Characteristics of Adolescents
&
Spiritual Applications
Developmental Transitions – Biological
(9 -14 Years of Age)
Growth occurs and body composition
begins to change.
 Higher hormone levels during puberty
lead to greater moodiness.
 Anger and irritability for males
 Anger and depression for females.
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Biological Characteristics
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Increased interest in the physical aspects of
the body.
Generally girls grow to be more mature than
boys of the same age.
Awkward and clumsy movements due to
bone growth preceding muscle growth.
Considerable attention to body image.
Extreme restlessness with great need to
release physical energy.
Talkativeness.
Cognitive Characteristics
(9 -14 Years of Age)
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Developing curiosity and preferring active over
passive learning activities.
Relate intellectual activities with immediate and
short-range goals. Also immediate gratification.
Interaction with peers during learning activities.
Interest in both concrete and abstract learning.
Cognitive Characteristics – Continued.
(9 -14 Years of Age)
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Show interest in races and cultures other than
their own.
Challenge "idealistic" teaching.
Evaluate personal capabilities, both attributes
and limitations.
Show strong intense interests, not always
sustained, in various pursuits.
Developmental Transitions – Social
(9 -14 Years of Age)
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Begin to take interest in opposite sex and
dating
Gender roles are influenced through
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Media
School (Peers, teachers, etc…)
Parents
Shift in parental/peer influence roles
Increase in personal autonomy
Social Characteristics (9 -14 Years of Age)
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Considerable peer consciousness: strong need
for a feeling of belonging to a group.
A desire to be "different," yet , within the
overall limits of peer conformity.
Frequent changes in "close" friendships.
A concern for "right", "wrong", and "social
justice".
A concern for less fortunate "others" .
Attempts to identify with adults other than
parents.
General Characteristics (9 -14 Years of Age)
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Be frequently impulsive with words and
actions; impatient to get things done in a hurry.
Have ambivalent desires: want freedom, but
fear the loss of certain securities.
Become more independent, yet still feel the
need for direction and regulation.
A desire to make their own evaluation of
suggestions from others.
Exhibit a ,wide range of overt behaviors and
mood instability: quiet-loud, shy-boisterous,
fearful-confident, anxious-assured.
General Characteristics - Continued
(9 -14 Years of Age)
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Need experience with frequent success and
desire attention and recognition for personal
efforts and achievements.
Seek approval of and acceptance by adults.
Be sensitive to criticism of personal shortcomings and often easily offended.
Be anxious, doubtful, and confused about their
physical and intellectual development, social
relationships, and adult authority.
Spiritual applications
Tips for the servant
The servant of this age group needs to be:
Humble
Patient
Respectable
Able to absorb the following criticism:
Criticism about the servant him/herself
The church, the faith, and everything that
you believe in.
Good listener with the intention to understand
“Let everyman be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath” James 1:19
Tips for the servant
Christ and the Samaritan woman
How did Christ act to criticism ?
“Are You greater than our father Jacob, who
gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as
well as his sons and his livestock”
Questions:
What do you think of the questions/attitude of
the Samaritan woman
What do you think of Christ’s answers to her
in comparison to His answers to the Jews and
Pharisees for the same question?
Tips for the servant
Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that
You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the
prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word
he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater
than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the
prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself
out to be?” John 8:52-53
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,
before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58
Tips for the servant
“The men of Nineveh will rise up in the
judgment with this generation and condemn it,
because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The
queen of the South will rise up in the judgment
with this generation and condemn it, for she
came from the ends of the earth to hear the
wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than
Solomon is here” Matthew 12:41-42
Introduction to lesson preparation
Do(s):
 Prepare the lesson ahead of time, live it, and
pray about it before you give it.
What comes from the heart goes to the heart.
Prepare for questions to ask during the class
along these ideas:
Raising curiosity
Did the character in the story act correctly
How would you act if you are in the same
situation
 What are the consequences of the person’s
Introduction to lesson preparation
Don’t(s):
 Revealing the lesson’s goal early
Try not to reveal the goal of the lesson
directly at the beginning of the lesson .
Ex: lesson’s goal: Persistence in prayer
Story: Midnight friend Luke 11:5-8
 Direct instructions to practice the virtue
Try to lead the kids to come up with the
practical application
Solicit their opinions and feedback to lead
them to discover/arrive at the goal of the
How to prepare a lesson
Present the lesson/story in two parts:
 Concrete
Avoid long lectures
More visual aids
 Abstract.
Lead them to discover the character of God.
This is the stage of opinion formation.
It is crucial that at this transitional stage
they form the correct picture of God.
How to present abstract concepts?
How to prepare a lesson - Abstract
Highlight traits of Christ through differentiation.
What do people say about Him
What do you say about Him
Pick a specific incident(s) from the story to focus
on (prepare it ahead of time)
Solicit their opinion to see how they viewed that
specific incident.
Lead them to correctly understand that specific
action/trait (Love, mercy, forgiveness, patience,
justice,…) through the eyes of God.
How to prepare a lesson Focus
Points
“Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why
are those happy who deal so treacherously?”
Jeremiah 12:1
Concepts to focus on:
Morality – Is it right what happened?
Justice – Was justice served?
Rewards and Consequences
Immediate gratification
How are other people affected?
Case studies
Story of Joseph
Story of Nabot
Story of Herod – book of acts
Parables of Christ (11th hour, talents, etc…)
Hananiah and Saphira
Achan son of Karmi
Christ on the cross
References
1. Adolescence by John W. Santrock. ISBN: 0-07-290015- 6
2. Preparing for Adolescence by Dr. James Dobson. ISBN 0-88449-111-0
3. The Wounded Healer by Henri J. M. Nouwen ISBN: 0-385-14803-8