Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibly - per·son·al re·spon·si·bil·i·ty 1. the ability of a person to maturely respond to the various challenges and circumstances of life.

What is personal responsibility for a middle school student? What does it look like in action? What does it feel like for the student?

The changes between grades 6 and 8 are too numerous to list here. Suffice it to say they encompass every aspect of the student’s maturity, emotions, social interactions, academics, and personality, just to mention a few general areas.

The work in school changes dramatically. In the elementary grades, students are asked to learn “what” - what happened in history, what happened in the story you just read.  In the middle school years, students are asked “why” something happened. They are asked to link divergent pieces of information and determine a common theme. They are asked not to just routinely repeat mathematical operations but to begin understanding the why rather than the what.

For the student, this is probably the first time they are changing classes and visiting their lockers between classes. They will learn to bring the appropriate supplies to class - the right book, a pencil/pen, erasers, notebooks, etc.

It may also be the first time they have homework nearly every night. They will have to master time management especially if the student has after school activities like gymnastics, lacrosse, basketball, or dance.

They will, over time, learn to self-check - “Do we have English homework tonight?” or “Is the Science quiz tomorrow and do I have what I need to study?”

Learning to keep track of assignments and deadlines is part of personal responsibility. 

Students at this level should have the personal responsibly to act appropriately when a substitute is in the class room and not take advantage. 

Students should need fewer and fewer reminders as the middle school years progress.

Growing-up is a difficult process. It’s three steps forward and one back. The growth of a students personal responsibility is an amazing thing to watch and participate in.