What is the difference between middle school and high school?

Although both middle school and high school share a common goal of preparing students for success in high school, they differ significantly in their daily structure and focus. Students are scheduled for six to eight hours with shorter, more rigorous classes. Generally, middle schools focus on development and high schools focus on academics.

The "middle years" between elementary school and high school are filled with many opportunities and challenges in intellectual, emotional and social development. Educational psychologists consider achievement in the middle of elementary school, ages 8 to 14, to be a significant predictor of later school engagement.For the past 50 years, educators and administrators have debated how best to prepare and sustain youth in the transition from elementary to secondary school. Many believe that separating seventh, eighth, and sometimes ninth graders into what is called "high school" yields the best results, while others advocate sixth grade as a transitional stage, arguing that grouping sixth, seventh, and eighth graders together to the so-called "middle school" creates a better environment for success. Today, the decision to offer students a middle or high school varies by state, school district, and learning environment (public, private, magnet, or charter school).

Middle School Education

A middle school learning environment consists of sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The primary focus of middle school education is the development of social, emotional, organizational, and interpersonal skills in students. Students are encouraged to explore a variety of topics and electives to develop knowledge and confidence in their abilities. Unlike high school, middle school education is largely student-centered.Classes are usually longer (an average of one and a half to two hours) and divided into general subjects such as language arts or social studies. Students often spend an entire school year with the same three or four teachers, allowing for more exploration and creativity in learning. Middle school teachers collaborate in planning their curriculum and often have a strong cross-cutting focus in their assignments, as illustrated by the wave of STEM (science, technology,engineering, and math) education taking place in middle schools.

Junior High School Education

Junior High School earning environment typically consists of seventh and eighth grades, with some states also including ninth grade. For many school systems, middle school is a clear transition from elementary school to secondary school. Developing a student's cognitive, memory, and information processing skills in preparation for the rigors of high school. Unlike middle school, high school focuses on subjects.

Students typically have six to eight classes per day, with each class lasting 45 minutes to an hour. The goal is for students to adjust to the academic workload and pace expected of them once they are in high school. They also have the task of mentally guiding the individual. Expectations of six to eight instructors. High school teachers are less cooperative in their planning and focus their assignments on mastering a specific subject, such as geometry or geography.

Key Differences Between Middle School and Junior High School

Middle school and high school aim to provide students with the best learning environment, with some key differences in:

Focus: Middle school focuses on collaborative learning and the development of students' social and emotional skills during the High school.The school focuses on academic rigor and prepares students to handle assignments and expectations.

Classes: Middle School offers exploratory and interdisciplinary classes, while High School offers

academically focused and elective classes.

Classrooms: Middle school classrooms are organized by grade level, with teachers often rotating from room to room, while high school classrooms are organized by subject and students are expected to be on time for everyone.

Schedule: Middle school students typically have a block schedule and not all subjects every day, while high school students have a structured six or eight hour day.

Education: Middle school education places the student at the center of learning, while school education places academics at the center.