PAIN IN THE BRAIN: TEEN LIBRARY BEHAVIOR 101

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PAIN IN THE BRAINTEEN (LIBRARY) BEHAVIOR 101

• Presented by Beth Gallaway for PLA, March 2008

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Beth Gallaway Contact Slides

• Email informationgoddess29_at_gmail.com
• Cell 603.247.3196
• Slides http//slideshare.net/informationoddess29
  /pla08brain
• Links http//del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/br
  ain

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Do you have Ephebiphobia?
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Library Behaviors

• Groups
• Blocking entrance or access
• Roaming
• Taking up space
• Courting Behavior
• Backtalk and disrespect
• Eating drinking
• Cell phone use

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Library Behaviors

• Language
• Sex
• Vandalism
• Theft
• Violence
• Cyberbullying

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Differentiate between the 2 Ds

• Disruptive
• Normal
• Annoying
• Dangerous
• Abnormal
• Harmful to self others
• Illegal

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Why Do Teenagers Act That Way?

• They hate the library
• They hate YOU (the librarian)
• Its a contest

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Because of

• Ignorance
• Developmental Needs
• Lack of Sleep
• BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

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Ignorance

• Who taught you how to behave in the library?
• How do patrons know how to behave in the library

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On Rules

• Create a behavior policy
• Same rules for everyone
• No rules set up to fail
• The less rules, the better 
• Word rules in a positive way 
• Leave rules open ended

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Developmental Needs

• Positive Social Interaction with Adults Peers
• Structure Clear Limits
• Physical Activity
• Creative Expression
• Competence Achievement
• Meaningful Participation
• Opportunities for Self-Definition

Source National Middle School Association
(1996). Research Summary Young Adolescents
Developmental Needs, 2006
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Developmental Needs

• Positive Social Interaction with Adults
  Peers(seek attention, socialization)
• Structure Clear Limits(push boundaries,
  challenge authority)
• Physical Activity(run from computer to computer,
  roam)
• Creative Expression(vandalism, MySpace
• Competence Achievement(competitive behavior,
  Runescape obsession)
• Meaningful Participation(opininated,
  socialization)
• Opportunities for Self-Definition

National Middle School Association (1996).
Research Summary Young Adolescents
Developmental Needs, 2006
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It was once believed that

• The corpus callosum stopped developing around age
  5 (grows through adolescence)
• The brain didnt grow after age 10 (grows through
  adolescence)
• Myelination was complete before puberty
  (continues well into young adulthood)

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BRAIN DIAGRAM
Source http//www.thecuriousmind.com/brain-cm.h
tml
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5 stages of brain development

• Use it or lose it
• Blossoming and pruning
• Window of opportunity
• Window of sensitivity
• Myelination

Source Walsh, David. Why Do They Act That Way? A
survival guide to the adolescent brain for you
and your teen.
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CORTEX CHANGES
Source http//www.brainviews.com/abFiles/DrwMed
lobes.htm
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LIMBIC SYSTEM
Source http//normandy.sandhills.cc.nc.us/psy15
0/brain.html
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Dopamine

• Dopamine levels fluctuate
• Controls
• Smooth motor skills
• Pleasure center
• Results in
• Risk-taking, novelty seeking
• Excitability, loudness

Source http//www.3dchem.com/imagesofmolecules/Do
pamine.jpg
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Serotonin

• Serotonin levels fluctuate
• Controls
• Temperature
• Mood
• Appetite
• Emotion
• Results in
• Moodiness

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Melatonin

• Melatonin cycle differs from adults
• Controls
• Sleep/wake cycles
• Biological clock
• Results
• Brain development
• REM sleep has been linked to learning ability

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Lack of Sleep

• Sleep deprivation results in
• Crankiness
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Perceived laziness
• Lack of energy
• Poor Judgement 

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Myelin Sheath

• The myelin sheath coats nerves and improves
  connection speeds
• Facilitates
• Intelligent response to gut reactions
• Learning new things
• Concrete thought to abstract thought
• Results in
• Reacting
• Poor memory/recall
• Lack of focus and attention
• Poor organizational skills
• Bad impulse control

Source http//www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/im
ages/ency/fullsize/9682.jpg
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The Brain and Gender

• Girls brains myelinate faster than boys may
  account for earlier emotional maturity
• The amygdala prompter of gut impulses grows
  faster in boys, prompting development of physical
  and spatial skills, and other cerebellum
  processes
• The hippocampus memory center grows faster in
  girls, prompting development in social cognition

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Behavioral Strategies

• Boundary setting is extremely important
• Address behavior in terms of actions and
  consequences in a matter of fact, non-threatening
  manner

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Set Boundaries

• State unacceptable behavior
• Optional explain why its unacceptable
• State consequence of continued unacceptable
  behavior
• Ask patron to choose to cease behavior, or find
  somewhere else to continue behavior

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Examples

• John, its too noisy over here, and some people
  are trying to study. If you continue to be
  disruptive, I will need to ask you to leave. You
  can choose to lower the volume level and stay or
  you can choose to leave.
• Mary, your computer time is up, we have someone
  waiting. If you continue to violate the time
  limit, I will have to suspend your computer
  privileges. You can choose to log off now and get
  more time tomorrow, or lose your computer access
  for 2 days.

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Keep in Mind

• Librarians do not kick teens out of the
  library. Teens get themselves kicked out of the
  library, because of their behavior.
• Nick Buron, NYPL, Queens Branch

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Correcting Behavior

• 3 Strikes Youre Out!
• Target the Group Leader
• Good Cop, Bad Cop
• Invade Personal Space

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Follow Through

• Welcome back
• Introduce
• Discuss behavior incident
• Reinforce consequences of actions
• Start with a clean slate

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Top 4 Ways to Nip Bad Behavior

• Create raving fans of the library  
• Develop personal relationships
• Give them a space of their own 
• Program them to death

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Create Raving Fans

• Brush up your customer service skills 
• Give them what they want
• Foster ownership of the library and teen space 

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Develop Personal Relationships

• Talk to teens when they do something RIGHT
• Introduce yourself, repeatedly 
• Greet patrons by name
• Get out from behind the desk
• Get out of the library 

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Give Them a Room of Their Own

• More than just a shelf and a poster
• Convert a meeting room to a homework center or
  program room a few days a week
• Designate a staff person to serve teens

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Program Them to Death

• Engage them in meaningful participation
• Give teens positive ways to expend their energy
• Offer after school activities
• Cultivate a volunteer program

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Reminders for Librarians

• Stay calm
• Its not personal
• Teens are job security
• Learn to RAP 
•  

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RAP

• Remember
• Accept
• Project

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Thank You!

• Slides http//slideshare.net/informationoddess29
  /pla08brain
• Email informationgoddess29_at_gmail.com
• Links http//del.icio.us/informationgoddess29/br
  ain
• 603.247.3196