The Development of Adolescents

The Development of Adolescents

Reflection: Chapter 5

By understanding how adolescents develop librarians are better equipped to select the best books for students and understand their needs as readers. There are many different areas that we can look at in adolescents: intellectually, morally, physically, developmentally and as readers. Physically, the tween and teen years are difficult for all students with the changes that are occurring with their bodies (and their emotions). The constant worry of normalcy can disrupt their “life” but books offer comfort and assurances that all of the changes occurring are “normal”. Intellectually adolescents develop at different rates especially when moving from concrete thinking to abstract thinking. Librarians need to make sure their collections contain books that support both levels of thinking. There are such great shifts in development from childhood to adolescents. Adolescents are learning to get along with their peers, forming friendships with the opposite sex, finding their vocation, developing their own morals and values, adapting to their physically changing bodies, defining appropriate sex roles and navigating the changing relationship with their parents. It is important to note that during this stage of life, adolescents develop their own set of values. They go from pre-conditional thought (not doing something to stay out of trouble) to conventional thought (following the rules) to post-conventional thought (where humanity comes before certain laws). The goal with Young Adult literature is to meet students where they are developmentally and help them as they mature even more. When looking at Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, librarians need to consider the whole student as they interact with them on a daily basis. Depending on how the student’s needs are being met, will depend on how they relate and interact with their peers and teachers. These needs include physiological, safety, love and a sense of belonging, esteem and self-actualization which should be kept in mind while dealing with students. Students need understanding adults in their lives and a librarian has a unique position in the school to help fulfil that need. As adolescents develop in so many ways, they are also developing as readers. They are learning to read to develop empathy, for unconscious delight, to read autobiographically to find themselves, and also for the vicarious experience to see what life is like for others. This age group is also reading to answer philosophical questions and finally for the aesthetic experience (absolute beauty) of reading.

As a librarian, I would need to remember how adolescents develop not only as I interact with them, but also as I select books for the library collection. I would need to make sure my collection mirrors my student body, but it also provides a window to provide them with different life experiences. The collection would also need to contain that meets other reading needs such as reading for philosophically and aesthetically. Connecting with adolescents at times can be challenging, but understanding how they develop is the first step.