Remembering Junior High/Middle School…
When you mention “junior high” or “middle school”, the over-generalization is to bring up bad memories of a time people want to forget.
However, so much is happening and changing in the years of 10-14 for a young adolescent, that it would be wrong to focus just on the negative and tragic to forget all the positive.
Whether you are a Parent, teacher, youth pastor, or just a human being, use these prompts below to think about your own time in junior high or middle school so that you can understand better what is going on in the minds, emotions, and bodies of today’s students that age.
Pick a specific age, (10-14), or grade, (5-8).
Now, for just that year or about that year, answer the following either just in your mind or by journaling/sketching out your answers. Paper or a drawing app would be best so that the motion of writing the letters or sketching the images helps you remember and process.
Music
When you were in that grade, what music did you listen to?
How did you listen to it?
How did you get it?
Go to any concerts or watch any music videos?
Did you play an instrument or sing?
In band, orchestra, or choir?
Sports
Did you play any sports in that grade?
Team? Individual? School? Recreation?
What sports did you enjoy watching in that grade - on tv, in-person, college, pro?
School
What was your school like? Public, private, home-schooled? Junior High, Middle School, Intermediate school
Good memories or bad?
Good at classes?
Bullied or popular?
Any clubs, teams, or activities?
Any teachers stick out in your memory for how good or bad they were?
Current Events
What significant was happening in your state?
In our country?
In the world?
Were you even aware of many current events or do you know more about them now looking back?
Time
Time or schedule: Were you busy a lot in these grades?
Weekends and after school relaxed or filled with activities?
Going between Mom and Dad’s house?
Travel sports?
Stay up late and sleep in?
Video games or movies?
Tech
Did your family have a computer?
Did you use one for school?
Chrome book, Desktop, iPad, other tablet?
Phone
Did you have a cell phone?
Did “all your friends”?
Video Games
Did you like to play video games?
Mobile or console?
Which console: Xbox, Playstation, Wii, Switch, PC?
Family
What did that look like for you?
Mom and Dad - married, divorced, re-married?
Single parent, Step-Parent, Absent Parent, Foster Parents, Adopted Parents
Two Moms, Two Dads, Siblings, Only-Child
Good memories during this year?
Painful memories during this year?
Church
Did you go to church in junior high/middle school? Sunday school? Youth Group
Large church or small?
Did you have a small group leader, youth pastor, church friends?
Did you learn about Jesus or not know about him?
Get baptized, think about it, or that happened when you were younger?
What are your church memories from junior high/middle school? Good? Bad?