FHS 1500 Su14

Rebecca Stucki
Observation #4

Background Information
Childs age: 17 years old
Pseudonym: Jessica
Location: Soccer field
Brief Description: She is with her mom and they are watching her younger sibling play
soccer.

Physical Development

Jessica is about 52 and quite thin. She has narrow hips but otherwise her body
is that of a young woman. Which according to the chart labeled At about this time, the
sequence of puberty, (Berger, 2014, p. 320) Jessica is right on track. She takes pride in
how she looks. She has her make up and hair done, but does not over do any of it. She
has a few blemishes or acne spots that she has tried to cover with makeup but it is not
very noticeable. The skin becomes oilier, sweatier, and more prone to acne. (Berger,
2014, p. 326).
She takes pride in the way that she looks but when asked what she would say if
one of her friends didnt like what she was wearing what would she do, she responded I
would tell them that sucks and they should be glad theyre not wearing it then! My body,
my clothes! This ties into what is stated in chapter 9, During puberty, young people
center many of their thoughts on themselves, in part because maturation of the brain
heightens self-consciousness (Berger, 2014, p. 333).
Cognitive Development
During our interview I asked Jessica what her favorite subjects in school were this
last year. She replied, Math, music and P.E.! She tours with her choir group and enjoys
that the most. When asked what she thinks makes a better teacher and if she could
change her school what would she change she replied, I think a better teacher is
someone who can balance between discipline and fun, but can also keep order when it is
needed. As far as changes in the school I would make sure all the different groups
(sports, choir, etc.) were funded equally. I feel that Jessica has achieved the fourth and
final stage of cognitive development as per Piagets theory. This final stage is
characterized by more systematic logical thinking by the ability to understand and
systematically manipulate abstract concepts. (Berger, 2014, p. 334).
Our conversation continued and I started to talk to her about her responsibilities
that she has at home and how independent she is and is allowed to be. She said, I am
really independent. I get to choose whom I date, I make my own plans and I can just tell
them (her parents) where and when Im going. I can drive myself places that I need and
want to go. Because of my independence I have to keep track of all of my things Ive
scheduled and make sure I am where I need to be, I have to make sure I still follow the
rules that are in place or I will lose some of that independence. I feel that this also falls
under Piagets cognitive development theory. (Berger, 2014, p. 334). By age 18, many
teenagers appreciate their parents who have learned to allow more independence.
(Berger, 2014, p. 362).
Social/Emotional Development
These questions were Jessicas favorite to answer. We talked about morals, her
friends, her relationship with her parents and her favorite subject boys. I asked Jessica
first about morals; when asked what the moral issues in her life today were, she replied,
People are always cheating their way to the top and so it can be hard to keep being
honest and trying your best with all of that going on around you. People also wont stand
up for what they believe in; if they think theres even the smallest chance of being shut
down or being alone in their decision. I then asked how she was resolving the issues, she
replied, I just keep in mind that I will only keep succeeding if I am honest in what I do
and I always stand by my opinions even if its something small like raising my hand for
what I want in class even if I know it my be unpopular. Jessica is a very courageous
young lady and I feel that her confidence has a lot to do with her home life. Jessica stated
that she is very close with her parents and they hold a very large influence on her
decision-making. She states that she looks up to her parents and hopes to be like them
one day. When parental knowledge is the result of a warm, supportive relationship,
children are likely to become confident, well educated adults, avoiding drugs and risky
sex. (Berger, 2014, p. 363).
When asked what her friends are like she responded Very spontaneous, friendly
and outgoing but they are not as mature as I am, with the exception of my best friend.
She reports that she confides in her friends as well as with her parents. Because friends
need to be sympathetic to the intricacies of one anothers relationships to each parent,
peer and partner, friends typically share values and background. For instance, family
loyalty is a core value for teenagers from some backgrounds but not for others. (Berger,
2014, p. 366).
I was really impressed with Jessicas maturity for her age and loved watching her
interact with her mom and seeing her support for her brother. She is an amazing young
lady and it is refreshing to see that in our day and age.




References
Berger, K. S. (2014). Invitation to the life span (2
nd
ed.) New York, NY: Worth
Publishers.