Middle School Electives for Your Tween

When your child goes off to middle school they will be required to take certain subjects. Most middle school students have to take English or language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies or history. But there are also elective classes that are available to many students.

Electives are classes that your student may choose to take that aren't necessarily required. The electives your child's school offers may differ from electives at other schools.

Below are a few considerations when it comes time to sign up for middle school electives.

Common Electives

Your 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 or when your child attends the school tour or open house.

Electives will vary from school to school, but options may include:

• Band
• Orchestra
• Additional foreign language
• Home economics
• Art
• Computers
• Physical education
• Theatre arts
• Culinary arts

For example, your child might take art for nine weeks, and then computers for nine weeks, and then a foreign language for nine weeks, etc. This option is an ideal choice for students who aren't sure which elective to take, and it may give them the opportunity of figuring out what most interests them.

Choosing the Right Ones

It can be exciting to have choices for different classes, and a little planning in advance can make the most of the opportunity for your child.

Consider the time commitment. Before your child signs up for an elective, they should know a little about what that particular class requires from the students. For example, if your child signs up for band, there will probably be a few required concerts that your child must commit to performing in.

If your child signs up for theatre arts they may be required to stay after school at certain times during the year to prepare for a play or other production.

Allow your child to choose. You may have been in the band when you were in middle school, and maybe you hope that your child 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 art or theatre class, then it's likely that your child will put a lot of effort into the class, and hopefully get a lot out of the class. Demanding that your child takes an elective that they aren't keen on taking will only set the stage for resentment and even a bad grade.

Think ahead. Many 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.

For example, can you take Art II in eighth grade if you didn't take Art 1 in seventh grade? Think ahead when helping your child choose their electives.

If your child's school offers a few elective choices, after-school activities may be a great way to introduce your tween to other learning experiences. Local museums may offer after-school activities, as may your local library. Enrichment opportunities are a wonderful way to broaden your child's education and infuse some fun into it as well.