Number 20
Here is the latest edition of YouthMoves – a news-sheet for people interested in youth issues in
Written and Produced by Kirrilie Smout, Psychologist, Speaker and Youth Specialist
WELCOME
Welcome to the latest edition of YouthMoves, a news-sheet that gives ‘snatches’ of youth news, info & resources relevant to busy people relating to teens.
What’s in this issue?
- Teenagers’ motivation for homework
- Diagnosing depression in teens
- PLUS find out about useful youth resources
- PLUS find out about upcoming youth events
- Our contact details
- How to unsubscribe OR join up friends and collegues to this newsletter
If you would like to see the back issues of Youth Moves log onto our website www.innovateonline.net
If I can assist your work with young people in any way (by offering counselling services, speaking/training or just answering a question about youth issues), please feel free to phone me on 8357 1711, or email kirriliesmout@innovateonline.net.
Teenagers and Homework… Just Not Motivated?
Parents and teachers everywhere I go tell me the same story. Teenagers today don’t seem to care much about homework. They leave things to the last minute. They could do much better if only they put the work in. School work gets their lowest priority. They don’t push themselves. And so on.
There are many reasons for this state of affairs. Let’s list a few. One: As a developmental necessity, teenagers are first and foremost focussed on friendships and social status. This will always be the case for teenagers, relegating study to at least second in the queue of priorities.
Two: Teenagers are not skilled at thinking about longer term consequences. A teenager studying hard because they know this will benefit them in ten years? It just doesn’t happen. Three: Despite teachers’ best efforts, school work can sometimes be boring, hard or tedious. Like adults, teenagers therefore procrastinate. Four: Teenagers often don’t listen well in class, and don’t know what to do in relation to a piece of work. It all then seems too hard and they don’t do it.
The bottom line is this: The vast majority of teenagers are not INTERNALLY motivated to do homework, but need EXTERNAL motivation if they are to get it done. In other words, teenagers do homework if they get something they desire from doing it OR they do homework if NOT doing it means something undesirable happens. If we want teenagers to study, we are going to have to provide external motivators.
Some experts decry external motivators and insist that we need to teach teenagers to learn internal motivation – to study for study’s sake. This is a great theory and there is no harm in trying. We can have conversations with young people about the benefits they will receive from starting projects early, working harder on school subjects and so on. But to rely primarily on these conversations to increase internal motivation and therefore hope teenagers will do more study is overly optimistic. Most teenagers will learn internal motivation for difficult tasks naturally as they mature. Most of us did. In the meantime, it is essential that parents and teachers continue to take an active role in providing ongoing external motivators (eg material rewards, negative and positive consequences and so on) for teenagers to study.
We don’t let toddlers learn the hard way about putting their hand in the fire. In the same way, it is too important to allow teenagers to learn the hard way about completely neglecting their study.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK FROM HARRY S TRUMAN, former
I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.
STATS and FACTS: The proportion of young people 15 to 24 years living in poverty is almost one in four. When housing costs are taken into account the proportion rises, particularly for those living away from home.
Source: Profile of Young Australians
NEWS AND EVENTS
Anti-Poverty Week, October 16-22, Around Australia
Events are being held around Australia
Focus on Carers Conference: Family Carers - The Next Generation, October 18th,
Acorn,
Helen Mayo House,
Forum: Teenage depression
Dear Kirrilie,
What are the symptoms of depression in teenagers? A student in my class seems very down, but I’m not sure if this is just “teenage blues” or depression. From Concerned.
Dear Concerned,
To meet the criteria for a diagnosis of clinical depression, a person must have had at least five of the following nine symptoms during the same two week period, every day or nearly every day. (1) Depressed or irritated mood for most of the day (2) Almost complete lack of interest in almost all activities for most of the day (3) Significant weight loss or gain, and change in appetite. (4) Trouble sleeping. (5) Physical restlessness or physical “flatness” (6) Fatigue. (7) Feeling worthless or excessively guilty. (8) Inability to think or concentrate. (9) Thoughts of death or suicide.
Many young people experience times in which they feel quite down. This is a normal and common (although painful) part of life. Studies show that about 40% of young people (and in fact adults) will experience one or two of these symptoms of depression in any year. In contrast, clinical depression only occurs in a small number of teenagers – 3% at any one time.
More important than diagnosis however, is treatment. Whether or not someone who is struggling with life is officially “depressed”, it is vital to offer support, assistance and counselling to help them get through this difficult time. I am often asked to provide schools for seminars and programs on depression. Instead I offer a program called “Parachute” which is sub-titled “Getting Through Tough Times”. I find this a much more helpful approach.
One final note - I have listed these symptoms for your information only – it is important to not to try and diagnose depression yourself. If you are worried about students it is best to refer them on to their local GP, school counsellor or psychologist for further assessment.
Best Wishes, Kirrilie.
RESOURCES
HOT TOPIC – YOUTH CAREER CHOICE
The Australian Council for Educational Research has investigated the educational and occupational plans of junior secondary students who are part of the Smith Family's 'Learning for Life' program. To view their report, 'What do students think of work? Junior secondary school students' perceptions of the world of work’, go to http://www.smithfamily.com.au/documents/TSF_ACER_Mar05_web_A1FF2.pdf.
YOUTH FIELD XPRESS
Youth Field Xpress is a free monthly email newsletter produced by the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies. It contains useful information about working with youth, gleaned from a wide range of sources. To subscribe, go to http://www.acys.utas.edu.au/yfx/subscribe.htm.
THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
The World Health Organisation (WHO) released this report, describing social factors around the world which can change a person’s health
for better or worse. To view the report,
online, go to
http://www.who.dk/document/e81384.pdf.
Produced by Kirrilie Smout, Psychologist and Professional Speaker specialising in Australian Youth Issues. Kirrilie is available for keynote presentations, training, counselling/assessment of young people, and offering comment on youth issues. For information please contact Innovate Psychology and Education: phone 8357 1711 or go to www.innovateonline.net
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