Ministry

Characteristics Of A Typical 14 Year Old

By jgiroux ⋅ June 26, 2008 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

This is a four part series outlining the basic characteristics of a typical junior high aged students. This is just a foundational list that all are encouraged to add to based on their experience or expertise.

Characteristics of a Typical Fourteen Year Old

Physical:

• High energy continues
• Generally healthy age-pushes through illness in desire to participate with peers
• Loud
• Alcohol and drugs a major influence on physical well being
• Girls; full development nearly complete
• Boys; growth spurt continues
• Both; sexually active in increasing percentages
• Upper body strength beings to develop in boys
• High need for physical exercise and snacking

Social:

• Like to do as much as possible-cram as much into the day as they can
• More of their own adult personality evident
• Often embarrassed to be seen with their parents; critical of parental dress, habits, friends, ideas
• Loud
• Especially don’t like or respond well to adult lectures; feel that they know what is going to be said once a few words have been spoken; “know it all” stage
• Can be a pain at home and a star at school

Language:

• Peer language patterns of paramount importance, but learning to negotiate adult world as well
• Will engage more in a group discussion
• Interested in the meaning of words; developing a broader vocabulary
• Loud

Cognitive:

• More abstract reasoning evident, especially in regard to cause and effect
• More willing to admit an error, revise their work or try something a second or third time
• Very aware of problems in larger world and generally still invested in finding solutions and participating in learning more
• Interested in technology and hot things work
• Learn well in cooperative groups
• Responds well to academic variety and challenge
• Easily “bored”‘