Adolescence is a stage in life that is characterized by the many needs. These needs have to be satisfied for any meaningful learning to take place. The adolescent students require attention as well as emotional support. Faced with this kind of challenge, the teacher has to adopt all means possible to understand the adolescents (Wormeli, 1). In a Mandarin Chinese class, for example, students may not value the effects of the subject to their later life. The teacher has to create an enabling environment while at the same time implement the syllabus. Following the example of Angiline transforming a mathematics class, a teacher is bound to succeed (Powell & Seed, 44). This is the reason why we have focused our attention on creating a caring ethics as a way of making the students learn and succeed. That is why the first thing to be learnt in the foreign language will greetings. Greetings show caring by asking how the other person is fairing. According to Ladson-Billings as cited in Powell and Seed (44), without the use of caring approach to the adolescent learning, the entire process is bound to fail.
We have changed the school to a caring community where the interests of all the members and particularly the students are taken care of. This has seen the establishment of a sound relationship where the students are made free to express their feelings (Powell & Seed, 45). The teachers inculcate the concept of caring by being an example. The students are given an opportunity to discuss the meaning of ‘caring’ and extend the same to their colleagues. Mandarin Chinese lessons are no longer about working individually but as a group. This has seen the attitude towards the subject change marginally and even the students who did not like the foreign language have now made it their favorite subject. The adolescents also learn well when the teachers recognize them. This comes after the teachers have known their students. The end result is a creation of self-confidence in the students.
The curricular has to be responsive to the needs of the students. The curriculum has various components that include core subjects, related domains, organized school activities, clubs and societies and athletics (Manning & Bucher, 82). It is an integrated curriculum tailored to take care of students’ developmental needs and particularly the physical and psychological aspects (Manning & Bucher, 84). Apart from the core component of the curriculum, the integrated approach which gives to students a chance to join any part depending on interests and talents. For the core part, the lessons are organized in a way that discourages subjects with similar concepts following one another. This curbs boredom and maintain attention of the students.
The related domains include information literacy, arts, music, physical and career education (Manning & Bucher, 88). These domains assist in ensuring that the students are ready to face the college and work life. The domains are used with the core curriculum to give guidelines on what is to be taught (Manning & Bucher, 85). Related domains help in creating an enabling environment that helps the students to proof some of the skills learnt in core subjects. A good example is the element of caring and corporation learnt in a Mandarin Chinese class and practiced in a physical education lesson. The adolescents need to be guided with the respect to career and future prospects. Based on the strengths of an individual student in certain core subjects, guidance is given accordingly. The role of information technology cannot be underestimated here. As a school, we are encouraging the students to take advantage of technology to gain information. The librarians are the driving force behind information technology success (Kuhlthau, 17)
Our school therefore is trying to keep at par with the modern trends which are aimed at ensuring the adolescents move smoothly through the stage without destroying their future. Thank you.
Works Cited
Kuhlthau, Carol C. Guided Inquiry: School Libraries in the 21st Centruy. USA: School Libraries Worldwide Inc., 2010. Print.
Manning, Lee, and Bucher, Kathelene T. Teaching in the Middle School, New York: Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated, 2011. Print.
Powell, Angiline, and Allen H. Seed. Developing a Caring Ethic for Middle School Mathematics classrooms. USA: National Middle School Journal, 2010. Print.
Wormeli, Rick. Meet me in the Middle: Becoming an Accomplished Middle-Level Teacher. n.p.: Portland, Me.: Stenhouse Publ. [u.a.]. Bibliotheksverbund Bayern. 2001. Web.