Adolescents, struggling to achieve a sense of autonomy and independence from their parents, peers, and teachers, can experience some measure of self-realization as they encounter ideas in their reading, work with them, and express them in writing. Gives a guide for writing papers and examines the problems and progress of individual students…

Popular culture now considers marijuana harmless, but research shows it has definite physiological and neurological effects, effacing memory and attention and producing cell damage and learning deficits. Young people turn to pot to escape the emotional pressures of adolescence. Parents and schools can help adolescents by setting firm prohibitions.…

Lacking stable values and a real role to fulfill, youth in our society feel disconnected. To encourage a sense of belonging and importance, our schools and colleges should offer students a more humanistic education and closer personal involvement with their teachers. (SJL)

A boy's struggle between connection and autonomy finds different expression as he grows. Most boys have a limited emotional repertoire for managing conflict, adversity, and change. Our culture supports emotional development for girls and discourages it for boys. Developing an emotional vocabulary is a first step. (MLH)