A Moment of: The Teenage Brain

by Tucker Foehl, Head of School

There are a number of interesting and important studies that have advanced a central thesis — that the teenage years encompass vitally important stages of brain development and is a moment when human beings are most wired to learn—at the core of our educational philosophy at Sonoma Academy. 

In one of my favorite books on this subject, The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults, renowned neurologist Dr. Frances E. Jensen offers a revolutionary look at the brains of teenagers, dispelling myths and offering practical advice for teens, parents and teachers. As Jensen notes, this is a moment of infinite possibility but also one that needs to be channeled and structured in a way that takes full advantage of the brain’s enormous capacity at this moment: “Adolescence is a stage of development in which teens have superb cognitive abilities and high rates of learning and memory because they are still riding on the heightened synaptic plasticity of childhood. These abilities give them a distinct advantage over adults, but because they are so primed to learn, they are also exceedingly vulnerable to learning the wrong things.”

Our school is designed to create an educational environment that aligns with the developmental necessities of adolescence, while also capitalizing on this incredibly dynamic, formative, and powerful time of life. Underlying this philosophy is a simple but profound belief. We fiercely believe in teenagers. What that means is that we hold a fundamental respect and love for the uniquely transformative time of life we call “teenhood.” 

Recently, as an aspect of our schedule redesign process, we have delved deeply into the most current research regarding how teenagers learn.

It is this underlying belief that inspires the audacious (re)design of our daily and annual schedule, one that fully maximizes the dynamic and transformative nature of our curriculum and one that advances and enriches our overall program. While we are in the final stages of that exciting project, I would like to share some of the influential research around teen brain development and how our core values align with it to best design a school environment that sparks teenagers' infinite potential.

The teen brain is experiencing a period of explosive development, with an increase in abilities such as abstract thinking and considering many  and divergent points of view. Current research suggests that adolescents even have a greater capability than adults and children to solve problems in new and creative ways. Heightened information processing abilities and social sensitivity during adolescence also make this a time of increased ability to navigate our complex social world. 

Adolescent brains are also more capable of change than adult brains and, unlike children, adolescents have a greater capacity to shape their own brain’s development. What teenagers choose to do, the environments they find or place themselves in, and the peer group they engage with all can have a tremendous impact on their development. By engaging in certain patterns of behavior, teens are making certain types of brain activity stronger. This makes leaps in intellectual and emotional development possible during adolescence. 

A school schedule that supports deep and immersive learning experiences — and gives access to courses and learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom — creates rich environments that capitalize on the teenage brain’s innate abilities to learn.

When channeled appropriately, the profound teenage impulse to experiment, explore, and seek challenge and adventure helps teens mature socially and intellectually while developing the resilience they need to succeed in and outside of the classroom.

 

Our programs are designed to include opportunities for students to take intellectual, academic, and emotional risks that will help them become more self-aware, identify their passions and interests, and become more competent and confident young adults. Giving teenagers the opportunity to take on new challenges in a supportive, safe environment feeds that drive to take risks and develops their confidence. When channeled constructively, this drive toward adventure helps teens discover new interests and develops their strong sense of self. Our redesigned schedule infuses this core element of our philosophy, and it deepens and broadly extends its impact throughout all aspects of our program.

Human beings learn best within the safety and support of authentic relationships. Adolescents, in particular, are at a stage of development when concern for how they are perceived by others is at its peak and the desire to belong is at its strongest. While this aspect of social sensitivity is often talked about as a negative aspect of adolescent behavior, it is actually an empowering one within a healthy social environment.

Having a group of engaged and supportive peers — especially those who uplift, celebrate, and encourage one another in discovering and celebrating their authentic selves — is a powerful experience for anyone, especially teenagers for whom the peer group is of paramount importance in developing a strong sense of self. These close relationships provide the supportive foundation teenagers need to feel comfortable exploring, discovering, and expressing themselves in ways that go beyond what they imagine is possible. 

One final example of social sensitivity that increases during adolescence is concern with larger social structures and world events. This, coupled with the increased desire to develop agency and autonomy in the world, creates an awesome opportunity for teenagers to develop their capacities to be leaders and advocates for the things that matter most to them. Whether that is taking responsibility for getting help with a difficult assignment or advocating for social justice and climate action, teenagers need opportunities to exercise this agency as it relates to the complex world that surrounds them. 

When teenagers learn about something they are passionate about — and they can experience the application of their learning in the world outside the classroom — there is a moment of affirmation that makes them excited and eager to dig deeper.

One of the most exciting areas of opportunity we are exploring in our new schedule design is the ability to give our students even greater access to pathways of study and engagement that are individual and meaningful to them based on their unique passions, interests, and desires to be challenged.

This is a challenging education that goes far beyond “college prep” — one that captures the enormous power and unique potential of the teenage brain, setting our students on their individual pathways toward personal fulfillment and success. Our new schedule will take these ideas even further and it will create a framework that expands and enriches the transformative potential of an SA education.