{Day 11} What Do Middle Schoolers Need to Learn?

{Day 11} What Do Middle Schoolers Need to Learn?

{For an overview of all 31 Days of Homeschooling click HERE.}

Overall, the job of middle school (typically, grades 6-8) is to prepare for high school.  Having learned the foundations of grammar, reading and math in elementary school, and with the ability to write legibly and complete basic writing assignments, middle schoolers are now ready for so much more.

Apart from electives that may be added to the 6th-8th grade cycle, in public schools, every year of middle school is pretty much the same.  Homeschoolers may teach middle school anyway they like, but many find it prudent to cover the subjects that will prepare their students for the demands and rigor of high school.

Traditionally, middle school includes the following:

• 3 courses in Language Arts
• 3 courses in Mathematics
• 3 courses in Social Studies
• 3 courses in Science

plus any number of elective options (or courses required by law in certain regions).

How these are rolled up into homeschool courses is up to individual families.  Some teach all of these courses every single year of middle school, while others prefer each year to take on a special focus, alternative topics like Health or Technology every year.

An example of a very minimal yearly middle school curriculum for 6th, 7th and 8th grades would be:

• Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science
• Elective (a different one each year)

An example of a more rigorous yearly middle school curriculum for 6th, 7th and 8th grades would be:

• Humanities (for instance, Literature, Art or a Language)
• Language Arts (Grammar, Vocabulary, Spelling, and Writing)
• Mathematics (Middle School Math 1, 2 and 3)
• Science (Middle School Science 1, 2 and 3)
• Social Studies (for instance, US History, World History, Civics or Geography)
• Technology
• Health and Physical Education

Many curriculum manufacturers offer middle school curriculum packages, so that families can easily teach all 3 years using the same vendor or product, if they wish (some of those products are listed HERE).  Or, families can select different ways to learn each and every year, as long as courses are completed in one way or another.

It is important to keep in mind that students all mature at different rates.  Therefore, some middle schoolers will still need additional reinforcement in areas left over from the elementary years, while others will be ready to begin high school level work as early as 7th or 8th grade.  Listening to students and observing their work is the best way to determine what is needed during the middle school years.  Making sure to remediate where needed is highly recommended for locking in high school success.

Finally, there is one more reason that middle school is important:  The 8th grade year is the perfect time to start thinking about the future.  With high school just around the corner, knowing whether a child is college-bound or whether he is planning on an immediate career is tremendously helpful when planning high school courses.  Gauging this information at the end of middle school puts families that much more ahead of the game when high school rolls around.  I write a lot about this topic.  You are invited to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss important middle and high school planning information.

NEXT LESSON

Further reading:

Awarding advance high school credit

How long are classes? How many fit in a day?

Better curriculum = better experience

One child.  Different grade levels in different subjects

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago.  A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast.  Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever.  A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT, Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide.  Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.