What to Expect During Middle School Years
Early adolescence is a time of unprecedented growth for young people and parents often see major changes in their children. Every child’s development is unique, but children typically develop through a predictable sequence of milestones. While we recognize that every child has their own timetable, below are some characteristics of the middle school student as a reference for knowing what to expect and better understand your child. For more information please see The Developmental Characteristics and Interests of School-Aged Children on the district counseling website.
The 11- 12 year old (6th grade)
Physical
Vast appetite for food, physical activity and talking.
Growth spurts! Typically occurs early for girls and can result in feeling awkward and clumsy. Boys may worry they will never grow.
There can be wide differences among individuals in rate of development
Increased need for personal hygiene – daily showers, deodorant and shaving.
Tiredness and increased need for sleep.
Curiosity about opposite sex (girls usually interested first)
Social and Emotional
Less overt affection and attention shown to parents, with occasional rudeness.
Impulsive, unaware.
Focus on self, alternating between high expectations and poor self-concept.
Tendency to return to childish behavior, especially when stressed
Extremes in emotions
Inclusion/exclusion: the height of cliques and seeking social acceptance.
Experimentation with identity, behaviors, appearance and self-image.
Demand for privileges, but may avoid responsibilities
The feeling that their experience is unique, believing that no one has ever felt as they do.
Intellectual
Short term thinking; concerned about the present, not necessary long-term.
Intellectual interests expand
Development of ideals and selection of roles models
May experiments with dangerous risk-taking behaviors
Increased ability to think abstractly and from various perspectives.
Even if students can think abstractly, they learn best with active, hands-on and can relate to real-life.
Very concerned with fairness, rules and sense of justice; especially as it relates to themselves.
Do not distinguish between what they are thinking and what others may be thinking; they assume that everyone is as concerned with their behaviors and appearance as they are
The 12 -13 year old (7th grade)
Physical
High energy, but a lot of need for rest
Growth spurts
Physical activity and sports are valued
Eating patterns may change, with an over concern for dieting
Increased need for personal hygiene
Feeling awkward and worried about their body
Social/Emotional
Struggle with sense of identity
Moodiness
Can be enthusiastic at some times; lethargic other times
Friendships with both sexes are important
Complaints that parents interfere with independence
More likely to express feelings through actions than words
Peer vocabulary (slang) important
Inclusion/exclusion; height of cliques, seeking to belong
Difficulty with decisions, but need to learn how to make decisions for themselves
Young people become more independent, but still want the safety and protection of being a child. They are pulled between wanting to grow-up and remain young.
The feeling that their experience is unique; no one has ever felt as they do; suffered so much, or been so misunderstood
Intellectual
Hormonal and physical demands of puberty may cause slowing rate of cognitive development
Increased ability to think abstractly
Very concerned with fairness, rules and sense of justice; especially as it relates to themselves.
Lack of understanding of cause and effect as well as feelings of omnipotence and invincibility ("That can't happen to me") can lead to risk-taking (smoking, drugs, drinking etc).
May show emerging skill in particular content area
Improved abilities to use speech for self-expression
High interest in current events, politics, social justice, pop culture and materialism
Idealistic; may offer "ideal" solutions to complex problems
Continued development of ideals and selection of role models
Questioning others beliefs; religious and political.
The 13-14 year old (8th grade)
Physical
Wide differences in rate of physical growth; girls reach 95% of mature height; boys experience voice change and begin to develop upper-body strength
Skin problems and acne emerge
Eating patterns change
Worry about being "normal" physically
Uneven coordination
Most social/emotional/cognitive developments are directly related to physical changes
Short-term thinking predominate
High energy and need for exercise and snacks
Social/Emotional
Concerned about physical attractiveness to others
Loud
Peer pressure/peer relations (being cool)
Increased distractions from homework: sports, dress, social media, telephone, video games
One work answers to adult questions (minimal feedback)
Mirrors are best friends and worst enemies
Complain that parents interfere with independence
Desire for independence and autonomy increase, but still want to be cared for like a child at times
Test rules and limits of authority
Struggle with sense of identity
Music, materialism and pop culture role models can become a major preoccupation.
Like to do as much as they can - cram as much into the day as possible
More of their adult personality emerge
Embarrassed to be seen with parents; critical of parents dress, habits, ideas
Show-off qualities
Resent criticism and put-downs even though they use them themselves
Intellectual
Struggles with organization, executive functioning and memory.
Developing formal operational thinking, but also think in concrete terms
Interested in technology and how things work
Easily "bored"
Respond well to academic variety and change
Learn well in cooperative groups
More consistent evidence of conscience
Great experimental risk-taking time. Drinking, drugs, smoking and sexual experimentation it at highest level between 12 and 16 years
Idealistic; will offer ideal solutions to complex issues.
Underdeveloped understanding of cause and effect as well as feelings of omnipotence and invincibility ("That can't happen to me") can lead to inability to link behaviors to negative consequences and risk-taking (smoking, drugs, drinking etc).
Questioning others beliefs; religious and political.