Identity Development

 

• How will you support your students' identity development?
  ·         By giving them models for career choices and other adult roles. I might invite guest speakers to come and talk to students about their career paths and pros/cons of that career path. This may help my students figure out what they might be interested in after high school.
  ·         By giving them lots of “second chances”. Students will need lots of chances because they are learning and growing. One way that I can encourage students to do a good job is by showing them samples of good work done by other students.
  ·         By involving the class in lots of group discussions or debates. I can teach them to support their claims and stick to them. By making them take a stand on something small in a classroom setting, they’ll be more likely to make their own choices and their own stances outside of class too.
  ·         By encouraging and supporting creative writing by creating a safe environment in class. If they feel secure, they will be more likely to open up and get creative.
  ·         By being tolerant of teenage fads. If they want to come to school with purple hair, let them. They are exploring and as long as they’re not being harmful, let them explore.