:: Adolescent Community
Characteristics of Development, 7th-9th Years
· Montessori thought of adolescents as “newborn” adults, and developmentally young adolescents share many characteristics with the Infant Community phase. They are engaged in the intense work of self-creation, learning to connect with other human beings and to orient themselves within society.
· Adolescents are working to become the best adults they can be and are interested in developing strong moral character, asking questions such as, “Do I agree or disagree with what I see? What do I do about that?”
Classroom Support
· The Adolescent Community provides a strong focus on language and moral development throughout all disciplines.
· Language is understood and appreciated as a means of communicating students’ ideas and experiences. Students read—individually and as a group—from a variety of writing genres daily. They are encouraged to write frequently for authentic self-expression, whatever their current interests may be. They are given room and encouragement to explore what is important to them and how they feel about the world.
· Students also practice more pragmatic uses of writing, regularly composing research papers, business email and letters.
· Writing workshop is held weekly and gives students delegated time to work on a personal story or poem, or some other piece of writing that accompanies classwork. During this time, students can receive feedback from guides or peers.
· The group regularly holds seminars to discuss different perspectives on works of literature and current events. Students learn to have a conversation as a means of collecting new ideas and developing their own. They also learn to read social cues and to practice the art of face-to-face discussion. Students have opportunities to respectfully disagree and/or to modify their own beliefs with the addition of new perspectives.
· During language arts class, students continue studying words, Latin and Greek roots, and the rules of grammar. By this age, students recognize that improper punctuation and usage prevent them from communicating effectively. As this awareness grows, they are increasingly interested in improving the technical aspects of writing and speaking.
· Students produce a literary arts magazine, which is a forum for sharing, marketing and analyzing sales of their creative work. This project also taps into the adolescent desire to engage with the economic world.
· Effective and respectful use of technology is emphasized in the Adolescent Community. Students are given personal school email addresses and access to the Internet for research, and are encouraged to think critically about what makes for reputable online sources. The class also discusses the morality, ethics and economic issues involved with the use of various technologies.
· Students are also guided in developing media literacy. The class analyzes media and advertising clippings, discussing the kinds of communication used in campaign and product advertising.
Tips for Families
· Support your adolescent in using a daily planner.
· Encourage your son or daughter to call teachers and adults on the phone, instead of just texting.
· If helping to review and edit work, choose 1-3 elements as your focus. Pointing out every error (if there are many) is not helpful. If students are scared to fail, they won’t make the attempt.
· Discuss current events, tell stories, encourage the writing and reading of poetry. Montessori observed that adolescence is a fertile time for self-expression and for interest in poetry, in particular.
A Brief Look at 10th-12th Years
· Older adolescents continue to refine the skills and deepen their understandings of subjects introduced during early adolescence.
· They have settled into the workday and increasingly move toward more adult (and less adult-like) work.
· Communication becomes more specialized as students begin thinking about college and career options. They are interested in finding work that contributes to society.