6th Grade Behavior

Each child is unique in his emotional and behavioral development. Children may show behaviors that are above grade levels in some areas, and below grade levels in other areas. Children also do not develop at a consistent rate. They may seem to show no growth for a long time and then show a lot of growth in a short span of time. The following social and emotional expectations are general and to be used as a guideline to help you understand your child's development.

What to expect from your child in 6th grade

Children at this age...

• are very driven by their peers. Children value peer approval and input very highly.
• begin to become competitive in all areas including sports, academics and in peer groups. This can lead to putting down others who are not "as good" as the child based on her assessment of the peers' performance.
• want to fit in with their peer group.
• begin to demonstrate longer attention spans, but still struggle with long-term planning and recognizing the consequences from their actions that are not immediate.
• tend to be self-centered and struggle to relate to other's feelings.
• want increasing levels of independence both in and out of school. They like to have the ability to stay home alone and to be responsible for getting to and from school without adult supervision.
• begin to care about personal appearance.

GRADE LEVEL CONTENT EXPECTATIONS

The Michigan Department of Education requires children in sixth grade to work on the following skills:

• Describe some common causes of stress, and the health effects of stress
• Name and use practical strategies to develop a personal plan for stress management
• Be able to describe the importance of getting help from an adult when it is needed
• Be able to recognize someone who shows the ability to make healthy choices and solve problems, and be able to pick out these types of people so they can provide help
• Demonstrate the ability to use practical strategies to manage strong feelings
• Describe and use the decision making and problem solving steps and evaluate the results
• Describe the characteristics of conflicts that can be resolved
• Identify and use the steps of effective conflict resolution
• Demonstrate effective listening strategies and the ability to use assertive communication skills appropriately
• Analyze how friendships may involve positive and negative risks
• Explain the difference between angry feelings and angry behavior
• Demonstrate the ability to express appreciation