Chapter 4: Social Moral and Emotional Development: This American Life tackles Middle School

I was driving into work this weekend to write progress reports, and heard a fascinating program on NPR/PRI. This American Life received an "anonymous" email (her email address had her name in it) from a recent 8th grade graduate asking if the show would do an episode devoted to middle school. As a 5th grade teacher, I had just been on the phone with a friend who teaches 10th grade lamenting the demise of last year's 5th grade class; students who a mere 6 months ago were sweet, kind, and hardworking are now routinely in detention or hiding out in the bathroom, getting into fights, and failing to make honor roll. What, I was wondering, was happening in 6th grade?! Once I started listening, I spent the better part of a half an hour sitting in the parking lot of my school listening and texting other teachers, and then immediately downloaded the full podcast when I got home: http://podcast.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/449.mp3
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/449/middle-school

My favorite part of the episode was Act Two: Stutter Step, which profiled middle school dances, the perfect snapshot of all the social, moral, biological, and emotional forces at work in the life of a middle schooler. Best line (paraphrased)? Reporter: So are you boyfriend and girlfriend? 6th grade boy: Yeah, we're dating. Reporter: How long have you been dating? Boy: Well, she asked me out like 20 minutes ago, so it's pretty serious.

This program did a great job of reminding listeners what it's like to actively be in Erikson's stage V of psychosocial development, and the culmination of biological and social changes that make middle school years tumultuous for most adolescents. It also reminded me of how difficult my own 6th grade experience was, and of the need to be more sensitive and empathetic when interacting with my former students. The pressure for social acceptance and paramount importance of image and peer relationships are important to keep in mind as a teacher. One comment, incident, or implication can have serious social ramifications for these students who are struggling to develop their own identity, self esteem, and social relationships.

Some of my now 6th grade students, developing social relationships.