the students have learnt in the past, such as a sport or musical instrument, and how they developed physically through practice, so too can they develop cognitively.
• Assessment will allow me to know the individuals level of learning to utilise Vygotsky's ZPD. I should teach content that is a bit beyond the students current level, and increase the difficulty of the information incrementally in response to the individuals advances.
• Provide shot-term achievable goals for students so that they can see what their effort has achieved, and to receive feedback.
• Assess often throughout, rather than at an end point with an exam or test. 
• Encourage them to take the risk of getting the answer wrong, or making incorrect predictions. After provide timely feedback for students so they can adjust the information in their minds.
• Don't single students out when assessing for learning, find other ways. This knowledge will allow me to cater my teaching to each individual.
• Recognise effort as well as achievement. 
• Create and maintain a non-threatening environment. Students who are afraid of failure or embarrassment are less likely to be learning as the input of environmental stimuli will not make it to the section of their brain where they can store information.
• Reduce students perception of the threat of punishment.
• Encourage students to attempt answers or predictions where they may get the wrong answer. Try to reduce their fear of participation so they are in a state where they are able to learn.
• Build novelty into learning new information using strategies such as: modulating voice when presenting information; use colour to mark important points; vary font size in printed material; change seating arrangements periodically.
• Build novelty into learning new information in cooler ways such as: asking students to predict what the next class is about; playing music as the students enter that relates to the lesson content.
• Have students teach newly learnt information to peers or family to help cement the learning for them,
• Be a happy teacher.
• Make opportunities for students to practice using judgement, organisation, prioritisation, risk assessment, critical analysis, concept development and creative problem solving skills.
• Teach them different ways of organising and grouping information, such as creating a graphic organiser.
• Allow students to walk around class periodically.
• I won't be sarcastic (although I wouldn't have been anyway).
• Structure positive peer interactions such as with well planned collaborative group work.
• Democracy in some choices of practice or assessment options.
• Use multi-sensory learning strategies.
• Let students know that intelligence isn't determined by our genes and that we have the ability to build intelligence through study and review.

References





Bryce, J., and Withers, G. (2003). Engaging secondary students in lifelong learning. Retrieved from http://research.acer.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1014&context=indigenous_education

The Department of Health. (2016). The youth development model. Retrieved from http://health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/drugtreat-pubs-front2-wk-toc~drugtreat-pubs-front2-wk-secb~drugtreat-pubs-front2-wk-secb-3~drugtreat-pubs-front2-wk-secb-3-2

KidsGrowth.com. (2016). Stages of adolescent behaviour. Retrieved from http://www.kidsgrowth.com/resources/articledetail.cfm?id=1140


National Youth Mental Health Foundation. (2016). Adolescent Behaviour. Retrieved from http://headspace.org.au/family/adolescent-development/

Raising Children. (2016). Your child's changing body. Retrieved from http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_changes_teenagers.html/context/1156

Sparks, A. (2016). EDU5MTL, Later years students [LMS]. EDU5MTL, Albury Wodonga, Australia: La Trobe University, Department of Education. 

Willis, J. (2010). Current impact of neuroscience in teaching and learning. In D. A. Sousa (Ed.), Mind, brain & education (pp. chapter 3). USA: Solution Tree Press