Textbook:

The World of Children , Cook, Greg & Cook, Joan L. 2nd edition (or newer),(2010). Boston, Mass: Pearson Education.

ISBN-10: 0205685927
ISBN-13: 9780205685929 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Publisher: Pearson
Copyright: 2010

You will need to read and review the chapters on adolescence (Chapters 13, 14, 15) and think about:

1) The developmental task(s) of an adolescent. What would Erik Erickson say about social emotional tasks? What happens physically? What would Piaget say about cognitive development?

2) Think back to your own adolescent years (some social scientists say that adolescence may extend to age 25 and beyond so it may be fairly recent for many of you or you may be experiencing this stage currently) What developmental challenges do you recall or know to be true about this time in your life? Write at least one-two full pages about your own adolescence, including what was joyful as well as troubling. How were you able to successfully navigate adolescence? Would knowing what you now know about this period of life have been helpful to you at that time?

Adolescent Assignment:

This is assignment is a two part process:

Part 1:

• Write a 1-2 page paper based on your own experiences as an adolescent.
• What were your greatest challenges during this time of life?
• What were your greatest joys during this time?
• What concerns did you have about your identity and self-image? What concerns did you have about your physical development? What challenges did you have socially and emotionally?
• Do you think knowing more about the development of an adolescent might have been helpful during this period?
• Reference text information to support your paper

Part 2

• You will interview an adolescent and write a maximum two-page paper detailing your interviewees responses and your thoughts about the interview as it relates to your readings.
• You will craft your own 5-10 questions to ask based on what you have read in the chapters on adolescence.
• Be sure to touch on the main developmental domains-but be sensitive! This is a difficult time to talk about yourself!
• Be sure to introduce your interviewee by gender and age, and your relationship to this person in your written interview. You of course may use a pseudonymn for the name to assure confidentiality.
• Summarize your interviewee's responses and compare them to what you have read about adolescence. (Reference the text)
• NOTE! Papers with the highest scores will have references to the text and/or supplemental materials on adolescence.