Marks Of Maturity

Mature. The definition of mature is; one that is fully developed physically; fully-grown. To me, mature means you are able to watch out for yourself and others, you are able to have manners, and you are reliable as well as responsible. Mature doesn’t have an age to it. There are many kids who are very young, for example, six or seven, who are mature. Others don’t mature until they are about thirteen or fourteen. It really just depends on the background of that individual. Maturity all ties into the changes that Scout undergoes in the book To Kill a Mockingbird.

    Maturity is not a fickle expression such as happiness or frustration, but rather an inherent quality one gains over time, such as courage or integrity. Before maturity can be expressed, the one who expresses it must have significant confidence in himself, since self-confidence is the root of maturity. Being flexible and formulating one's own opinions or ideas are aspects of maturity, but neither is possible without self-confidence. The greatest aspect of maturity is the ability to make decisions which society does not agree with. Whether or not one follows through with these ideas is not important. What is important is the ability to make the decision. These decisions represent the greatest measure

Maturity is a state that everybody tries to reach during their lives. Children spend their infancy, and sometimes adolescence, growing up and learning how to behave in the adults and work world. Schools teach them dissimilarities between these two different worlds. There isn’t a precise age in which kids become mature, it depends on the experiences they had, their society, their family and other causes. In the movie and novel The Giver, the community has a rite of passage where children, during the annual ceremony, become more mature and assume more responsibilities until they get into adulthood.

How does one know that a person is maturing? Are there signs? What defines maturity? “A mature person assumes responsibility for his or her actions” (“Maturity”) but does that mean someone who cannot do that should not be considered mature? In The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, both Holden and Taylor go through a period in their lives where they start “putting aside ‘toys’ and fantasies...seeing the world as it really is” (“Maturity”). For Taylor, adulthood is thrust upon her when she “inherits” Turtle, while for Holden it takes till the end of the book--when he is with Phoebe--to realize.

To attain maturity, you must have a loss of innocence. For example, when a kid finds out that Santa Claus is not real, he is disappointed and cannot believe the fact that there is no Santa Claus, because

I believe maturity is not dependent on a person’s age because humans are affected by different situations, are different genders and are raised differently.

12-18 years olds will know which areas they are greater in than others and be choosing their subjects for their GCSEs and A levels, depending on if the child stays at school from 16 onwards. Some children will lack confidence in some subjects and try to avoid it at all costs. Teenagers are very aware of the children around them, so will try not to show there weaknesses in any area in order to feel like they belong.

16-19 years | This is the stage where young people become young adults, and are often at the peak of their physical performance. Almost all girls will have reached physical maturity, boys will continue to mature into their mid-20 's. | By the time they have left school they will be thinking about their pathway for their career, whether it involves college or university. | Young people enter adulthood but still require advise and guidance from adults. They will lack experience and individuals will vary in emotional maturity and the way

Dealing with young people/teenagers can be a minefield. It can be hard as at this age they believe that they “know everything” and are “grown up” so have no need to listen to others points of view. But sometimes young people need our help just as much, or more than children.

Is our youth doomed? Mark Edmundson begs this question in his essay, “Dwelling in Possibilities.” His essay explains how the lives of young people have changed drastically over the years. Edmundson, professor at the University of Virginia, says his students are constantly “going” and that they never stop; they never settle in fear of missing something great. In lieu of this, Edmundson says that they are, “victims of their own hunger for speed” (Edmundson2). He also adds that his students, and young people in general, use today’s technology to be “everywhere at once” (watching a movie, instant messaging, talking on the phone, and glancing at a textbook) and are therefore, “not anywhere in particular” (Edmundson

Before we continue, we should discuss what maturity is. According to Wikipedia, the definition of maturity is “ a psychological term used to indicate that a person responds to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate and adaptive manner.” This response is generally learned rather than instinctual, and is not determined by one's age. Maturity also encompasses awareness of the correct time and place to behave, knowing when to act with appropriate emotion for the situation. Maturity incorporates personal accountability, meaning you take ownership of situations you are involved in. By following one’s conscience, you are taking personal accountability.

Ask my teachers, friends, coaches, and family, they’ll all tell you that I’m mature. The way I hold myself responsible for my life, my studies, and my activities through the good and bad is a unique quality about me that they admire, but also know little to nothing about.

With the advancement of technology and of modern societies, the present is currently the golden age of discovery; where information, new and old, are transferred all over the world in an instant. The knowledge we hold are discovered every day, processed, studied, and taught to students. With the vast information we hold, the things taught and learned are also increasing. The vast information we have and the students, are the key to a better future. Society today depends and relies on the new generation, but at a great cost. They push the students mind to the limit, making an army of highly educated students that will benefit society. However, not everyone ends the same way, many are lost and many are not given an opportunity to learn as well. There are students who fail and give up because of too much strain on their minds and bodies. The burden of our future is placed on the shoulders of the students, therefore they should be prioritize above all else.

Yet even with these realizations that delve into the deeper meaning of education, modern education is still calling for simple measurable outcomes and continues to be geared towards specific employment ideas. This model of education is blatantly inadequate though. Many students today will end up holding jobs not yet invented in fields not yet discovered, so the teaching of answers to today’s questions is utterly useless. Albert Einstein once said, “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” and this statement reigns true throughout time. To continue academic success, the education system needs to impart a mastery of one’s own mind that allows students to not only answer current questions but also to pose questions that will shape the future world.

In this paper I plan to discuss the developmental stages of adolescence. Adolescents are also referred to as "teenagers" or "young adults." Adolescence begins after the childhood stage and ends right before adulthood. The years of adolescence range from 12 years old to 21 years old. The years of adolescence can be quite a roller coaster ride. Young people in this stage encounter a great deal of changes in their life as they prepare for adulthood. I will discuss emotional, intellectual, physiological, and social domains of development and how it relates to adolescents. I will also discuss some helpful tips for teachers to aide in communicating effectively to adolescents and understanding their