Damaging Assumptions on Teens (Who Wish to Lead)

One of the joys about working at a summer camp is that the middle school to high school campers are able to partake in a program that helps them develop their skills of becoming a leader. This past summer camp season we had many new campers be in this program and I would often talk to them about their experiences of being in the Leaders in Training (LIT) program and what they found difficult about being in a leading role. The most common phrase used amongst the campers was "the counselors don't take me seriously." Being the curious person I am, I asked the counselors about their LIT and they said that the LIT does not do the same or act the same as they did when they were teenagers. As mentioned in the dissertation that I believe relates here is the mention of Throne and her playground culture study where she states "to learn from children, adults have to challenge the deep assumption that they already know what children are 'like,' both because, as former children, adults have been there, and because, as adults, they regard children as less complete versions of themselves." This stuck out to me because the counselors were assuming that these LITs were the same as they were when they were the LITs age. I had to explain to them that these teenagers are different and need guidance to become a better leader.

I also relate to these damaging assumptions put on teenagers because I was a teenager who did not fit the social norm of what a teenager should look like and do. I was always seen as different. When I would show interest in wanting a more leadership type of role, I would either be shot down or be given tasks that do not bring the leader in me out. I was referred to a lot as "insecure" or "anti-social" because I do have a more introverted personality, especially when I am first pushed out of my comfort zone. Having been through these assumptions and had conversations with teenagers now about the shortcomings of growing as a leader, I handle each person differently based on their interests, personality, and basic needs. Based on my experiences, I have never seen adolescence as "linear," I have always assumed that older generations had this preconceived bias over teenagers, not I know it is the older generation having assumptions about the adolescent age range.