The sixth grade child is energetic and daring. This is a year marked by rapid physical growth. As they grow, sixth graders are always searching for peer approval while becoming more assertive and independent on the homefront. Adolescence has arrived.
Though they are likely to have bouts of sluggishness, inattention and awkwardness, sixth grade children are aware of the opposite sex and also interested in organized games and team play. Intellectually, they have the ability to analyze situations and discuss problems.
Because of all this growth and change, they need attention and praise and a place where their privacy and possessions are respected. Most sixth graders need to feel a sense of belonging and the chance to "shine" in some activity valued by their peers.
As they enter sixth grade, students must be ready to succeed in middle school. Consequently, the sixth grade program focuses on making the students more independent workers and thinkers. For instance, they should be able to establish and follow a routine for completion of homework assignments. When they leave sixth grade, students will possess an improved ability to deal with the abstract; to analyze, evaluate and apply ideas; to pose questions and then use effective strategies to research and investigate answers.
Above all sixth graders need to develop a strong sense of responsibility and respect for themselves and what they are able to do. They should have the fundamental skills and knowledge to carry them on a clear course to the next level of learning and discovery.
Sixth grade begins the transition to adolescence for most students. It will be a year of dramatic growth and change, of challenge and opportunity. The sense of being able, responsible citizens gets a firm foundation here in the first year of middle school.