Teen Brains:

• The brain, not hormones, is to blame for the unexplainable behavior of teens.
• The brain structure and processing capacity grow throughout childhood and peak at about age 12.
• At this point, the brain begins to prune "underused" neurons.  This pruning begins at the back of the brain and moves towards the front of the brain.
• Teens are ruled much more by emotions than by logic.
•  They rely on the amygdala (high emotion) much more than the frontal lobes (logic, reason, self-control).
• The frontal lobes of teens are not fully constructed until 19-25 years of age. 
• Teens tend to process information differently and often perceive the facial expressions of others as threatening or angry. Because of this, teens are prone to read emotion into their interactions and miss the important content of information and circumstances.
• Adults do better in interactions with teens when the adult stays low key and explains his own feelings.
• The teen brain is actually designed to learn.  The brain's neurons operate on a "use it or lose it" basis.  What skills they learn as teens will serve to enhance their lives later on.
• It is important that teens "push" themselves and not just coast through school.