“I’ll be famous one day, but for now I’m stuck in middle school…” ~Diary of a Wimpy Kid
“In middle school, students are trying to figure out what they just became aware of.” ~Joanne Ackerman
The Middle School Moment:
Middle school is sometimes great! It is like when you’re in the middle of a great movie…what will happen next? Sometimes it's not, like when you're in the middle seat on a long car ride.
The middle school years is a time of HUGE physical, mental, emotional and social changes.
During the middle school years, individuals start undertaking tasks to successfully transition to adulthood:
Adjusting to maturing bodies and feelings
Developing and applying abstract thinking skills
Developing and applying new perspectives on human relationships
Developing and applying coping skills in areas such as decision making, problem solving and conflict resolution
Identifying meaningful moral standards, values and belief systems
Understanding and expressing more complex emotional experiences
Forming friendships that are mutual close and supportive
Establishing key aspects of identity
Meeting the demands of increasingly mature roles and responsibilities
Renegotiating relationships with adults in parenting roles
What can we do to help with this moment of life?
Empathize and Connect
Offer support and acceptance while affirming the middle schooler’s increasing maturity.
Monitor and Observe
Let middle schoolers know you are paying attention.
Guide and Limit
Uphold clear boundaries while encouraging increased competence.
Model and Consult
Provide continual support for decision making, teaching by example and ongoing dialogue.
Provide and Advocate
Provide a supportive environment (at home and school) and a network of caring adults.
Simpson, A. (2010). [online] Raising Teens. Available at: http://hrweb.mit.edu/worklife/raising-teens/index.html [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Middle Childhood (9-11 years of age). [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle2.html [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Middle Childhood (12-15 years of age). [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/adolescence.html [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
Caskey, M. and Anfara, V. (2018). Developmental Characteristics of Young Adolescents. [online] Association for Middle Level Educators. Available at: https://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/MiddleSchoolConcept/MSCDet/TabId/193/ArtMID/817/ArticleID/455/Developmental-Characteristics-of-Young-Adolescents.aspx [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
Armstrong, T. (2006). Best Schools. [online] ASCD.org. Available at: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/106044/chapters/Middle-Schools@-Social,-Emotional,-and-Metacognitive-Growth.aspx [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
This American Life. (2011). Middle School. [online] Available at: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/449/middle-school [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
Cult of Pedagogy. (2014). 8 Things I Know for Sure About (Most) Middle School Kids. [online] Available at: https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/middle-school-kids/ [Accessed 16 Jul. 2018].
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