Week 9 post 1

While reading chapter 15 for this week, one topic that stuck out to me is about middle schools students and how they do academically. As our text points out middle school aged students are at the stage where they are not only learning about themselves but how to be socially accepted by other peers. When a child does not feel socially accepted or involved by other peers it effects them emotionally and mentally. It also has been proven that they learning abilities decrease while “behavioral problems arise” (p. 418). A personal experience that I remember while in middle school is my emotions and feelings took a big part of my life and academically my grades were horrible since I was not really concerned how well I did. Another thing that the text points out that it is not only the students fault but how students are being taught in the settings since individuals need to adjust from a personal connection with one teacher for all the subjects to several teachers. Not only are the students able to gain a personal connection with their teachers but they are going through puberty and it causes stress (p. 419). The amount of technology and the media play a role in a child’s life could also affect how well students are doing in school. Technology could be used as learning tool but also a distraction since in our society being a part of social networking systems is a fad and the cool thing to do or how to fit into the crowd. A study has found that more and more students are spending a lot of time playing video games, on the internet or other pieces of technology other than doing school work which then effects how well one does in school. Parents and teachers need to influence students in a way that they understand using technology to an extend will help them to learn but if using it for long periods of time will not help them to be able to accomplish school work and do well in school.