Brain Development

Adolescent’s brains go through many structural changes (1.3). The most important structural changes that adolescent's brains go through are the corpus callosum, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. Corpus callosum connects the left and right side of the brains hemispheres, which is a bundle of axon fibers. While an adolescent, it thickens and because it is thickening it improves the adolescent’s ability to process information. Prefrontal cortex is the highest level of frontal lobes. It is involved with reasoning, decision-making, and self-control. This part of the brain continues to develop through emerging adult years (18-25 years of age). Amygdala is a part of the brain’s limbic system. It controls people’s emotions. Although adolescents are capable of very strong emotions, their prefrontal cortex has not adequately developed to the point at which they can control these passions (Nelson, 2003). Adolescents tend to want to take risk because the emotional part of their brain is fully developed but they are not yet able to control their emotions like an adult could. This is why accidents are the leading cause of death in adolescents.

            

In my classroom there is not too much I can do for my students to help them out with their brain development. I can take in mind that my student’s prefrontal cortex may not be fully developed yet. My students may make bad decisions sometimes because of this. To help them make good decisions I would make a new bulletin board about making good decisions every month(5.1). I would show stats on how dangerous texting and driving is, drinking, smoking and other dangerous activities they may encounter in.