Purpose

• Meet your child’s teacher

• Meet the other teachers in the school

• Ask questions

• Open the lines of communication

• Emerging adolescents

• Middle schools

• Introduce Latimer Award

This generation are :

• Optimistic – know they can do anything• Ambitious – expect to have a great job/life• Confident – know their rights• Have a global perspective• Time is measured in seconds• Respond best to visual stimuli• Paradoxical- alcohol / drugs and drop litter but

will eat organic food and be concerned about global warming

• Less Resilient – don’t bounce as easily, have greater baggage

Core traits of Y Gen kids

• Special – we’ve told them they are (PC)

• Sheltered – more done for them

• Confident – about place/rights

• Achievers – introduced early

• Team oriented – comfort of others, don’t stand out individually

• Pressured – socially and mentally

• Coping with stress – or not coping

PUBERTY –emerging adolescents

Moody Uncommunicative ArgumentativeDon’t want to talk and share with youYou know nothing anymore You are too strict – it’s not fair – everyone else is allowed!Live in a constant state of mess – everything they own is on the floor.Hate you at times – and tell you soNo longer value your opinion on clothes, music, friends, trends etcHide in the ‘batcave’ – fresh air and sunshine become unimportantMonosyllabic – even grunting as a response (esp boys)Emotional/IrrationalRoll their eyes heavenward about something you saidWant/expect everything and give little back – take takeDifficulty making decisionsInappropriate reactions to thingsSecretiveSneakyTell lies/tell it the way they think you want to hear it

Hardwiring the brain

• Birth – 100 billion brain cells• Baby – 17 % become interconnected• First decade – increasing ‘grey matter’ and

pruning unwanted connections.• No. of connections is determined by amount of

experiences and activities.• Prior to puberty – growth time for brain.• During puberty – massive pruning takes place

allowing the brain to ‘invest’ in the connections most valued by the student.

Hardwiring the brain

We know that dominant behaviours and frequent activities hard wire the brain connections – that which we do most often.

All other connections get ‘pruned’ by our brains as no longer required.

The adolescent brain

• The prefrontal cortex – not yet developed.

• Reasoning• Problem solving• Rational thinking

• Females – mid 20’s• Males – mid 30’s

Adolescence

• A time to begin separating from their parents

• Breaking the emotional ties• Engaging in some risk taking behaviour• Majority grow out of the phase – self

discipline and acceptable behaviours but not all.

Not new – since the beginning of time – methods may have changed.

Pressure to ‘grow up’

• Girls – straight from ‘toys to boy’s

• Real challenge – adjusting to new found sexuality

• Boys – develop their secondary sexual characteristics long before their physical changes

What does this mean for you?

Parenting adolescents• Be prepared- do some reading• Don’t necessarily expect to parent the way you were parented• Keep them busy, activities/sport/hobbies• Know your kids friends• Know their parents if possible• Know where your kids are – who they’re with and where they’re going• Be clever about keeping tabs on them- ring other parents and check on

details, keep tabs on computer and cellphone use• Have very clear expectations and consequences if not met• Be Confident• Be Consistent• Listen – be their advocate but don’t necessarily believe everything they tell

you, follow up any concerns• Be the Adult – not their best friend, you set the rules, allow some discussion

but in the end you make the rules

Great reading

“Growing Gorgeous Boys into Great Men”

“The Princess Bitchface Syndrome”

“Before your teenagers drive you crazy, read this” – Nigel Latta

“Queen Bees and Wannabes”

Nigel Latta Website

• www.goldfishwisdom.co.nz

• Relax...we’re all bad parents

• The 10 basic principles of parenting

• Making Family Rules

• Buying his books

• Youtube links

Why Intermediate?

• Short attention spans for learning.• Need to attach emotion in order to store to long

term memory. FUN.• Need variety, choices, challenges and

competition to stay engaged.• Need a person who affirms them regularly.• Need uncluttered curriculum.• Learn best by discussing, sharing and

exchanging ideas.• Learn through play – experimenting, hands on.

Work together

• Parenting adolescents is not complicated but at times it is not easy either.

• We are always here to help.

• If we can’t help we will be able to refer you to someone else who can.

Latimer Award

• School wide achievement award

• Purpose is to encourage and recognise participation in school based activities

• Four levels of achievement – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Distinction

• Four categories – Academic, Sport, Arts and School Culture

• Community service to achieve distinction

Levels of achievement

• Bronze – completing 3 activities in every category

• Silver – completing 4 activities in every category

• Gold – completing 5 activities in every category

• Distinction – achieving GOLD status and completing community service component

Academic

• Present a school speech competently

• Participate in at least 1 South Australian exam

• Attend all 3 way conferences

• Present a complete Science fair investigation

• Present a completed Inquiry to the class

• Be an effective member during PReP

Sport

• School competitive Swimming sports• School competitive Cross Country• Play sport in a team for T.P.I for a sustained

period of time – (Netball, Hockey, Softball etc)• Consistently have P.E gear at school and

display good sportsmanship• Represent T.P.I at an inter-school sporting event• Participate with competence in the T.P.I

Athletics day

Arts

• Be a regular member of one of the Choirs • Be a regular member of either Kapahaka groups

• Be a member of a band/music group/popstars or

culture club etc• Be a member of a dance group• Have an active role in either Production or

Artfest or Interarts annually• Attend the Formal Dance

School Culture

• Consistently demonstrate the School Values• Have an active role in your class assembly• Complete school service i.e librarian, food

tech/workshop monitor, media group etc• Be an excellent helper during class duty week• Complete the 40 hour famine• Participate in the SPCA Cup Cake fundraiser

Community service

• Belong to a community group for a minimum of 6 months consecutively.

and• Volunteer your services to a neighbour in

need for a minimum 8 hours.

or• Volunteer your time to a charity/non profit

organisation for a minimum 8 hours.

Attestation

• Class activities will be attested and signed off by class teachers

• School activities will be attested and signed off by the teacher in charge

• Community activities will be attested and signed off by the appropriate community leader

• Deputy Principal Mrs Gourlay will be the teacher responsible for collating all achievements schoolwide.

Presentation of awards

• Bars will be awarded as levels are achieved.

• Bars will be awarded at the end of term Assembly

• Gold and Distinction award winners will be recognised at the end of year prizegiving

Thank you