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| What
Makes Teens Special
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What Makes Teens Special:
Implications for Leadership Development
Working With Teenagers
Anyone who has chaperoned a group of teenagers at a conference, advised an extracurricular club or organization, or watched a high school sports tournament knows that adults have varying degrees of success in working with teenagers. Some adults seem to have a "magic touch"...the kids they work with always have a good time, get along with each other, pay attention, behave, have fun, and more often than not, shower that adult with thanks and encourage their friends to get involved in the program next year!
But then there are adults who get the opposite reaction... At teen conferences, they're the program leaders whose groups are cutting up during assemblies and running around in the halls after curfew. At camps, they're the directors whose counselors sneak out of the cabins at night to go drinking or skinny-dipping. At community centers, they're the ones who can never get anyone to sign up for the sessions they offer...and the kids who do come end up bad-mouthing them to their friends.
What is the difference between adults who are successful in working with teens and those who are not? There are several "secrets for success" for working effectively with teens. The following information is provided to enable adults to do a better job in working with adolescents in a variety of settings, including teen leadership development programs.
What Success
In Working With Teens Looks Like
The ways adults and teens work most
effectively together vary with the situation, the task at hand, and the
personalities of those involved. One
of the "basics" for teens and adults to work effectively together
is for everyone to understand, and agree to accept or take steps to change,
the type of relationship they have. Most such relationships fall someplace
on this continuum: |
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Adult Control
The major characteristic of this relationship is that power stays with the adult; adults plans and structure the program and experiences in which teens participate. |
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Consultation with Teens
In this type of relationship teens are consulted in planning and implementation, but adults have veto power and expect agreement. |
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Partnership with Teens
Teens share a degree of real power and responsibility.
Adults and teens mutually agree on functions,
and teens sometimes by-pass adults. |
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Delegation of Power To Teens
Involves negotiation between adults and teens resulting
in teens assuming absolute authority over some
aspects of the program. |
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Teen Control
Teens do the planning and make the decisions. Adults
serve only in an advisory capacity, and may serve
to legalize the programs.
There isn't one "best" way to work with
teens. Professional and volunteers working with
teens need to take stock of their own situation,
the purposes of their programs, their own strengths
and weaknesses, and the personalities of the teens
with whom they work to decide at which point on
the continuum their relationship with teens should
fall.
However, a number of studies have indicated that
a major factor in whether teens decide to stay
in 4-H or drop out is the degree of control maintained
by their advisors. Teens tend to drop out of clubs
and groups where the advisors do everything. Conversely,
teens tend to continue membership in clubs and
groups in which advisors relinquish and delegate
roles and responsibilities in keeping with the
needs and interests of the teens involved.
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Ten Tips For Success In Working With Teens
Regardless of whether adults or teens have more control in the relationship,
there are some "tips for success" for adults to be effective in working
with teens. Caring, respect, enthusiasm, honesty and high expectations, fairness,
guidance & encouragement, meeting teen needs, responsibility, confidence,
and openness are all very important.
1. Caring: Care about teens, be dedicated,
and put that care and dedication into action.
2. Respect: Respect teens, and expect them to respect you.
3. Enthusiasm: Be enthusiastic & have a sense of humor.
4. Honesty: Let them know what's expected (and have high expectations!).
5. Fairness: Be aware of what's really going on; be fair and reasonable in evaluating
6. Guidance & Encouragement: Give them guidance, training, and encouragement.
7. Meet Their Needs: Learn teen needs, wants and expectations, and provide for
them.
8. Responsibility: Involve them and give them REAL responsibilities.
9. Confidence: Demonstrate a positive attitude of confidence and trust in them.
10. Openness: Be open to suggestions and constructive criticism yourself.
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