What To Know About Middle School Electives for Your Tween
Here's what you and your tween should know about choosing middle school electives that align with their interests and how to make the most of their choices for the school year.Medically reviewed by Bethany Hernandez Parks, EdDMedically reviewed by Bethany Hernandez Parks, EdDWhen your child goes off to middle school, they will be required to take certain subjects as part of their education. Most middle school students are required to take English or language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies or history. But there are also elective classes.
What Are Electives?Electives are classes that a student chooses to take. The opportunity to choose elective classes commonly begins in middle school. While taking electives is required for graduation, the student chooses which elective classes they want to take. Electives may differ from one school to another and some electives have prerequisites.
Be sure you know a little about the electives your child's school offers, and make sure you and your child discuss the options that are available to them. Below are a few considerations when it comes time to sign up for middle school electives.
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Common Middle School ElectivesYour child's middle school may send them home with a list of electives to choose from or they may go over elective possibilities at orientation. Electives will vary from school to school, but options may include:Band or orchestraAdditional foreign languageHome economicsVisualPhotographyPhysical educationTheater artsCulinary artsMany schools offer a rotating elective course, where students rotate among three or four choices, changing every few weeks or operating on an every-other-day schedule, for example. Alternatively, your child may stick with their chosen elective for the full semester.
Related: Back-to-School Transitions By Age and Stage
How To Help Your Child Choose Their ElectivesIt can be exciting to have choices for different classes—giving your middle schooler their taste of independent decision making—and a little planning can make the most of the opportunity for your child.Allow your child to chooseYou may have been in the band when you were in middle school and maybe you hope that your child also chooses band as their elective. While it's important to stay involved in your child's middle school experience, it's also important to allow your child to make a few decisions on their own.If your tween is really excited about taking an art or theater class, then it's more likely that your child will put a lot of effort into the class and hopefully commit to learning new skills, making new friends, and become to determined to improve. Demanding that your child take an elective that they are not interest in taking will only set the stage for resentment and perhaps even a bad grade.Help them consider the time commitmentBefore your child signs up for an elective, they should know a little about what that particular class will require from them and how it might impact their schedule. For example, if your child signs up for band, there will probably be a few concerts that your child must commit to performing in. If your child signs up for theater arts, they may be required to stay after school at certain times during the year to prepare for a play or other production.In addition, certain electives might be require that kids commit to taking care of, storing, and keeping track of certain materials, whether that's an instrument, paint brushes, or cooking tools.Help your child think aheadMany middle schools will allow your child the option of choosing a different elective every year. For example, your child may take art in seventh grade and home economics in eighth grade.However, make sure that you understand whether or not the electives your child is interested in have prerequisites. For example, can you take Art II in eighth grade if you didn't take Art I in seventh grade? Have your child think ahead when helping them make their choices.
TipIf your child's school offers few elective options, extracurricular activities may be a great way to introduce your tween to other learning experiences. Local museums may offer after-school pursuits, as may your local library. Enrichment opportunities are a wonderful way to broaden your child's education and infuse some fun into life outside of school as well.
Related: 18 Back-to-School Quotes to Get Kids Excited for Class
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