"The Missing Social Unit From middle school onward, American children don't belong to a "class" in any stable sense. They move continuously - subject to subject, room to room, teacher to teacher. There's extensive discourse around respect, equity, and inclusion. But there's remarkably little structured attention to the actual social life of any group. Because there isn't really a group."
"American teachers are among the most dedicated I've encountered. School counselors show remarkable sensitivity. The individual care is impressive. And yet, something about the structure itself seems to work against children's mental health - not through anyone's failure, but through design. Research on adolescent development consistently shows that stable peer relationships are protective for mental health. A sense of belonging reduces anxiety, buffers against depression, and supports identity formation."
American teachers are dedicated and school counselors show remarkable sensitivity, yet school design can work against children's mental health. From middle school onward, students lack a stable class community and move continuously from subject to subject, room to room, teacher to teacher. Schools offer little unstructured shared time or common spaces where conflicts and alliances can be noticed and resolved, and celebrations are often private, increasing exclusion risk. Research shows stable peer relationships protect adolescent mental health by reducing anxiety, buffering depression, and supporting identity. After-school frameworks that preserve peer groups are uncommon, so social continuity often fragments at the bell.
Read at Psychology Today
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