Many experts in human development have categorized development of human being into three stages. The first step is between ages 10-21, while the third stage is 21 upwards.
Children between 1-9 years of age are regarded as babies. Controlling children as this stage of growth is easier; whatever their parents told them is authoritative and final. That is why you hear a child at this stage saying ‘I will report you to mum or dad’ if such a child punished by outsiders. Children between 9-21 are regarded as adolescents. A child at this stage of growth is likely to be seen as stubborn, disobedient and arrogant.
Children between 21 and above are regarded as adult. At this stage of growth, one’s personality is supposed to have been fully formed, developed and stable.
In this write up, I will concentrate on the adolescence stage because almost all students are adolescent stage
Adolescence has been defined variously by experts, it has been conveniently put in the western world between ages of 12-21. But in developing worlds, no specific age bracket has been generally accepted for this period.
Traditional and ancient philosophers view adolescence differently. For example, Socrates, in 399BC, saw adolescence as the stage when children manifest bad manners, contempt for authority and disrespect for elders.
William Shakespeare corroborated Socrates when he opined adolescence as a phase characterized is by stormy activities. Indeed, in one of his writings he said “I wish there were no years between 12-21 because there is nothing in between except fighting, stubbornness, getting into troubles with elders and siblings”.
Physical changes that herald adolescence include the development of voice box, increase in height and change in body configuration. For girls, it is the appearance of first menstruation and breast development which becomes prominent.
As a result of the physical changes, adolescent assumes he/she has arrived. He or she no longer needs to listen to advices from elders. Adolescent want to practicallise anything they hear or read. As a result, raping, smoking and all other social vices becomes their pastime fun.
The most dangerous thing about adolescence stage is that this is the stage in life that determines who will be successful or who will fail. For those that will make it to higher learning institute, it is at this stage they make their O/level requirement for further studies. Those that will be drug addicts start smoking or taking drugs at this stage. Their experiences during this stage of their growth go a long way in making or marring their lives.
Ailment whole symptoms are known, its therapy has been made easier. Having highlighted the above as the things to look out for among our students, what is expected of us as guardians, teachers and parents is observation.
It should be bore in mind that most of the information and process of learning of these social vices being manifested by adolescents are through peer group. Adolescent sticks to 90% of what he or she hears from friends that parents or teachers. So it is imperative that we observe who he or she is peering with.
As a parent we should be mindful what we do, say or practice in the presence of adolescent child. They tend to repeat or practice what they see us doing. An adolescent child whose father smokes publicly will not ask or think about the rationale behind his father’s habit.
As a teacher or guardian, handling of adolescent need a bit of strictness that as in the case of babies and adult. Though at initial stage, we need to do some enlightenment talks. It requires some form of force to make adolescent conform to the normal. They will like to have it in their own ways, but the end therein will not be desirable.
At this juncture, let me chip in my own personal experience as an adolescent. I attended a day secondary school where students go home to their parents after the school hours and expected to return to school every morning. I remember that I would not get to school until 10:00pm, and most of the time, drunk. My mother who was always in Lagos on business trip did not know anything about my activities. My father was a farmer, who would leave early in the morning for farm.
I remember also that most of the teachers that tried to bring me back to right path were branded ‘bad men’, ‘enemies of progresses. I keep on prating for those disciplined, rigid teachers who did not leave me to have it my own way. I thank God for the opportunity of second chance.
I remember that in those days, some teachers whom we took as our friends are those we supposed to have run away from (some teachers do go to drinking joints with us).
There are some staffs, teaching and non teaching, who are really aiding these adolescent to perpetuate evil. Some of these staffs are doing so because of what these students will give them. How do you explain a staff smuggling student out for smoking joint. I want to confess here that I saw one of those strict teachers of mine some months ago and I prostrated before him. Though the teacher did not recognize me any longer, but I cannot forget the part he played in my life. I finished secondary school 20 years ago. I am now an adult, I do reflect back and I remember those I should be praying for and those I should curse for misleading me.
The students of today will talk about their teachers in future. In our own part, let us play our part and leave the rest to posterity.
In conclusion, handling an adolescent, one need to have knowledge of how dangerous is the stage in human life. An adolescent, who is left to have it the ay he or she likes, may not get to the ‘promise land’. This point out reasons why some of us have to be friendly, fair but firm in handling them.
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