What pre-teens and teens say and do can be perplexing to adults. This is very often because adults are either not aware of or have forgotten that youth cognition and psychology are not the same as those of adults. In fact, basic cognitive development makes young people think, talk and act in ways that sometimes confuse adults. This highly interactive and fun class helps child welfare workers and leaders better understand how teens think and will offer ways to better engage youth in care at their current cognitive levels. Basic cognitive and psychological development is reviewed and the patterns and importance of adolescent brain growth are emphasized.
At the end of the class, participants will be able to:
- Understand basic patterns of cognitive, psychological and brain development over the course of childhood, adolescence and adulthood
- Learn how to help teens grapple with ever-more complex, abstract concepts
- Recognize and help youth when they have an “imaginary audience” or “personal fables”
- Learn the importance of sleep on brain development
- Receive an overview of the impact of tobacco, alcohol and some drugs on brain development
- Discover the impact of food on adolescent cognition and brain development
Participants do NOT need a background on cognition, psychology or brain development to benefit from this course.