Social Development in Middle School

Social Development in Middle School
By S.D. Powell
Pearson Allyn Bacon Prentice Hall

It has been suggested that the paramount reason young adolescents come to school is not for the education we offer but because school is where the other kids are. In my years of being a teacher and researcher with ten to fourteen-year-olds, I have come to recognize that both goals—companionship and learning—are powerful, complementary motivators.

Stevenson, 1992, p. 105

The emotion-laden search for personal identity integrates experiences with developing bodies, biological drive, new thinking capacities, and expanding social roles (Knowles & Brown, 2000). As young adolescents become aware of the unique aspects of themselves, they also become acutely aware of those around them—most specifically, their peers. They develop an exaggerated view of themselves as victims of what Elkind (1984) refers to as the imaginary spotlight that focuses everyone’s attention on them, making them uneasy in social settings. As uncomfortable as it may be, socialization plays a major role in the psychological growth process, as it is influenced by, and interrelated with, physical, intellectual, and emotional development. The need for socialization is especially strong during young adolescence. Milgram (1992) refers to the absence of a healthy dose of socialization as “undersocialization,” a state in which learning opportunities are missed and some important developmental tasks of this life stage are neglected. Middle level philosophy originated partially from the belief that the school can and should play a major role in both the cognitive and the affective dimensions of the development of the whole child.

View Full Article

Add your own comment

Ask a Question

Have questions about this article or topic? Ask
Ask
150 Characters allowed