1. Explain the concept of pubertal timing, its effect on adolescent development and on classroom behaviors/interactions.
2. As a response to the physical and hormonal changes experienced in adolescence, many schools have instituted sex education programs. Imagine that you work at a public school with a sex education program. How might you handle or teach this topic using the Christian worldview? How might you draw on the Grand Canyon University professional dispositions for future and current teachers when engaging in discussions with students, parents, or colleagues regarding the program?
1. (Allecia)As adolescence go through the developmental process of puberty, they notice that their body’s are changing which leads to curiosity and questions. Rather than teens seeking knowledge from unreliable sources, it is important to educate students on their bodies and sex. Public schools are dictated by their state curriculum as far as what to teach – teaching abstinence only would align with the Christian way of life, but limits students on knowledge about sex and their bodies. Typically, if families prefer to not teach anything beyond abstinence only to their child, they can opt out of sexual education that elaborates beyond abstinence. Otherwise, schools teach, starting as early as grade 5, options of contraception as well as possible consequences of having unsafe sex. According to Grand Canyon University Professional Dispositions (n.d.), educators must be professional and ethical at all times, especially with such sensitive subject matter. Families having varying beliefs when it comes to sex, therefore it is important to build a relationship with families with a foundation of respect. Teachers are to act as a positive role model not only for their students, but also the parents of students and community as a whole. To this day, I remember in 5th grade when the boys and the girls were taken to separate classrooms to have “the talk”. I remember the adults in the room being very informative and caring, while also allowing the students to ask questions about the process of puberty and the changes we might start to see in our bodies. I imagine if I was not informed at that age, I would have turned to my classmates for more unreliable information.
2. (Juanita) The concept of pubertal timing is the stage of pubertal maturation when compared with same-age peers (Hamlat et al., 2014). Pubertal timing signals the body’s maturation process from childhood to young adulthood (Dolgin, 2018). Pubertal timing is unpredictable. Some youth start earlier than their peers. Some start later than their peers. Girls tend to develop sooner and faster than boys. On average, females will reach ninety-eight percent of their adult height by the age of seventeen, whereas males reach ninety-eight percent of their maximum height by eighteen (Dolgin, 2018). On average, females will reach ninety-eight percent of their maximum height by the age of seventeen, whereas males reach ninety-eight percent of their maximum height by eighteen (Dolgin, 2018). The timing of puberty can affect how he or she feels and sees their body and self. Early maturation can be a negative experience for females. They can feel awkward, self-conscious, and out of place. Early maturing females can experience disorders, delinquent acts, engage in sexual behavior, and entertain the use of alcohol (Dolgin, 2018). However, maturing early in males is a positive thing. They are stronger, larger, muscular, and have an advantage (Dolgin, 2018). They participate in more extracurricular activities in high school and have a social prestige. Puberty influences classroom behavior in a variety of ways. For instance, some students may feel more mature than their age and think that they do not have to abide by school rules. This will lead to a disturbance in the classroom culture. This will also lead to more bullying in the classroom. Early mature females can be bullied for maturing faster or could be the aggressor to feel better about themselves.