We’ve all seen them in the hallways, the library, and our classes: middle schoolers.
Some middle school students come to Staples to take higher-level classes than those offered at Bedford or Coleytown. And yet, I am concerned they may not be emotionally mature enough to handle the stresses experienced at the high school level.
High school can be pretty stressful at times. Maintaining a social life and keeping your GPA up at the same time is nearly impossible for most high school teenagers. While a gifted student in middle school might be able to handle high school academics, it is not a guarantee that they can handle the social life of high school.
When you’re in middle school, you should enjoy recess, or snack breaks, or the last few years of carefree childhood bliss. I think it’s important to let these kids enjoy middle school and not stress about growing up too fast.
When I was a sixth grader, I sometimes got nervous when approached by an eighth grader. So I can only imagine the stress experienced by a seventh grader sitting next to a sophmore in a math class.
It’s not the kids’ fault that they desire to take higher-level classes, but they don’t need to be taking these higher-level classes. Perhaps there are other ways these talented middle schoolers could be challenged.
Westport should consider other options for enrichment and consider preserving childhoods as opposed to pushing higher-levels of education too soon.
