7th Grade
What students learned previously in Health class is that life discussions can be about anything and everything, and that includes oneself. Just like 6th grade, 7th graders find out it's important to continue to look inward. Having an opinion and developing a personality requires self-reflection, an attribute that 7th graders are still developing. Oftentimes middle schoolers look to others, their peers, to tell them what to think. In actuality, growing as a person also includes gaining intelligence and gaining confidence to think and speak for yourself.
It is equally important to realize one's place in the world socially. This can be particularly difficult for some adolescents, as they realize they aren't the only people in class, let alone the world. Yes, we are the most important people in our world, but we are also also exist in other people's worlds as well.
A tough notion to comprehend.
7th grade takes a dive into specific topics of life with a more thorough look at Mental Health and disorders, Nutrition fundamentals and fast food, Gateway Drugs of alcohol and marijuana, and the sometimes dreaded Human Growth & Reproduction.
The National Health Education Standards, as life skills, are as follows for our 7th Grade experience:
Self-Management (Wellness; Mindfulness; Stress Management)
Advocacy (Mental Health; Mental Disorders; Eating Disorders)
Access Valid Info (Nutrition)
Decision Making (Conflict Resolution; ATOD; Reproduction)
"Totally Trivia" each Friday keeps the mood lively despite some challenging topics.
This quarter of Health is another step on the ladder, another link on the chain of life events as students move into 8th grade and beyond. I find pride in witnessing the maturity that develops within 7th grade students, not only to endure one's own daily life, but to have empathy for others as well.
