WE'RE deep into the school year and your middle-schooler's grades are still unstable. To make matters worse, poor performance at school is eroding your child's self-esteem. Parenting a middle school student is complicated. Questions about when you are helping or when you are helicoptering loom large.
But there's still time for improvement before summer kicks in.
I've taught English at secondary level, tutored middle school students in writing, and I'm a parent myself. Here are practical suggestions for helping your child become more self-directed and how you can advocate for him in a way that's not hovering.
FIRST: Learn as much as you can.
- What are my child's grades in each class?
What are the consequences of failing a class? How can I/should I monitor those grades? Many schools use an online grade book where teachers, students, and parents have access to scores. This makes for fewer surprises when report cards are distributed. Find out what the consequences of academic failure are. Most schools address failing grades by removing students from extracurricular activities. This policy is usually explicitly stated in the school handbook. If your child is highly invested in the musical or soccer team, this policy can be an effective motivator to improve those grades.
- In each class, how is the final grade for a marking period computed? Not all grades count equally. A quiz usually counts for far less than a test, project, or research paper. This information was probably outlined at the beginning of the school year. And while it's likely that each department calculates grades differently, it's unlikely that your child will remember how the grading in each class works.
- What units will the teacher cover last quarter/trimester? What are the big assignments? Many teachers already know due dates for projects or can approximate dates for tests. Teachers plot out each marking period with learning objectives and assessments.
- Does the teacher have his/her own website where students and parents can access information? When I taught English, I had a simple website. I uploaded PDFs of short stories, assignments, graphic organizers, and informational handouts. I updated my site regularly with homework assignments or housekeeping items (i.e. field trip money due). Browsing teacher websites is a good way to keep yourself informed about what's going on in the classroom without having to email the teacher multiple times and wait for replies. Moreover, you can synthesize the information on the websites along with your child.
- Where does my kid lose the most points? Is she crumbling on tests? Does he hand in essays late? As a teacher and tutor, I can usually identify the defining factor in a student's failing performance. For some, it's time management. For others, it's a lack of study skills. Some come alive when we read aloud in class but have problems reading at home. If you want a full picture, this is a conversation to have with your child's teacher by phone or in person.
SECOND: Make a plan with your child
- Choose what to focus on. If you get answers to the questions above, you can use them to help your child budget her time. If your child knows what big assignments are coming up, he can focus on tackling one task at a time.
- Get extra help. You don't have to hire a tutor or pay tuition at a learning center. Those are viable options, sure, but many teachers offer extra help. Encourage your son to ask when and where extra help takes place. Extra help is typically a smaller group, so there's more opportunity for your child to build rapport with her teacher and get questions answered.
- Invest in a planner. Transitioning from one teacher in elementary school to six or seven teachers in middle school is jarring to students. Moreover, assignments have longer lead times. When I taught freshmen, I spent some time at the beginning of the year going over the school's planner (a combo handbook, calendar, weekly organizer). Most adults keep some form of calendar, but maintaining an organized planner is not intuitive to most adolescents.
- Teach your child how to email his teacher(s). Speaking of skills that are not intuitive, your child might be well-versed in new apps, but in sixth grade, she probably doesn't know how to compose a good email. Writing polite, focused emails is necessary for success today. A few weeks ago, as my tutee Owen and I discussed his current English project, I realized he didn't know enough about his teacher's timeline or expectations. Instead of aimlessly circling the issue, we spent part of our session that night sending an email to his teacher. Owen asked questions about email etiquette like why does it need a subject or how do I write the salutation and closing. He was amazed at how quickly his teacher replied and how easy it was to get clarification. He's a confident and capable adolescent. Knowing how to write an email is going to give Owen more agency in his academic life.
THIRD: Work the plan
Consistent and clear dialogue is key as you move forward. I'm willing to bet that once you have the necessary information and a plan, you and your child will feel less anxious. Less anxiety will make conversations with your child go more smoothly. I'm a believer in frontloading: Invest a good amount of time in the beginning and you'll be able to pull away the scaffolding as your child builds his/her own study skills. Good luck!
The Washington Post
Fri Mar 31 2017
Encourage your son to ask when and where extra help from teachers takes place. Photo for illustration purpose
Niaga AWANI: Strategi pelaburan graduan muda di sebalik tekanan inflasi
Pensyarah Kanan, Sekolah Perniagaan Dan Ekonomi, UPM, Dr. Lau Wei Theng berkongsi tentang bagaimana graduan di Malaysia boleh meningkatkan literasi pelaburan di sebalik prospek ekonomi yang tidak menentu.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Prestasi Bursa Malaysia setakat 24 April 2024
Jumlah dagangan naik kepada 3.73 bilion unit bernilai RM2.79 bilion daripada 3.49 bilion unit bernilai RM2.53 bilion pada Isnin.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Ketidaktentuan pasaran global: Impak & Strategi Pelaburan di Malaysia
S&P 500 ditutup lebih rendah untuk tiga minggu berturut-turut, manakala Nasdaq yang terdiri daripada teknologi jatuh untuk minggu keempat berturut-turut. Bagaimana impak ketidaktentuan pasaran global memberi kesan kepada pasaran saham di Malaysia?
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
Niaga AWANI: Akaun 3 KWSP: Tingkat literasi kewangan, depani krisis persaraan
Ketua Ekonomi, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd, Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid berkongsi pandangan beliau berkenaan pelaksanaan Akaun 3 KWSP serta bagaimana pentingnya literasi kewangan dalam mendepani krisis persaraan.
#NiagaAWANI
#NiagaAWANI
EPL: Ten Hag anggap reaksi ke atas kemenangan MU umpama 'penghinaan'
Kemenangan yang diraih MU bukan sesautu yang memalukan, reaksi sesetengah pihak berlebihan, bidas Ten Hag.
Adira, Datuk Red bercerai talak satu
Rumah tangga Adira berakhir selepas suaminya, Adnan Abu melafazkan cerai talak satu di Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Gombak Barat.
AWANI Pagi: Pembedahan aestetik - Mahu cantik tapi selamat
Trend untuk melakukan pembedahan plastik secara pantas, ringkas dan murah melalui individu tidak bertauliah adalah sangat merisaukan.
Ikuti diskusi AWANI Pagi bersama Pakar Bedah Plastik untuk ketahui tip dan kaedah mendapatkan rawatan yang selamat.
Ikuti diskusi AWANI Pagi bersama Pakar Bedah Plastik untuk ketahui tip dan kaedah mendapatkan rawatan yang selamat.
Keputusan rayuan sabitan bersalah Siti Bainun abai, aniaya Bella tangguh 2 Mei
Siti Bainun Ahd Razali di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur terhadap sabitan dan hukuman penjara 12 tahun bagi kesalahan mengabai serta menganiaya seorang remaja perempuan sindrom Down atau Bella.
Adira tetap dengan keputusan untuk berpisah dengan Datuk Red
"Apa yang saya boleh cakap keputusan saya masih tetap sama, paling penting tenang," kata Adira.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Penghormatan terakhir buat kru TLDM terkorban
Semua jenazah akan dibawa sebaik proses bedah siasat dijalankan selesai di Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) Ipoh.