06-25-2012, 03:44 AM
Kathy,
It is all of middle school that is so goofy, not just 8th grade, although each year certainly has its own flavor. Middle school is this funny in between time, they aren't little kids anymore, but they aren't young adults by a long shot, plus the developmental gaps within middle school are the greatest of any time. Two kids sitting side by side in the same class, who are within a year in age, can be closer to five years apart in physical, emotional, and cognitive development. One minute the kids are being mental giants, the next minute they are purely silly over something as basic as a fart. One student can look like she is twenty and ready for college, while the boy next to her will be trying to crawl around on the floor and play aliens vs monsters, complete with exploding sound effects. Hormonal changes, family dynamics, social pressures to fit in, and attempting to find themselves all play a part in why middle school students are so goofy.
What I like about this age group is watching them find themselves in so many different ways, both lasting and meaningful, and also purely matters of personal style. So at the same time that a student finds his social conscience and becomes incensed about modern child slavery he might also come to school with neon yellow sneakers, purple hair, and his latest love interest's name shaved across the back of his head. They are still people pleasers at this age, not yet angst filled and projecting a bitter "Adults are just a conspiracy to ruin my day!" attitude like high school students do, instead they still show all kinds of emotion, are very caring and fiercely loyal to their friends, and still care about what the adults around them think. This is when many of them develop life long interests, they are open to learning new things, and excited about becoming good at new skills. As much as the core content subjects, middle school is when they learn the life and academic skills that they need to carry them through high school, college, and life beyond school; along the way we also learn history, geography, and political science.
My current mantra is "Middle School Rocks!" because it does.
Carol
It is all of middle school that is so goofy, not just 8th grade, although each year certainly has its own flavor. Middle school is this funny in between time, they aren't little kids anymore, but they aren't young adults by a long shot, plus the developmental gaps within middle school are the greatest of any time. Two kids sitting side by side in the same class, who are within a year in age, can be closer to five years apart in physical, emotional, and cognitive development. One minute the kids are being mental giants, the next minute they are purely silly over something as basic as a fart. One student can look like she is twenty and ready for college, while the boy next to her will be trying to crawl around on the floor and play aliens vs monsters, complete with exploding sound effects. Hormonal changes, family dynamics, social pressures to fit in, and attempting to find themselves all play a part in why middle school students are so goofy.
What I like about this age group is watching them find themselves in so many different ways, both lasting and meaningful, and also purely matters of personal style. So at the same time that a student finds his social conscience and becomes incensed about modern child slavery he might also come to school with neon yellow sneakers, purple hair, and his latest love interest's name shaved across the back of his head. They are still people pleasers at this age, not yet angst filled and projecting a bitter "Adults are just a conspiracy to ruin my day!" attitude like high school students do, instead they still show all kinds of emotion, are very caring and fiercely loyal to their friends, and still care about what the adults around them think. This is when many of them develop life long interests, they are open to learning new things, and excited about becoming good at new skills. As much as the core content subjects, middle school is when they learn the life and academic skills that they need to carry them through high school, college, and life beyond school; along the way we also learn history, geography, and political science.
My current mantra is "Middle School Rocks!" because it does.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb