Parental support plays an important part in helping preteens and teens succeed in middle school. But as students grow more independent during these years, it can be hard for parents to know which situations call for involvement and which call for a more behind-the-scenes approach.
Here are ways to keep your child on track for academic success in middle school:
Make Time to Talk About School
Staying connected with preteens and teens as they grow more independent can be a challenge for parents, but it's more important than ever. While activities at school, new interests, and expanding social circles can become more central to the lives of many middle school students, parents and guardians are still their anchors for providing love, guidance, and support.
Make efforts to talk with your child every day, so he or she knows that what goes on at school is important to you. When preteens and teens know their parents are interested in their academic lives, they'll take school seriously as well.
Because communication is a two-way street, the way you talk and listen to your child can influence how well he or she listens and responds. It's important to listen carefully, make eye contact, and avoid multitasking while you talk. Be sure to ask open-ended questions that go beyond "yes" or "no" answers. When preteens and teens know they can talk openly with their parents, the challenges of middle school can be a little easier to face.
Attend Back-to-School Night and Parent-Teacher Conferences with your child
Preteens and teens do better in school when parents are involved in their academic lives. Attending back-to-school nights and parent-teacher conferences shows your child that his/her academic performance is a priority. By attending conferences with your child, an academic plan will be able to be made in order to have academic success for the school year. Keep in mind that parents or guardians can request meetings with teachers, principals, school counselors, or other school staff any time during the school year.
Stay Informed and Communicate with Teachers
As a parent, it is your responsibility to advocate for your child. Staying up-to-date and reading emails sent from school staff, provides information about opportunities students may have the chance to participate in, to promote school involvement, or when they are struggling.
At New London Intermediate/Middle School, teachers all use Google Classroom for posting assignments and Skyward to keep track of grades. Parents are able to have "Parent Access" in both platforms, as well as receive grade updates. If you have academic concerns, reach out to teachers.
Here are some tutorial videos/instructions about how to use these platforms:
Google Drive program tutorials
Skyward Family Access Account Instructions
Instrucciones para la cuenta familiar de Skyward (Para revisar las calificaciones)
Support Homework Expectations
During the middle school years, homework gets more intense and the time spent will probably be longer than during the elementary years, usually a total of 1 to 2 hours each school night.
An important way to help is to make sure your child has a quiet, distraction-free place to study. Distraction-free means no electronics, other than homework-related resources. And be sure to check in from time to time to make sure that your child hasn't gotten distracted.
Sit down with your child regularly to talk about class loads and make sure they're balanced. It's also a good idea to set a specific start time for homework each night. Helping preteens and teens establish a homework schedule and consistent homework routine sends a message that academics are a priority.
Encourage your child to ask for help when it's needed. Most teachers are available for extra help before or after school, and also might be able to recommend other resources.
Send Your Child to School Ready to Learn
It can be challenging to have a consistent bed time for students especially when your through extracurricular activities and family obligations in the mix. Bedtime for a preteen/teenager should be age appropriate, just as it was when your child was a baby. Preteens need about 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night and teens need about 8½ to 9½ hours.. Encourage your child to stick to a sleep schedule that will meet those needs. Lack of sleep can make it difficult for preteens and teens to pay attention in school. It's important to have a consistent bedtime routine, especially on school nights.
A nutritious breakfast fuels up middle school students and gets them ready for the day. In general, preteens and teens who eat breakfast have more energy and do better in school. You can help boost your child's attention span, concentration, and memory by providing breakfast foods that are rich in whole grains, fiber, and protein, as well as low in added sugar.
Instill Organization Skills
No one is born with great organizational skills — they have to be learned and practiced. Being organized is a key to success in middle school. Because time management skills are usually not explicitly taught in school, preteens and teens can benefit from parents helping with organizing assignments and managing time.
Class information and assignments should be organized by subject in binders, notebooks, or folders. Teach your child how to use a calendar, to-do list or personal planner to stay organized and schedule study times. Calendars or planners should include your child's non-academic commitments to help with time management.
Teach Study Skills
Planning is a big part of helping your child study for tests now that he or she is juggling work from multiple teachers.
Be sure you both know when tests are scheduled, and plan enough study time before each. When there's a lot to study, help determine roughly how much time it will take to study for each test, then make a study calendar so your child doesn't have to study for multiple tests all in one night.
Remind your child to take notes in class, organize them by subject, and review them at home each day. And remember that getting a good night's sleep is smarter than cramming. Recent studies show that students who sacrifice sleep to study are more likely to struggle on tests the next day.
Know the Disciplinary Policies
Schools usually cite disciplinary policies (sometimes called the student code of conduct) in student handbooks. The rules usually cover expectations, as well as consequences for not meeting the expectations, for things like student behavior, dress codes, use of electronic devices, and acceptable language.
It's important for your preteen or teen to know what's expected at school and that you'll support the school's consequences when expectations aren't met. It's easiest for students when school expectations match the ones at home, so they see both environments as safe and caring places that work together as a team.
When a student is having difficulties in school, it is crucial that they speak with school personnel in order to solve the problem.
Take Attendance Seriously
It is important for middle school students to arrive at school on time every day, unless they are ill. Students that chronically miss school, tend to be more agitated and anxious because they are unable to catch up on missing work.
Middle school students may have many reasons for not wanting to go to school. Talk with your child to find out what the root of the problem may be. Send your child to school daily, even if it may be a struggle. In order to teach students resiliency, they need to realize that even though things might be hard, they need to try and push through the situation.
Kids Health: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/growth/?WT.ac=p-nav-growth
