The presentations for a day of training Nicola Morgan delivered for the UK Boarding Schools Association on Mar 9th 2015. Aimed at attendees of that day and any colleagues they wish to share it with in their own schools. All material copyright. Email n@nicolamorgan.co.uk for enquiries and see www.nicolamorgan.com for Nicola Morgan's writing and events.

1. Adolescent wellbeing
with Nicola Morgan
Information, classroom materials and chances
to win books: www.nicolamorgan.com

2. Notes to users – from Nicola
Morgan
• This is an altered version of the day I did
for the Boarding Schools Association
9/3/15
• It is aimed at attendees of that day only
and for them to share within their own
school
• It will not make proper sense to anyone
who wasn’t there!
• Text copyright © Nicola Morgan
• Illustrations copyright © Katherine Lynas

3. Consider this:
• What would your pupils most benefit from
knowing?
• How might you share this knowledge with
them?
• And, importantly, your colleagues?

4. Teenage brains + behaviour
• Generalisations – teenagers are
individuals
• A Very Modern Problem?
• State of Brain and Stage of Life
• Understanding is hugely empowering
• Understanding based on:
– Natural, necessary, temporary and positive
– With aim of independence – breaking away
– Explains why teenagers listen to peers >
adults

5. Main brain differences
A. 3 stages, fr age c11 (Gs usually before
Bs)
1. Major increase in volume of grey matter
(from more connections)
2. Major pruning (ie loss) of connections
3. Strengthening (“myelination”) of connections
B. Prefrontal cortex (pfc) develops last (23+)
C. Some different brain activity (eg in social
embarrassment and risk/emotion)

6. Teenage brain in practice:
Lost connections
• May experience diminishing of a previous
skill – demoralising and stressful
• Clumsiness – especially in boys, as the
cerebellum changes more
• TOOLS? Knowledge => practice

7. Teenage brain in practice: Emotion
All illustrations especially commissioned from artist Katherine Lynas

8. Teenage brain in practice: Emotion
• (Hormones + stress also affect emotions)
• Poorer at recognising emotions in faces
(esp 11-12yo)
• Strong amygdala may overpower weaker
pfc
PFC
Amygdala
Limbic
system

9. Tools (re emotion)
• Share understanding: physical; temporary
• Remember: brain develops by practice +
eg
• Forgive mistakes
– Encourage self-forgiveness
• Look for underlying stressors
• Provide safe outlets for emotion
• All pupils should have a “trusted adult”

10. Teenage brain in practice: Risk

11. Teenage brain and risk
• Evolutionary drive/biology encourages
risk:
– Dopamine in “reward systems”
– In some teenagers, reward systems more
active
– And even more when peers are present
• Amygdala may overpower pfc
• More weight on immediate emotion
– Highly social teenage brain => great reward
for attracting peer respect

12. Tools (re risk)
• Again, teach biology of risk-taking
• Provide risk opportunities – needn’t be
physically dangerous
• Warning re danger does work for some:
– Eg re drugs, alcohol, early sex
– True cautionary tales work well
• Consider relevant teenage novels – take
risks in reading; expanding understanding

13. Teenage brain in practice:
Sleep

14. Teenage brain in practice: Sleep
• Teenagers need average 9.25 hours
• But melatonin switches on later at night
• And off later in the morning
• So very likely to be sleep deprived:
– Mood, stress, concentration, performance

15. Tools for better sleep
1. Understand “Sleep Hygiene”
• Educate re daylight/screens
2. Create routine
3. Strategies for sleepless nights
4. My classroom resources (Brain Sticks)
5. See your handout + sheet of tips for
pupils

16. Teenage brain in the classroom
• Boys/girls reach stages at different times
• If young for year, may not be in stage 3
when peers are
• Self-consciousness can be huge stressor
• Being a learner is stressful; lack control
• Note: stress will affect performance
• (Effects of dyslexia etc)

17. DISCUSS
1. What 2-4 things struck you most?
2. What do you think pupils would be
interested in?
3. How could you share those points with
pupils?
4. And colleagues?

18. Adolescent wellbeing,
with Nicola Morgan
PART TWO:
STRESS

19. What is stress?
• Fight or flight response
• Adrenalin and cortisol
• Cortisol builds up if no relief
• Same effects, whatever age
– Immune system, concentration, mood, sleep
– Performance
• “Preoccupation”

20. “Preoccupation”
• If part of attention is on something else,
cannot perform 100% on the task in hand
1. Worry/stress about anything – intrusive
thoughts
2. “Scarcity” – eg of time – deadlines + diets
3. Social media/email/phones
• Preoccupation diminishes performance/IQ:
– Cognitive capacity (aspects of learning)
– Executive control (aspects of behaviour)

21. Teenage stress

22. Teenage stresses
• Perfect storm of change: brain, body,
chemistry, friends, fears, expectations,
pressure
• “New” stresses: exams + internet
• Biggest stresses: exams and friendship
issues
• Biological differences: eg a) self-
consciousness b) more brain activity in
stress responses c) slower adaptation

23. Introversion/extroversion
• Introverts are not necessarily “shy”
• They spend huge energy in social
situations
• If needs aren’t met => more stress
• Most school situations are highly stressful
for introverts

24. Tools
• Teenagers know very little about stress.
Need basic facts; symptoms; “cup of
stress”
• Need 3 approaches:
1. Instant breathing exercise
2. Daily time-out – free choice
3. General thought processes
• (Intrusive thoughts: pathways)
On my
website

25. This FLOURISH card is
available free as a
downloadable pdf card on
my website
My Brain Sticks materials
are largely built around
promoting this FLOURISH
model of brain health and
wellbeing

26. “What went well?”
• Martin Seligman – “Authentic Happiness”
website and his book, FLOURISH
• “What did I do for someone else?”

27. PERMA model of wellbeing
P = positive feelings
E = engagement
R = relationships
M = meaning
A = accomplishment
See Teaching Wellbeing in Schools by Ian
Morris

28. Reading for Pleasure
Benefits:
• “Flow” or engagement
• Increase knowledge
• Increase understanding of self and others
• Reduce stress
• Stop thinking about worries
• Associated with higher attainment
• Uses many areas of brain

29. Resilience
Ability to bounce back after a setback – some
have more resilience than others but we now
know it can be taught; is not a fixed skill
– Why did that go wrong?
– How can I get control?
– How can I let go the things I can’t control?
– What went well?
– What strengths did I use?
– Who am I connected to?
• youngminds.org for classroom resources

30. DISCUSS
1. Do your pupils have downtime? Do they
know what to do with it?
2. Does your school adequately teach about
stress: what it is and how to avoid
negative effects?
3. Can you suggest a 3-point plan of action
or 3 things you think most useful to
teach??

31. ?

32. Adolescent wellbeing
with Nicola Morgan
PART THREE:
Specific
challenges

33. Anxieties
1. “You settled my mind”
2. Openness and recognition
3. Understanding why
4. Relaxation strategies
5. Mindfulness?
6. Neural pathways - CBT

34. Intrusive thoughts
• Every thought is a pathway in the brain
• The brain learns by repetition, creating
strong pathways that are easy to follow
• But the brain can learn negative, unhelpful
things, too => negative intrusive thoughts
• It is in our control to replace this with +ve
thought
• (The following slides show this)

44. Online porn and relationships
• Boys tend to believe porn is educational; girls tend
to believe it’s harmful
• Most do what they think “everyone else” is doing –
need to fit in
• Young women (16-24) at greatest risk of violence;
evidence this is not improving
• Acting in moment, not looking ahead
• Core message: if you make a person do
something they don’t want, it’s assault
• And sharing indecent picture u18 is illegal
• www.thinkuknow.org

45. Negative “coping reactions”
• Self-harm
• Eating disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
– Including OCD

46. Self-harm
• Stats vague – 13%? 70% increase in A&E
admission from s-harm in 2014, on previous
2y
• Variety of reasons – beware generalisations
• Harmer often feels self-disgust; fear
• Physical urge => dopamine
• Distraction strategies; safety advice
• And essential to have talking therapy
• Dangerous to prevent, if no coping
strategy/support
• www.selfharm.co.uk

47. Depression
• Signs
– Gender differences – males may exhibit anger
• May not ask for help; think no point
• Reassure that is an illness + solutions exist
• Get professional help – 3 steps
• Role of sleep – (poor sleep may be more
than a symptom of depression; may help
cause)
• Taking control in small steps

48. Mental Health First Aid
Scottish MHFA: www.smhfa.com/
1. Assess for risk of suicide/harm
2. Listen without judgement
3. Reassure and inform
4. Encourage and facilitate seeking
professional help
5. Recommend other forms of help

49. Eating disorders
Eva Musby
www.evamusby.co.uk

50. Conclusions
• Relax – see your handout!
• “You settled my mind”

51. Questions?

52. Information, classroom materials
and chances to win books: www.nicolamorgan.com
Copyright © Nicola Morgan 2015