4 Ways to Design Instruction for the Teenage Brain

As a high school teacher, I often find myself questioning the choices my students make, both inside and outside the classroom. Teenagers have a reputation for being moody, making impulsive choices, and constantly prioritizing their peers. There is a misconception that they should “know better,” and they are treated like adults in many situations. Yet my experiences with teenagers have revealed a very different reality. I’ve seen them become extremely passionate about a topic, practice empathy for their friend, and advocate for what they believe in. While planning my lessons, I have found myself trying to guess what would capture their attention and have them truly engaged in learning.

In 2024, I stumbled upon Daniel Siegel’s book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain, and my planning was transformed. Siegel outlines four ways that the teen brain naturally changes and grows during ages 12–24: Emotional intensity, social engagement, novelty-seeking, and creative exploration all increase over these years. Here is how I’ve used each of these four developments to intentionally plan lessons and design assignments to engage students.

Increased Emotional Intensity

Teenagers experience heightened emotions, and the downside of this is moodiness and drama. Additionally, in How the Brain Learns, by David Sousa, research shows that how a person “feels” about learning determines the amount of attention devoted to it. To leverage this emotional intensity, I make sure to do the following:

• Communicate the “why” of the assignment. Teens want to understand and see the relevance of the assignment and where it will fit into their lives.
• Frame discussions, assignments, and projects around questions highly related to the current unit of study.
• Design assignments that connect to their lives. For example, a podcast project based on a topic that students are interested in can enhance their writing, speaking, and listening skills, combined with practicing their research skills. Giving students the opportunity to choose their own topic or select from a topic list turns the increased emotions into excitement and passion.
• Have students constantly reflect on their learning. Encouraging students to reflect not just on what they learned, but how they felt about the process, why they felt that way, and how those emotions impacted their problem-solving or retention, deepens their understanding and self-regulation.

Social Engagement

I find my students constantly gravitating toward their friends. The need for social connection is hardwired into their brains during this time of growth. They prioritize peer connections and social bonds over adult influence, since teens’ brains are flooded with dopamine during positive interactions with peers.

• Create group or classroom roles that mimic real-world professional teams. The roles can change based on the task and assignment.
• Have students design and facilitate community builders, purposeful icebreakers that focus on connecting and building relationships. When students take the lead, they tap into their need for social connection and their emotions.
• Use project-based learning to promote collaboration, peer feedback, and problem- solving between peers.

Novelty-Seeking

During this time of growth, teens’ dopamine levels are often fluctuating, making routines feel boring. Teens will seek out new and exciting experiences and will ignore any potential cons.

• Gamify classroom assignments. Games can help students have an increase in dopamine while learning important skills and content.
• Provide case studies and real-world scenarios that students need to solve.
• Decrease the number of worksheets you give students. Use choice boards to provide choice in their work. Choice boards include a list of assignments that students can choose from to demonstrate their learning.
• Challenge students to be creative, and assign projects that allow them to take a risk. Taking a risk means challenging students’ current levels of understanding to synthesize what they’ve learned and create something new. Students dive into real-world problem-solving, produce original designs, and use creative expression to share authentic, meaningful perspectives.

Creative Exploration

The brain is focusing on strengthening neural pathways. Consequently, teens question long-held assumptions, imagine new ways of doing things, and dive into abstract reasoning. Harnessing this shift in thinking can lead to innovative thinking.

• Utilize this shift to push students just beyond their current levels of thinking by challenging students to design their own invention that solves a complex world problem.
• Design summative assessments that challenge teens to translate their knowledge into a different medium. They can build a physical prototype, create a podcast, or make an application to demonstrate their learning.

Too often, traditional classroom design views these four developmental stages as behavior hurdles to manage. I’ve changed my thinking to start believing in the power of my students and help shape their thinking to help them grow into critical thinkers who can succeed. Creating space to celebrate small wins, validate struggles, and teach coping mechanisms for design failures or difficult technical tasks directly contributes to a resilient and engaged learner. By using these methods, I’ve heard less complaining about projects and students taking ownership of their learning. Students feel more included in their learning and more open to new ideas.