HOLY FACE OF JESUS OF LYCEUM OF SAN JOSE INC.

R & J Building Lot 6 & 8 Block 9 Mayon Avenue Amityville, San Jose Rodriguez, Rizal
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
(GRADE 12 – CORE )
MODULE 3

Ms. Andrea P. Barte

Subject Teacher
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LEARNING CONTENT

LESSON 3: The Challenges of Middle and Late Adolescence

CONTENT STANDARDS

The learners demonstrate an understanding of…

 the developmental changes in middle and late adolescence, and expectations of and from
adolescents

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

The learners shall be able to...

 clarify and manage the demands of the teen years (middle and late adolescence)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the student shall be able to:

1. Discuss that facing challenges during adolesnence may clarify and manage the demands of teen
years”;
2. .Express his or her feelings on the expectations of the significant people around him or her
(parents, siblings, friends, teachers, community, leaders); and
3. Make affirmations that help one become more lovable and capable as an adolescent.

LESSON 4: THE CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLOSCENCE

Challenges During Adolescence

What particular challenges do middle and late adolescents face? In the previous
chapter, we studied about the crisis or conflict that comes with adolescence as theorized by Erik
Erikson. He identified identity vs. role confusion as the developmental challenge an adolescent
faces. We also discussed the changes that happen during the adolescence stage. It involves
the whole person, and all the aspects of a person, from the physical changes that result to
puberty, to the cognitive and brain development, social skills, personality, and spirituality. We
also explored the different ways in which the adolescent is evolving from childhood to
adolescence.

In this chapter, we will discuss the challenges that an adolescent faces, particularly, the
challenges a Filipino adolescent faces. Below is a list of common challenges normal
adolescents encounter. The list is not exhaustive nor is definitive. Let us examine each of these
challenges and reflect on which ones we are also experiencing.

1. Attitudes and behavior toward sexuality and sexual relationships

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Puberty drives the adolescent to experience surges of sexual desires, which often lead
them to experimentation and exploration. While this is often healthy to engage in, there is the
danger of losing control over one's sexual drives which inevitably end up in lifetime of regrets.

Adolescents exploring their sexuality should be able to draw their limits in terms of
sexual expressions, and should be responsible enough to see the future results or
consequences of their behaviors. Sexual relationship is healthy when the adolescent sees this
as part of a loving relationship and not as something that is just for exploration or pleasure.

2. Academic concerns

The role of a student is the primary role of an adolescent who is still in school. Although
there are other roles he or she may take, being a student takes primary importance. While many
adolescents become problematic with their aca- demic studies, what is most important is the
attitude that they need to embrace when studying. What is the proper attitude a learner should
have?

Being responsible is called for when dealing with academic challenges. Be aware that
academic grades are not the only indicators of learning. Discipline, openness, perseverance,
diligence, excellence, curiosity, analytical and critical thinking, memory, understanding,
cooperation and team work, respecting other people's opinions and beliefs, social interactions,
leadership, and followership are some of the more important skills and values that an
adolescent student can also learn while in school. Aside from learning these skills, one also
acquires the knowledge while studying. Memorization and comprehension are necessary ele-
ments in obtaining knowledge. Oftentimes, what is being tested in schools is the body of
knowledge one acquires and absorbs, and grades usually reflect this. However, some schools
are also aware that critical thinking and reasoning are equally important and these are also
tested and graded. This is the reason why grades are important, in spite of some contrary belief
that they do not accurately measure genuine learning. If one wishes to pursue academic
excellence and further studies, then grades are critical in achieving these goals.

3. Group belongingness

An adolescent wants to belong. While there is an urge to be independent and

autonomous from his family and parents, there is also an urge to seek a replacement of this
support system, this time in the form of social groupings such as school friends, memberships in
organizations, and commu- nity. An adolescent with a low self-esteem might be drawn toward
organizations that promise camaraderie in the form of "walang iwanan," "do or die," or "one for
all and all for one" kind of social support. However, there is a possibility that these types of
organizations may be more destructive than constructive. Healthy and wholesome organizations
whose objectives aim to help individuals develop themselves are better choices. An adolescent
should not be lured by organizations that promise "exclusivity" or "superiority," often touting
false courage through strength in their numbers. Avoiding organizations that adhere to violence
and other anti-social behaviors is a responsibility of the adolescent because he is responsible
for his own welfare, his family, his friends, and his school.
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When joining informal groups or organizations, be very aware of peer pressure

that says, "Do this or you cannot join our group because you are not like us." Healthy and
wholesome organizations respect the individuality of each person and would therefore not lure
him into doing something that goes against time- honored human values.

4. Health and nutrition

A healthy mind and body is what every adolescent (and everybody else) should
strive for. However, adolescents, because of their growing bodies and brains, are gifted with so
much energy that seems inexhaustible, resulting in abuse of one's body and mind. Lack of sleep
and poor eating habits often result in disaster. Learn to listen to your body.

Avoid unhealthy food such as items laden with bad oils and fat often served in fast food
chains and drinks that contain high amount of processed sugar. Drink plenty of clean water and
regulate intakes of rich foods, such as desserts and animal meat and fat. Dieting might work for
some but the long term results are not commendable because more often than not, the person
returns eventually to his bad eating habits. Instead, embrace a healthy lifestyle for yourself.
Every time you put something inside your body, ask first the question, "Will this make me
healthy or not?"

Long exposures to television and screen gadgets are also unhealthy. Regulate the hours
you spend with technology. Read books and take time to exercise. Better yet, embrace a sport
that you enjoy playing, either by yourself or with others. Start a hobby to serve as an expression
or outlet for your creative impulses.

5. Developing or Regaining Self-Esteem

Are you having difficulty acknowledging your strengths and positive traits? Many
experienced life coaches and facilitators for personal growth often observe how many
adolescents, and even some adults, when asked the question about what their strengths are,
would often get stumped by the question and will take a long time before they could create a list.
It seems easier for them to list down their weaknesses and challenges, and the list for this is
more often than not, longer than the list of their strengths.

6. Roles

All human beings have roles to play in their lives. Roles are part of one's identity, such
as being a son or daughter to your parents, being a brother or sister to your siblings, being a
student in your school, or a member of your organization. Although these roles seem separate
and different from each other, adolescents must learn to integrate all these roles and it should
be clear that these roles are related to the tasks expected of them by others. When there is a
disparity between one's self-identity and the roles one play, then confusion arises. For example,
an adolescent, who is a student, has studying as his or her top priority. However, this
adolescent being the eldest in his family may also be required by the parents to take care of his
or her younger siblings and may be asked to work after school to help in providing for the family.
A healthy adolescent whose self-identity is clear and whose roles are integrated will understand
and accept the situation.
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This healthy adolescent will recognize not merely the roles but the values being
expected from him or her, such as personal and family responsibility, love for family, and basic
survival. Balancing his or her time and energy in addressing the responsibilities demanded by
each role can be achieved through discipline and time management. When these values are
clear in the mind of this adolescent, role confusion is diminished.

7. Material Poverty

There are many stories about school children and adolescent students who live in far-
flung areas where infrastructure is not available and of those who do not have much choice but
to walk when going to school. Some walk for hours, some cross rivers and streams, and others
go up the hills and mountains, before they will be able to reach their school. Stories of students
who could not go to school because they do not have money for food and transportation are
usually exploited in movies and television. How does an adolescent, whose family barely has
enough to live by, face this challenge of material scarcity? In this chapter, three adolescents
who faced unique challenges, with one of them growing up in the dumpsites of Cavite City, are
featured. See how this individual surmounted the challenge of poverty in his life and how
poverty awakened his advocacy in helping others.

8. Parents Working Abroad

Another social phenomenon experienced by many Filipino families today linked to

poverty are parents who leave their families to work abroad to support the needs of their
families. How many families are affected by this phenomenon? What is the impact of an absent
parent on a child who is growing up with only one parent, or even no parent at home? Studies
are showing the social costs of this labor migration that leaves young, vulnerable children
behind.

Support systems are necessary for growing persons; therefore, an adolescent with
parents who work abroad should be able to identify people he can trust and lean on for support
whenever he needs it. These can be family members, relatives, or friends who are genuinely
concerned for his welfare.

9. Career choice

The adolescent who is creating identity for himself is faced with an urgent need to
identify what course to take in college and establish a career path for the future. While many
private schools provide career counseling and guidance which involves testing and interviews,
the adolescent can be more proactive by accessing many resource materials found in the
internet to help him identify his capabilities and skills and the wide choices of work that he can
take. A sample website accessible to anyone is the Alberta, Canada government website
(Alberta Learning Information Service or ALIS http://alis.alberta.ca/ce/ career-explorers.html),
which offers many assessment tools in charting career choices where results are immediately
provided. Just be aware that the website primarily caters to Canadians, and therefore puts into
consideration the needs of the Canadian labor market and jobs within Canada.

10. Relationships
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Maintaining healthy relationships require a cer- tain level of maturity. An adolescent who
is still in the process of acquiring maturity may often find maintain- ing relationships challenging.

At home, a female adolescent who desires autonomy and independence will encounter
more parental objections. She may not be allowed to attend social gatherings without
chaperones, or go to out-of- town trips with males in the group. When this happens,
relationships at home are strained, and the adolescent who does not see the real purpose of
why her parents are restricting her will react negatively to such res- trictions. What is important
is for the adolescent to understand that her parents are concerned for her safety and well-being,
and for the values her parents uphold, and restricting her may be a way of showing that they
care for her.

11. Values and Beliefs

Ask a typical adolescent what he believes in or what values he upholds, and often you get a
shrug of the shoulders as a reply. As discussed in the previous chapter, the adolescent is still
developing his cognitive skill that he can use in thinking of abstract concepts and asking critical
questions. However, if the question was rephrased to something like, "What will you fight for or
die for?" Adolescents have a quick answer, and this is usually their family or loved ones. If this
is the case, what universal human value do adolescents uphold? It can be relationships and/or
family. Ask another question like what they believe in, and often the answer is something related
to their religious belief. Though this may not necessarily be incorrect, belief is not just limited to
religious matters, but also to human needs like a safe and clean environment.

The adolescent is hereby invited to ask them- selves these questions in order to find out
what are important to them and to their lives: “What will I fight against?” or “What can I not afford
to lose?” or “What can I not live without?” You can commit your answers by writing them in your
journal.

12. Other challenges

There are many other challenges facing adoles- cents, and some may not even be
aware that they are experiencing them, like depression. There are telltale signs of depression
an adolescent should be aware of. If you suspect that you are experiencing depression, talk to
your parents, guardian, or school guidance counselor. Be open about it. Experiencing
depression is nothing to be ashamed of. It happens even to the best of us.

Three Filipino Adolescence. Three Hero

Gregorio del Pilar ("Goyong," "Boy General") was fondly called by his family as
"Goyong" and eventually referred to by his fellow revolutionaries as "Boy General" for being the
youngest ever to be commissioned as such by the Filipino revolutionary forces that fought the
Spaniards and the Americans. Goyong was born in Bulacan on November 14, 1875. He
graduated from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila with a degree in Bachelor of Arts. At the age of
20, he joined the revolutionary forces against the Spaniards headed by Bonifacio. He was killed
in the Battle of Tirad Pass in Ilocos Sur fighting the American colonialist forces. He died on
December 2, 1899 at the age of 24. (http://www.biography- archive.com/biography-of-gregorio-
del-pilar.html)
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Edgar Jopson ("Edjop") was born on September 1, 1948, of middle class parents who
owned a small grocery store in Sampaloc, Manila. He graduated as the valedictorian of his high
school class in Ateneo. He was an active high school student, joining organizations such as the
Ateneo Catechetical Instruction League, Solidarity of Mary, and the Student Catholic Action.
While taking up law, he became the Student Council President at UP and the President of the
National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP). He was also honored for his
achievements as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) in 1970.
During the martial law years under Marcos, he became a moderate activist. Stories abound
about his dialogue with Marcos in Malacañang during the First Quarter Storm where he asked
Marcos not to seek a third term. It was said that Marcos rebuked him with a sarcastic statement,
"Who are you to tell me what to do? You are only a son of a grocer!" Edjop eventually became
more radical with his political views after having been exposed to various situations depicting
the excesses of martial law. He joined the revolutionary forces of the underground movement. In
1979, he was arrested and tortured in prison. He managed to escape imprisonment and
continued his underground work. In 1982, while eluding arrest, he was gunned down on his way
out. He was 34. (http://www. librarylink.org.ph/revdetails.asp?rev=89)

Efren Peñaflorida ("Efren") started an organization called Dynamic Teen Company

comprised of his fellow students to keep adolescents like him away from trouble when he was
just 16 years old. The organization went into youth awareness projects, talent and self-
development activities, and community services before it eventually discovered a way to help
poor children who could not afford to go to school. His innovative project was termed as
"pushcart classroom," also termed locally as the "kariton

Activity 1:

On the table below, fill up the blank boxes with your thoughts and feelings about your
responsibilities and what others expect from you. List atleast three (3) in each item.

My Roles The Values I need My Responsibilities What are

to Fulfill My Role Based On My Role Expected of Me
Effectively Based on My Role
A citizen of the World
and of the Philippines

A resident of My City or
Town

A member of My
Family

A student at Holy Face

of Jesus Lyceum of
San Jose Inc.
A Friend to Someone

A Member of a Group
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or Organization

I am a child of the
Universe

I am me

ACTIVITY 2:
Watch this video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_prager_in_search_for_the_man_who_broke_my_neck. Then,
share and discuss your reactions:
1. What particular challenge did this man encounter?
2. What made him do so for him to take the challenge?
3. What enabled him to resolve his special challenge?
4. Share a similar story, either yours or by others you know who experienced similar
challenges.

ASSESSMENT:
Identify the challenge that is illustrated in the following situations. Choose the letter best
answer inside the box.

a. Social Challenges c. Biological Challenges

b. Behavioral Challenges d. Psychological Challenges

_____1. When Rina’s mother died in a car accident, she started to clam up and stayed most of
the time in her room. She lost her appetite and denied any interaction with anyone. She would
spend entire nights crying and mourning for the loss.
_____2. Miss Ana noticed that Justin was always absent on her class. She asked Justin’s
classmates if they knew what happened and she found out that Justinn was a victim of bullying
that’s why he rarely went to school.
_____3. Amy started limiting her food intake because she thought and felt fat whenever she
looks in the mirror.
_____4. Ken enjoyed being with his friends, but there are times his friends engage in smoking
and drinking liquor. Although he doesn’t want to join, he has no choice because they will kick
him out from the group.
_____5. When Joey was still a child, he always went to bed early, but when he learned to play
online games, he started to spend more time playing gadget at night.