Middle School. What's the use?

[Anime Forum]

Middle School. Am I the only one that finds it completely useless and not helpful towards a majority of teenagers around that age?

First off: Am I the only one that doesn't remember anything from those years? I honestly remember minimal to none from what I learned and I sometimes wonder if the kids that sat next to me feel the same way. Maybe not, but I at least found nothing positive from those three years.

Second off: What is with the grading and allow kids that fail to pass on to High School? Is that teaching those kids responibility? I think not! Yes, maybe it was just my school and I'm typing without knowing how other schools are run but is it fair for the "A" students to be grouped with the "F" students going into Highschool?

Third off: Bullying. A lot of kids receive it around these years and that distracts kids from learning! A lot of teachers seem to not care much though, but then again that could only be the middle school I went too.

I find Highschool and Elementary school very important though, since one preps you for college and life and the other gets you started on respect, the growth of a social life with kids, and learning Math that will be needed in years to come.

[blackdreams]

ya i find middle school useless you dont get much out of it and you have to deal with a bunch of kids who bully everyone
haha and this coming from someone in middle school

[Anoleis]

School is important; whatever its name is.

First off: Am I the only one that doesn't remember anything from those years? I honestly remember minimal to none from what I learned and I sometimes wonder if the kids that sat next to me feel the same way. Maybe not, but I at least found nothing positive from those three years.

It took you 3 years to get through middle school?

Second off: What is with the grading and allow kids that fail to pass on to High School? Is that teaching those kids responibility? I think not! Yes, maybe it was just my school and I'm typing without knowing how other schools are run but is it fair for the "A" students to be grouped with the "F" students going into Highschool?

That's up to the school board. Also if you wanted to only be with "A" students you could have taken classes with higher expectations.

Third off: Bullying. A lot of kids receive it around these years and that distracts kids from learning! A lot of teachers seem to not care much though, but then again that could only be the middle school I went too.

Next to every child is bullied at some point; this is nothing new and hardly distracting.

[wolfgirl90]

First off: Am I the only one that doesn't remember anything from those years? I honestly remember minimal to none from what I learned and I sometimes wonder if the kids that sat next to me feel the same way. Maybe not, but I at least found nothing positive from those three years.

I remember quite a bit about my middle school years; both the good and the bad. The friends, the parties, the name-calling, the pushing, the fights, the relationships and the breakups. A combination of everything.

Second off: What is with the grading and allow kids that fail to pass on to High School? Is that teaching those kids responibility? I think not! Yes, maybe it was just my school and I'm typing without knowing how other schools are run but is it fair for the "A" students to be grouped with the "F" students going into Highschool?

As The Sadist mentioned, its the school board that dictates what requirements are needed in order to move on to high school (or any grade for that matter). For example, in my district, not only does one need to have the proper credits in order to graduate, they also need to pass certain standardized tests (called SOLs). If you pass the class but fail the test (or vice versa), you don't move on.

Plus, I was in accelerated programs when I started middle school (in remained in such programs until I graduated high school), so I was never lumped with the "F" students.

Third off: Bullying. A lot of kids receive it around these years and that distracts kids from learning! A lot of teachers seem to not care much though, but then again that could only be the middle school I went too.

Err...are you implying that kids aren't bullied in elementary school and high school? If this is what you believe, then you either had no problems or are delightfully naive.

Middle school is an awkward time. Physical changes, hormonal changes, social pressures, a desire to figure out who you are and where you stand in the world. When all of these things combine, you get your typical teenager. Kids want to bully and kids are more sensitive to bullying. One of those harsher steps of growing up.

This doesn't make middle school "pointless", however. What you get out of middle school depends on what you put into it. If you just passed through it on cruise control and did nothing, well of course it seemed useless. If you applied yourself and got highschool credit, allowing yourself to graduate a little earlier than your peers (which is precisely what I did), then middle school was anything but "pointless".

What you listed were common problems that happen in middle school. They don't really highlight the reason why its pointless.

Also, I must ask what your alternative to middle school is. The point of middle school is to bridge the gap (both the educational and social) between elementary school and high school. If middle school is "pointless", what is your alternative to it?

It took you 3 years to get through middle school?

For most kids it does (I was in middle school for 3 years, too). Middle school has grades 6-8 versus junior high which is just 7-8 or 8-9, depending on the district (or the country, as the case might be on the Anime Forum).

[Hanamaru Kunikida]

Middle School. Am I the only one that finds it completely useless and not helpful towards a majority of teenagers around that age?
Yes, you're the only one indeed. You don't have to get an educational experience to count as useful, you can also learn a life experience.

First off: Am I the only one that doesn't remember anything from those years? I honestly remember minimal to none from what I learned and I sometimes wonder if the kids that sat next to me feel the same way. Maybe not, but I at least found nothing positive from those three years.
It depends on the district on how they planned their classes. What people learned in High School, I learned it in Middle School.

Second off: What is with the grading and allow kids that fail to pass on to High School? Is that teaching those kids responibility? I think not! Yes, maybe it was just my school and I'm typing without knowing how other schools are run but is it fair for the "A" students to be grouped with the "F" students going into Highschool?
In my school, there were different set of classes. Advance, regular and a below average.


Third off: Bullying. A lot of kids receive it around these years and that distracts kids from learning! A lot of teachers seem to not care much though, but then again that could only be the middle school I went too.
There's bullying everywhere. You must live under a rock....

I find Highschool and Elementary school very important though, since one preps you for college and life and the other gets you started on respect, the growth of a social life with kids, and learning Math that will be needed in years to come.
Middle School as well for me. =\

Answers in bold.

[Anuket]

Middle School. Am I the only one that finds it completely useless and not helpful towards a majority of teenagers around that age?

Yes, you may be the only one. For me it was the best years of my teenage life.

First off: Am I the only one that doesn't remember anything from those years? I honestly remember minimal to none from what I learned and I sometimes wonder if the kids that sat next to me feel the same way. Maybe not, but I at least found nothing positive from those three years.

I guess so, I mean as I said they were the best years for me. I learned so much back then, academically and socially.

Second off: What is with the grading and allow kids that fail to pass on to High School? Is that teaching those kids responibility? I think not! Yes, maybe it was just my school and I'm typing without knowing how other schools are run but is it fair for the "A" students to be grouped with the "F" students going into Highschool?

Definitely different compared to mine, those who fail exams don't get to excel to the next grade level in our school. Someone who fails in the last year cannot get into high school, basically failing is not an option for schools here.

Third off: Bullying. A lot of kids receive it around these years and that distracts kids from learning! A lot of teachers seem to not care much though, but then again that could only be the middle school I went too.

To be honest, bullying isn't that bad in here. Well, actually kids don't get bully that much, I never got bullied while in middle school.

I don't know how it is in America or in other western countries, but in China schools are kinda like military schools minus the beating from teachers. There are those who cane students but that's very minimal, and bullying is intolerable. Middle school would be considered as the best years if you didn't take high school and chose vocational schools instead. In middle school kids are more mature and more socialized, not like in elementary when all we do was play and fight around. Compared to high school middle schools give you more time to yourself, high school is a lot more academically challenging for a lot of students in China.
So I guess I really have to disagree with you when you say it's pointless. It probably depends on where you took middle school.

[Meenah]

Middle School. Am I the only one that finds it completely useless and not helpful towards a majority of teenagers around that age?

In away, it seems useless but I think it serves a purpose there. Middle school from how I see it combines students with a mentality of a kid and (pre)adolescent, like they're goal is to get kids to go to high school and prepare for it. My cousins didn't take middle school, in fact they jumped to high school after 6th grade, which is considered elementary school there. But how I feel is that I have a little more learning than them in a way, unfortunately I also feel that they know more stuff than me. :/ Our schools were real cheap.

First off: Am I the only one that doesn't remember anything from those years? I honestly remember minimal to none from what I learned and I sometimes wonder if the kids that sat next to me feel the same way. Maybe not, but I at least found nothing positive from those three years.

The first 2 in a half years, people were real immature. So of course it was a living hell and for me, those are stuff I want to really forget. As for learning, I actually learned a lot. I had pretty cool teachers and they helped me in things that I use until now. I remember their lectures. Yeah, surprise. ;P But I use it in a good way to help me in high school, even until I'm on my own. For kids, I had good times and bad times I forgive and (not)forget what they do to me. As I said, for the 2 in a half years, kids were immature and so was I. In a way that I didn't know what to fully do in situations when it comes to bullies, dealing with my peers, etc. I learned from them and I use those stuff later in my life.

Second off: What is with the grading and allow kids that fail to pass on to High School? Is that teaching those kids responibility? I think not! Yes, maybe it was just my school and I'm typing without knowing how other schools are run but is it fair for the "A" students to be grouped with the "F" students going into Highschool?

Not sure. I don't fall under the category of an "F" kid. I had good grades, the lowest I got is a 68 D is only because I struggled badly in that class in middle school and two the teacher wasn't doing her job. No one had an A or B in her class, the highest was a 75 C. ._.; ANYWAY! Those kids that are "F" students are not my problem. If they fail life, let it be~ Its the least worry.

Third off: Bullying. A lot of kids receive it around these years and that distracts kids from learning! A lot of teachers seem to not care much though, but then again that could only be the middle school I went too.

It depends on the kid who bullies the kid. Think about their mentality and their main purpose of bullying. One: They think they're funny, cool and want to fit in the crowd to cover up their horrible lives at home. Therefore, they pick on someone who is so much better than them at everything. Angry pre-teen is angry. Two: They just don't know better. Come on, middle school kids ranges from 11-14. If they look back, they would call themselves a douche who sucks a bag of di*ks. Three: Like other kids, they're trying to find themselves in life, but they're doing it in a way to make people real angry which I think is very unreasonable. Four: Maybe those kids were not bullies to begin with, maybe you bullied them or they're so annoyed with you and find your weakness to pick on you and slowly destroy you until you leave middle school/high school. I'll tell you this, my sister is bullied a lot because she ended up irritating the kids. ;/ She tells me the stories and I said to her, honestly "They pick on you because you annoy them." I have to be honest. Plus she said that those "bullies" are the nice kid in school. So obviously, she did it enough to piss them of which leads to bullying. And five: Probably they're just real as*holes. Those 5 are my possible thinking of what may cause bullying.

The teachers don't tolerate bullying at all. In fact, someone picked on me so badly until he ended up threatening to put poison on my food. I told the cop that visits our school and he was in serious trouble. Followed by with the teachers that the kid crossed the line. Yeah, he said he was kidding and I had guts to tell him that I hope he rots in juvie. :3 That was the worst bully I ever had, he did other things but I don't want to go to memory lane just yet. lol

I find Highschool and Elementary school very important though, since one preps you for college and life and the other gets you started on respect, the growth of a social life with kids, and learning Math that will be needed in years to come.

I totally agree. (: In high school, I was expecting to be bullied there, but its not bad. People grows up. And all they can do is just be a jerk, I honestly don't think its bullying. ;/ They're angry. lol

[Anime Forum]

No No Wolfgirl. I was implying it from my point of view and from my experience, thus is why I stated how I wondered if any other kids felt the same way next to me. Though I could of worded that somewhat better.

For me at least, I got great grades in middle school, chose some great classes going into highschool and still got paired with students that failed middle school miserably and didn't learn responisbility whatsoever and that doesn't seem right in my opinion, and it made the three years of me actually doing good in those classes and trying hard useless since students who failed got through anyways, and in some or most of the classes I was in going onto 9th grade in highschool. Though teachers may respect you more I guess.

Socially, from what I've seen. A lot of kids come out of their shell towards middle highschool, and not in middle school. Now, I'm not implying that goes for any of the anime forum members or people you know or once knew, but for some kids that I know.

Education wise, I tried getting a lot from middle school and I tried hard, but I don't remember much from those years education speaking. I remember a few things here and there but nothing I'll be able to use in the future.

Also wolf, I'm not actually saying there should be an alternative. I'm just wondering the purpose it held for me, and if I had this question and issue I'm sure others have had it as well. I usually hear adults saying middle school was the worst years of their school lives, though you may not think the same.

[-GAZKUL-]

ahhh thank god that the UK is smart enough not to bother with that overcomplication in the education system

[DeathBlade/13.666]

Well Middle school is supposed to help you advance your skills and knowledge pass Elementary school, in order for you to be ready for Jr. High school and/or High school. I do agree that there's a lot with the education system in the U.S. that requires change to help simply the processes it has, and to progress the knowledge of the children learning better. I'm must more concerned with changing the fact that in American schools kids spend half their time re-learning everything from the prior year/grade, and spend the other half being prepped for the year/grade, more than I am about there being a 5th and 6th grade.

[Skylar1]

so.. wait, what are you suggesting we do then? Lump middle school with high school?

Because, for starters, I can list a few reasons why it's a terrible idea to put 12/13 year olds in the same environment as 18/19 year olds. .

[under the rain]

Presumably, it's a transition between Elementary and High School. I found it pretty useful in that regard.

Also, bullying occurs at both ends of the spectrum. From elementary to High School.

[Anime Forum]

so.. wait, what are you suggesting we do then? Lump middle school with high school?

Because, for starters, I can list a few reasons why it's a terrible idea to put 12/13 year olds in the same environment as 18/19 year olds. .

Eric did you read what I said a few posts up? I don't think there should be an alternative at all. I just really need to know the use of middle school when around here they group the failed students with the students who get really great grades. If I had this question I'm sure others have as well. Like I said, it may only be my school system but for some reason I doubt that.

[Anoleis]

I just really need to know the use of middle school when around here they group the failed students with the students who get really great grades.

If students do not wish to be in a class with those they find disreputable, they can take a more rigorous class. A failing student who's only wish is to vegetate in front of a TV is not going to take Honors(advanced) courses.

[Wio]

It's just age segregation. They don't want too much age disparity between adolescent students.
I found middle school to be just as useless as elementary school though in the academic sense.