NYT Middle School Article

This article raised the debate about what should happen to Middle school students who are currently being lost in the confusing times between elementary school and high school. During this difficult time in adolesence, it is hard for teachers and students to find common ground. The New York Times article delt with examples stemming from inner city schools where middle schoolers are caught in a detrimental cross road. Both sides of this issue have their pros and cons. For one, some argue that middle school is a neccissary step for children before they enter high school, however the flip side is that some students still need coddeling while others will work better when given more concrete goals like playing varsity sports or other such activities. My opinion is that middle school should remain where it is in our society, however, there needs to be more teachers and student aids available to help these student cope with the changes that are occuring during this time in their lives. Middle school is a difficult age for students, and they can't help that, but to say that this is a black or white issue of whether middle school should be apart of our educational system is not right. We as future educators can use our knowledge of what it was like to be a kid at that age and try harder to help them transition to the high school level.