Adolescence is a tornado of change:

Not only is it the period of fastest physical change in life – aside from infancy. 

But also newfound drives, motivations, and feelings of sexuality are amplified.

There are profound shifts to metabolisms and sleeping cycles, as well as social roles – especially in the context of schools.

During these years, motivation is propelled not by a tangible goal to work toward, but by a feeling of wanting and thirst... The feelings of acceptance, rejection, admiration, among others, are all the story of adolescence... 

Children in this age group also seek physical sensations and thrills... There’s heightened awareness of social status, especially as they realize that acts of courage can earn them higher social status among peers... Their wildly swinging neurological systems also mean that adolescents can readjust quickly – making those years critical for educators to engage students in “the right ways,”... Adolescents constantly seek the emotional satisfaction of being admired... 

Children around the world are entering puberty at younger ages... Today it’s closer to eight years old... The transition for boys is similar... The earlier onset of these pronounced biological changes puts pressure on educators and parents to update their expectations for what it means to be young... 

“This is an interesting potential opportunity, with the longer time to learn activated motivational systems, longer time to increase skills and develop patterns of developing knowledge,”... “If kids grow up in opportune settings, they can take advantage of the scaffolding and freedom to go on to take adult roles. But the risks are probably more amplified than opportunities for kids in disadvantaged settings.”...

Window of motivational learning, a time when the brain more intensely senses motivational feelings, strengthening the patterns of connections to heartfelt goals, and creates potential for deep, sustained learning... adolescents’ abilities to rapidly reshape motivations and goals both supports their emotional volatility as well as presents a key period to find love – not necessarily romantically for others, but for academic activities and goals... With the feelings that pull you to persevere, maybe [adolescence is] a particularly opportune time to fall in love with learning itself, to love that feeling of exploring... 

“There’s a new window to create that ‘Yes!’ feeling.”