Research Gateway

Abstract

Adolescence is indeed a special period of human development, not just physically but also emotionally and cognitively. Children are endowed with special ways of thinking during this period and educational inputs should ideally be designed to help their development. For instance, at around age 11, children’s brains naturally move towards more abstract thought processes, including formal reasoning, which helps in logical analysis. Psychologically they become more independent, critical, and learn to challenge the status quo, wanting to take their own decisions. Their tenacity and motivational drive to take things to their conclusion, to be able to focus attention for considerably sustained periods, to improvise and innovate, are often not appreciated, and they are not given a chance to harness these qualities for useful purposes. In fact, the lack of proper guidance and educational opportunities that should normally help in the development of such qualities often result in conflicts and tensions.