Puberty

Due to our improved health and diet many more children are experiencing puberty at a much earlier age. This can cause great disruption to the education of these learners if great care and consideration does not take place. Girls who physically enter puberty at primary school, perhaps in Year 4 or Year 5 can experience many difficulties that can separate them from their peers. They can be teased about their physical appearance and about the need to use the female teachers’ toilets at certain times of the month. This can lead to an unwillingness to attend school on PE days and to feelings of exclusion from her immediate peer group. Emotionally these girls can also experience massive mood swings, causing arguments and tantrums at school, with both peers and adults. Educational attainment as a consequence is affected, and even behavioral problems can prevail. It is therefore essential that a member of staff is identified as a ‘friend’ who can support these learners and that facilities are provided, to lessen the need for identifying their particular needs. A good relationship needs to be established with a class adult so that if feeling unable to cope physically or emotionally, a girl can seek assistance, hence avoiding unnecessary reprimands or confrontations.

Boys also can be affected by early or late puberty, many adults expecting far more from physically mature young men than from those less advanced. Frequently they are felt to be more emotionally mature and also able to cope with higher academic pressures. Socially they can also stand out, sometimes literally, towering over their peers, causing them embarrassment and self-consciousness. Educators need to make efforts to observe how learners experiencing early puberty in particular are coping generally and from day to day. Again, with joint collaboration and sharing of information professionals and parents can prevent detrimental emotional and educational responses from occurring.

مواضيع ذات صلة

Other factors that affect learning: epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, puberty and mental health issues Key issues

How can educators identify learners at risk of mental health problems?

So what are mental health problems and mental health disorders?

Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)

Educating school-age parents

Learners unable to attend school due to medical needs Case study 1

Learners unable to attend school due to medical needs Case study 1

Learners unable to attend school due to medical needs

Other factors that affect learning HIV/AIDS

Treatment of epilepsy Case study 2

Treatment of epilepsy Case study 1

Treatment of epilepsy