7th Graders Speak: Reflections on the First Semester

I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm crazy about middle schoolers. My job as a middle school counselor gives me the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with so many amazing 12 and 13 year olds. With nearly 300 students on my caseload I can't get to everyone by the end of the first semester with a face-to-face conversation, but I can survey them.

This year I decided to use a goggle survey to check-in with my 7th graders and get their take on the first semester of middle school. I asked, "What's the best part of middle school?". Making friends, switching classes, more choices at lunch, and nice teachers were common responses.

I asked "What's the worst part of middle school?" The 7th graders reported homework stress, frequent testing, and conflict with friends. When kids described homework stress it was associated with not having enough time to complete it. One student wrote, "I am having trouble trying to get my homework done on time because I have too many things like dance and volunteering to do after school."

The question, "What do you wish your teachers knew about you?" generated lots of unique responses and will give me a great start on followup conversations with students individually in January. Students wrote about stressful home situations and frustrations with academic expectations.

The question, "Adusting to middle school is a big deal. What things did you have the most trouble with at the beginning of the school year?" provided me with some great information that will guide us in assisting next year's 7th graders in the transition to middle school. A common theme from the current 7th graders was not knowing how to use a planner.