449: Middle School
Summary
Triggered by a listener’s request, this episode explores the social and emotional turbulence of middle school through various lenses. It features a former teacher who argues students are too distracted by social dynamics to learn, alongside a developmental psychologist who explains the brain changes during puberty. The show includes reports from middle school dances and a segment where students deliver news about their personal dramas. It concludes with a memoir excerpt about sisters who invented a wealthy persona to cope with racism, and a story about a boy struggling to adjust after movin…
Topics discussed
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Listener letter: The social pressures of middle school
Capella University and Squarespace ads
Teacher perspective: Why middle school is difficult
The science of the 'Terrible Twos' and brain development
Reportage: Middle school dances across the country
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Memoir excerpt: The 'Mimis' and coping with identity
Middle school newscasts and student drama
Leo's struggle: Anxiety and making friends in a new school
Teacher intervention: Helping a struggling student in Newark
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