From a High-School Classroom

Last Tuesday’s entry “Do Adolescents Care About Others?” noted some new brain-imaging research with teenagers and adolescents. The research showed little activity in the part of the brain associated with empathetic feelings.

Here is a response to that entry from high-school teacher Cheryl Reagan:

“If 18-22 year olds are adolescents and possibly, therefore, empathy challenged, then what hope is there for those of us who try to teach them to treat each other (and ourselves) respectfully? Is adolescents and brain maturation slowed in the 21st century?

“Maybe I'll just be more amazed at myself and what I do. Certainly this year's assignment of teaching responsibility, organization, and respect to the 90 kids predicted to be the third of the class of 2010 that don't graduate makes me daydream about herding cats as a career alternative. My kids, this hapless 30%, range from 14 to 16 years old, so are my efforts absurdly optimistic?

“I don't think so. Some of these kids need someone to say good morning and remember their names, even if that is the extent of the conversation. Others need to know that out of 180 days of school, they can pretty much count on the same face in the same room with the same expectations (even if they're grumpy sometimes) 177 of those days.

“Others need a place to be with beings just like themselves in a place that has enough structure to be safe and enough (or almost enough) freedom to learn about being themselves.

“Others may need much, much more than we can give at the time, but I have to think they might remember some day, when their medullae oblongata are just a little more ripe for the plucking, the words and manner we have used with them. I really have to think that.”