Developmental Needs of Middle School Students

 
Sixth grade is the start of a significant educational transition, as it marks the beginning of middle school. Sixth through eighth graders at Prevail Academy are considered middle school students. With this transition come many changes in both the structure of the school day and the expectations the school has for the students. Sixth grade students are still in a self-contained classroom but will switch classes among the three homeroom teachers. This provides exposure to the concept of switching teachers and teaches responsibility.

Cognitively, middle school students begin to explore many new areas and concepts for which they were not previously ready. This includes exploring democratic virtues and procedures such as the function of rules and their necessity (as opposed to the teacher being in control of everything in the classroom). There is a shift away from the knowledge base and rewards for repeating memorized information to the use of higher-level skills such as comprehension, inferring, analyzing, and drawing conclusions. Middle school is also marked by a greater emphasis on aesthetic skills – appreciating art and music for the sake of beauty rather than merely as academic areas.

Lastly, middle school students begin to understand the role of the community and nation. This understanding includes being a part of something beyond themselves and their families through both the interdependency of humans and a support network that includes other adults, such as teachers and coaches.