The Twelve-Year-Old at School

Is the homework lost on the bus? The math book left at home? Look below to find out how your twelve-year-old learns and behaves in the classroom.

Vision and Fine Motor Ability

Increased fine motor ability, patience for practice, self -confidence, makes all fine motor tasks more pleasurable

Sustains reading for long periods; visual concentration better; longer periods on the computer; learns word processing, other skills.

Handwork still popular; interest in more complicated visual-motor tasks (carpentry, mechanical repair, clothes design, architecture)

Gross Motor Ability

Team sports satisfying for many; also individual work in dance, drama, martial arts, gymnastics

Begin the idea of training, regular exercise, as means to improve physical ability

Enjoy teaching younger children physical skills

Cognitive Growth

Current events, civics, history highly motivating when tied to issues of clear relevance to students

More interest and depth in drama, debate, performance; rehearsal and revision increasingly understood, appreciated (true in the writing also)

Lengthy homework, assignments due over longer periods become more reasonable, but can be problem over weekends; planning and organization of assignments improves

Can help peers significantly with subject matter; allow time for peer conferencing, partner projects, lab partners in science, etc.

Both playful and serious -- love to play class games but can have a serious discussion a moment later

Isolated subject matter, distinct class periods tend to fragment rather than integrate learning; pursue joint teaching projects, self-contained classrooms where possible

Social Behavior

Leadership qualities abound -- provide many opportunities for cross-age tutoring, jobs at school, community service, hosting visitors, providing childcare for parent meetings

Teacher should listen, respond to suggestions for changes in routines (as realistic)

Provide ceremonies, rituals, rewards at significant benchmarks in year; give twelves a part in planning

Provide access to significant adults (other than teacher) for help with issues of drugs, alcohol, sex, AIDS, violence, family issues

Making money (from jobs at home, in neighborhood) becomes important

Make time to listen

From Yardsticks: Children in the Classroom Ages 4-14 by Chip Wood, © 1997 by Northeast Foundation for Children (800) 360-6332. All rights reserved as permitted under the US copyright Act of 1976. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or stored in a database or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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