It’s a beautiful day in the ecosystem

Mister Rogers, who would have been 97 on March 20, showed us how to help young children wonder. His principles are applicable to all age groups. But because of his deep understanding of child development, he spent more than 30 years perfecting “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” a gently inviting place for preschoolers. I often wonder what would be different today if Mister Rogers had applied his science-based wisdom to the second most formative developmental period – adolescence.

Anyone who watched one of the thousands of episodes that aired between 1968 and 2001, saw Tom Hanks’ wonderful embodiment of him in the 2019 movie, or read “When You Wonder, You’re Learning,” Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski’s gem of a book, knows that, from the moment he came in the door, Fred Rogers’ goal was to befriend young children.

Mister Rogers worked with the leading experts in child development to ensure that everything children saw in “Neighborhood” enriched their lives and nurtured their growth as human beings.

As Behr and Rydzewski note, “If anything, he was almost too good at hiding the science behind the show; today, his legacy as a scholar has largely been forgotten.”

A dynamic learning ecosystem

The neighborhood Mister Rogers created on-screen was a dynamic learning ecosystem — one that took children from his living room into the Land of Make-Believe and into the neighborhood to see how cakes were made or milk was pasteurized. It was so carefully designed to nurture the curiosity, creativity and confidence of young children that by age six or seven my children, for example, found it too childish. But the impact on preschoolers was undeniably powerful. As Behr and Rydzewski note, “studies of children who regularly watched the program found that compared to their peers, ‘Neighborhood’ viewers grew more patient, more playful, more cooperative, more social. And, of course, many of them went on to raise children of their own.”

There are probably others, but “Degrassi Junior High” and its sequel “Degrassi High,” which aired between 1987 and 1991, were the closest equivalent of a developmentally appropriate show for adolescents. A study supported by the W.T. Grant Foundation examined how the series influenced early adolescents’ attitudes. The research found that the show’s realistic portrayal of issues like teen pregnancy, drug abuse, bullying and mental health resonated deeply with viewers, helping them navigate similar challenges in their own lives. Additionally, the series was praised for its commitment to addressing difficult topics such as homophobia, racism and divorce. Many teen shows tried to emulate “Degrassi” but few captured “its unique blend of honesty, reliability and cultural significance.” 

Adolescents need to take risks and fail forward

In “The Promise of Adolescence,” the National Academy of Sciences writes, “Adolescent brains are not simply ‘advanced’ child brains, nor are they ‘immature’ adult brains — they are specially tailored to meet the needs of this stage of life. … Adolescents must explore and take risks to build the cognitive, social and emotional skills they will need to be productive adults.”

Adolescence, which research describes as an extended period between ages 10 and 25 with sub-periods that start with early adolescence and end with young adulthood, is what researchers call a “sensitive period” — a time when people are especially receptive to learning from specific kinds of experiences. During this time, we need to ensure that they have an abundance of engaging learning experiences that help them explore, take appropriate risks, and find their spark within environments and through relationships that are safe and supportive. 

Ellen Galinsky, author of “The Breakthrough Years,” calls adolescents’ strong reactions to social situations a “developmental necessity. Adolescents are learning where they fit in and belong and who understands them. How adults respond matters a great deal. It helps shape how adolescents see themselves.” 

Just as was shown in “Degrassi,” adolescents need adults who are honest, reliable and willing to discuss issues that young people face on a daily basis. They also need to be challenged to build functional literacies and use foundational knowledge. And they need to be encouraged to take risks and fail forward. 

Herein lies the rub. It is not only possible but desirable to address these needs together. But this requires major reorientation on the part of school and out-of-school time systems (and more broadly families and communities) to examine the deeply engrained distinctions made between thriving and learning, or education and development. Every adult in every program in every place that has made a commitment to help youth thrive by supporting their learning and development has a role to play. 

Now more than ever, our teens and young adults need clear and powerful pathways for learning and engagement that optimize the people, places and possibilities in an expansive learning ecosystem – in the Neighborhood and beyond.

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In her columns, Karen Pittman is exploring the research behind the statement, “When Youth Thrive, We All Thrive.”