We currently have one child in middle school.
This is our second child to go through what I call "Middle School Madness.
" What a different world! You suddenly go from one teacher to six, and have a variety of projects coming from numerous directions.
Thank goodness we are in a charter school.
For us, I think the smaller school size and more intimate setting has lessened the impact of the change.
For those of you who are getting yourselves organized and into a new rhythm, or would like to make some adjustments from last year, I thought I would share some insights and helpful hints that might be useful to you: 1.
Get to know each teacher as soon as possible.
In middle school, there is more potential for holes in communication.
If you have a sixth grader, they are not used to having to coordinate so many classes, teachers and assignments.
Things can fall through the cracks more easily, which can lead to feeling defeated and bring loss of motivation.
Not a great way to start this season of their life.
The better the communication between the teachers and home, the better you will be able to support your child as they navigate this journey.
2.
Walk through assignments, parent/teacher communication, grades and any other school items together on a daily basis.
This teaches your child how to be proactive, stay organized, and keep up with their work.
As your children become more comfortable with the new schedule and the tasks at hand, they will take more of the lead.
In the meantime, providing support and partnership are very important, in order to give them a solid and successful start.
3.
Connect with your children and find out about their day.
It is important that we keep in touch with our children about what happens in their day, especially as they begin getting into the teen years.
A lot is changing for them, some of which has nothing to do with a school schedule (hormones, attitude, etc.
).
I recommend being a great listener right now.
If you keep the lines of communication open at this stage, you will have a much better chance at open communication lines in the coming years.
This is part of the process of building trust.
For your children who are not yet in the middle school years, continue to build communication and trust.
It will make a huge difference later.
For those of you with high schoolers, I recommend continuing to stay in close contact with teachers, keep communication tight, and find out what is happening in your child's day.
As I told my oldest son, who is now in college, "I will always know your teachers through high school, and they will always know me.
That part is non-negotiable.
The part you do have control over, however, is how much you participate and how much I do.
" As our children grow up, they want more and more freedom.
Give them freedom, with boundaries.
Let them make choices that empower them.
And make sure they know you have their back.