A 7th, or 6th grader looks up to an 8th grader, like an amateur player looks up to a professional.
8th grade: the highest grade of middle school. Everyone in the grades below them, think they are the coolest and experienced people… who have a lot of homework, and the dreaded POP. Even the teachers think so as we heard Ms. Rogers say in last weeks ET, “I believe there is a trickle-down theory in leadership: that the values and integrity of the leadership influences the people who count on that leadership to show the way. So, I was really looking forward to working with these students of high caliber this year.”
See, everyone thinks so. Everyone knows how everyone feels about the 8th graders-except the 8th graders. Three fellow 8th graders have excitingly accepted to answer this question: What do you feel is the difference between 7th grade and 8th?
Sora S., a returning 8th grader says, “The strictness of the teachers and the pressure of doing homework. So far I’m feeling great and I’m looking forward to this year. ” He thinks that the teachers acknowledge that he is an 8th grader, and expect him to make as little mistakes as possible.
Eshan S., a second year student says, “The only difference I can think of is that teachers are more cool with you and can tell you things that a teacher wouldn’t normally tell a 7th grader. It feels great!”
A fifth year 8th grade student, Vedaa K., says, ” I feel that the strictness of doing our homework has increased. I am really looking forward to this year.
After I asked this question to a few 8th graders, I realized that 8th graders don’t even feel the ‘coolness, and leadership’ around them. They just see added homework, and the strictness, but coolness of the teachers.
But still, hopefully the respect, and leadership that the 8th graders show will reflect on the 7th and 6th graders.