Should sixth-graders be in middle school?
Credit: Kidsday staff artist / Casey Chung, Wheatley Heights
Have you ever wondered if sixth-graders should be in middle school? We took a survey, and we found that more students think that sixth grade should be a part of middle school.
This is what one of our students said: “Yes, I think that sixth-graders should move to the middle school because some of them bully smaller kids in the lower grades.” Another student said, “Yes, because students will be with older kids like teenagers who are cool these days.”
We also learned that most sixth-graders in other districts are in middle schools. But the real question is: Are sixth-graders ready to attend middle school? We believe that elementary school should be kindergarten through sixth grade, and middle school should be seventh and eighth grades, and high school should be ninth to 12th grades. Others believe that sixth-graders should be in middle school because it would make them feel more responsible.
However, we believe that a middle school for sixth-graders may be uncomfortable being in a school with older students. Moreover, sixth-graders may not be mature enough to switch between at least two floors or more floors in less than four minutes.
