In the Trenches: Madeline Edelman, 8th Grade English Teacher
This week, we present a special episode focusing on middle school. It can be a difficult time - you're not a little kid anymore, but you're not a big kid either. Mother Nature is starting to do terrible things to your body, and everything you love is suddenly ridiculous to your peers. Imagine standing in front of a classroom full of all those hormones and drama. Eighth-grade English teacher Madeline Edelman does it every day. She teaches at a charter school in south Los Angeles called Animo Phillis Wheatley. We caught her at her desk, before the first bell, to find out what middle school looks like from her vantage point.
California's Sex Education Falls Behind in the Digital Age
Nothing is more awkward in middle school than talking about sex. Seventh grade is when most California school children encounter sex education in the classroom. But now that many kids are getting exposed to the subject on the Internet, the curriculum is particularly underwhelming.
Navigating Social Media in Middle School a Big Challenge for Parents, Too
At this point in the digital revolution, children as young as one are salivating for their own phone, if they haven't appropriated yours. But the conversation really amps up around middle school, with smartphones, iPods and social media. We explore the social media landscape middle schoolers find all around themselves, 24/7, and how parents might think about helping them navigate it.
Channeling Youthful Energy Into an American Art Form
Central Valley jazz educators direct ensembles for the Milestones Youth Jazz Workshop, a project of the nonprofit Jazz Fresno. We stop by the first rehearsal of the year for a jazz combo made up mostly of middle school-age kids from all over the city.
Dealing With Body Image and Self-Acceptance in Middle School
KPCC's Mary Plummer pays a visit to Vionna Peng, an eighth-grade student from San Gabriel, who says the secret to surviving and thriving in middle school is finding a family of friends who've got your back and share your passions.