Adult education and the Teenage Brain

Colleagues, 

Our field is called Adult Education, but does that truly reflect the full range of individuals we serve? What about the teenagers who have left traditional school? Are they really adults? And how does that impact our program planning and instructional models? I invite you to review the article Why Teens Should Understand Their Own Brains (And Why Teachers Should Also) 

From the article, 

I think that understanding the teen brain should be part of the education curriculum for teenagers. They should learn about their own brains and how they're changing because I think it's empowering for young people to know and understand more about why they might be feeling a certain way.

They should understand why they might be particularly self-conscious or susceptible to peer-influence, or more likely to take risks. The teenage years are a really important time in terms of vulnerability to mental illnesses. We know that most mental illnesses first appear during adolescence; at some point before the age of 24. It's important for teens to understand the biological reasons and the social reasons why that might be, in terms of trying to cope with different feelings and possibly mental health problems.

What are your thoughts? Should we include brain develop in our curriculum? If so, how? 

I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Sincerely, 
Kathy Tracey
@Kathy_Tracey