While I'll readily admit that most days I wake up grateful to have liberated myself from the jungle of Middle School, sometimes I find myself pondering on the positive moments I had there. Heck, sometimes I just plain miss it. What is that, jungle remorse?
Middle school is often considered
the most challenging era in a student’s academic lifespan. There are a number of contributing factors
that make this true: while academic rigor is increasing, so are the expectations
for personal responsibility. Mom or dad
may not be signing a homework folder anymore like they did at elementary
school. Some students are ill prepared
for these first lessons in self-sufficiency and independence.
Add
onto that the fact that students at this stage are developing physically,
emotionally, and sexually. Their
hormones begin to activate like corn kernels on a hot stove. And while they’re busy considering the big
questions about life and sex, they self-organize – sometimes unwillingly – into camps
or cliques. This great organization
provides the social orders that dictate middle school society, and can have
life-long implications. A micro-caste
system is established and followed with fidelity. For some it means a wealth of friends, the
warmth of the spotlight, and the comfort of popularity. For others, it means physical and emotional
isolation, victimization, and depression.
In a nutshell, middle school is the great science lab for the
experiments in self-identity and social interaction.
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| This experiment has lasers. |
Middle schoolers are primarily concerned with fitting
in or belonging to the “in” crowd. They
navigate the changes of their physical maturation, coupled with their dress and
appearance, to present themselves before the “imaginary audience”. This stems from an egocentric frame of mind that
everyone in the room is looking at – and judging – them. Students will go to great lengths to avoid
being judged as “different,” which in turn affects every other aspect of their
lives and can be the deciding factor in whether or not to wear a certain pair
of shoes, whether or not to turn in homework, or where to sit in the
cafeteria. All other decisions are
subservient to the greater question in a middle schooler’s mind: what will this
do to my social standing?
Perhaps
the most volatile of challenges a student faces during this time is a direct
result of the social systems governing middle schools today. Bullying is, has been, and will likely
continue to be a paramount issue in our public schools, especially with
students at this age. The caste system
that reigns in middle school lends itself to a natural process of bullying and
social degradation.
Not
only is a student’s sensitivity to popularity (or lack thereof) heightened at
this age, but so is their access to electronic devices through which they can
proliferate slander, abuse, and insults.
Facebook has become a sharp tool in the bully’s toolbox, and trends are
indicating that Twitter is becoming increasingly popular with this age
group. With the cloak of anonymity, or
the luxury physical distance, students today are growing increasingly bold when
it comes to bullying and cyberbullying.
To safely navigate the social caste
system that governs middle schools with an iron fist (that may or may not be
manicured), students must strike a delicate balance between becoming independent,
taking on new personal responsibilities, keeping up with new academic demands,
coming to terms with their changing physical image, and creating positive
relationships with their peers. This
challenge is compounded by the fact that many students at this age are still desperately
grappling with the simple questions: Who am I? and Do you like my friend? Check the box 'yes' or 'no'.
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| Thanks, Mike. You're not so bad yourself. |
