Abstract
One of the great mysteries of working with middle years students as they become immersed in adolescence often occurs when asking them to justify some of the decisions they make. All too often educators and parents alike find themselves wading through a quagmire of ambiguity when adolescents attempt to explain their actions. This article offers a reader friendly guide to some of the neurological and biological mechanisms that impact on the adolescent brain in an attempt to come to terms with the mystery noted above. The information presented below focuses on contemporary research into how the brain develops and the implications this has on middle year's students and their school experiences. The goal however is not to suggest that dealing with adolescents will become an easier task as neuro-scientific research advances, but rather to familiarise those interested in working with middle school students that, for a period of time in their lives, educators and parents may need to develop programs and fill a void as adolescent brains go 'missing in action'.