It is unbelievable to think that one-quarter of the school year is almost over. It really, truly does fly by.
I feel like I was just having "meet and greets" for Mr. McLaughlin and myself with you.
With the first quarter coming to an end, I just have a short piece that I found on the Association for Middle Level Educator's website.
It is very quick but gives some helpful advice, which I have individualized for NMS.
There may be something you may find helpful. Check it out if you get a chance.
Five Ways to Help Your Young Adolescent Be Successful in Middle School
·
Plan now for the
rest of the year, including MCAS time. Don't wait for things to go wrong. The
first few weeks are the honeymoon period of every new school year when good
intentions are uppermost with students, parents, and teachers. This is the time
to talk honestly with your young adolescents about what worked last year:
studying after school and not after supper; eating breakfast; keeping an
assignment notebook; and checking their Agenda and their homework nightly.
Talk about what did not work: staying up too late on school nights;
procrastinating on long-term projects; trying to participate in too many
activities, etc.
·
Know what your
young adolescent is doing by talking to him/her every day. Don't grill him/her,
but find a time when you can sit down and really talk about his/her day. Many
families still make it a priority to sit down for dinner most nights where they
can talk about the events of the day in a calm and unhurried manner. If
dinnertime doesn't work for your family, perhaps a short walk in the evening or
a time before bed when you can connect and talk about what is important.
·
Stay in touch
with the school. Middle schools are generally organized by teams, so the team
should be your contact. Make sure you know your child's teachers and stay in
contact. Schools allow you to phone in to hear about assignments; other schools
have Web sites with lots of information about the school; or just email or
call. It doesn't take long to stay in touch so you know what is going on.
·
Encourage your
young adolescent to become an active citizen this year. Have your child
practice doing for others. Visiting a special senior citizen; helping with
community clean-up; or becoming an advocate for recycling, literacy, or
kindness to animals will help your young adolescent be an involved member of
society and maintain that balance between caring for others and attending to
her own needs.
·
Remember that
middle school is a time for students to explore new opportunities. Doing well
on tests and learning are critical, of course, but students are also learning a great deal about themselves. So,
think carefully about what being successful really means. Is it more than
receiving all As? Is it learning to be a self-starter? Is it learning to follow
through on commitments?
Have a great weekend. Thank you for your commitment to your child's education,
M R Geoghegan
