Middle School Survival Tips

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Middle SchoolSurvival Tips
ELCO Middle School October 9, 2002
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LIFE IS A JOURNEY. KIDS NEED A GUIDE.
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As a parent, one of your greatest dreams is to
see that your child achieve theirs. As school
counselors, we are trained to help your children
reach their full potential. Every day, students
face challenges. Tough courses, peer pressure,
eating disorders,depression, school violence.
Its a long list. And even the best parents with
the best intentions dont always know whats on
their childrens minds. Often, children are more
willing to open up to someone who doesnt have
the power to ground them or to grade them.
Someone who exists purely to guide them. Its
been said that life is a journey, so make sure
your kids have a guide. A collaborative
relationship with your childs school counselor
can reinforce that they are heading in the right
direction.
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Why Middle School Counselors?
Middle school years can be positive ones of
self-discovery for children. Together,
professional middle school counselors, parents,
teachers, administrators, and community members
can help students focus on the journey of
transition through a collaborative effort using a
comprehensive developmental counseling program,
patience, understanding and, above all caring.
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The Developmental Needs of Middle School Students

1. Being very active, yet easily fatigued due to
   rapid physical growth.
2. Searching for their own unique identity, turning
   more toward peers rather than to parents for
   ideas and affirmation.
3. Being extremely sensitive to comments from
   others.
4. Relying heavily on friends to provide comfort,
   understanding and approval.

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School Counselors help children by

• Promoting positive attitudes among students
  toward self, family, peers and community.
• Assisting students in learning how school
  performance relates to future opportunities.

• Developing and delivering classroom guidance
  lessons that teach skills such as healthy
  decision making, resolving conflicts, career
  planning, study skills and respecting others.

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• Working collaboratively with students, parents
  and teachers to identify and remove barriers to
  learning.
• Providing support during personal crisis.
• Orienting new students.

• Supporting students by teaching skills for
  achieving success.
• Helping students to recognize and make the best
  of their abilities.
• Counseling with students individually and in
  groups.

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What Makes Middle School So Different?

• Changing Classes
• Your Own Locker
• More Teachers
• New Rules
• More Classmates
• More Choices

• More Homework
• More Freedom
• More Independence
• More Opportunities
• More Responsibility

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General Homework Tips

• Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place
  to do homework. Avoid having your child do
  homework with the television on or in places with
  other distractions, such as people coming and
  going.
• Help your child with time management. Establish
  a set time each day for doing homework. Dont
  let your child leave homework until just before
  bedtime.

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• When your child does homework, you do homework.
  Show your child that the skills they are learning
  are related to things you do as an adult. If
  your child is reading, you read too. If your
  child is doing math, balance your checkbook.
• When your child asks for help, provide guidance,
  not answers. Giving answers means your child
  will not learn the material. Too much help
  teaches your child that when the going gets
  rough, someone will do the work for him.

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• Stay informed. Talk with your childs teachers.
  Make sure you know the purpose of homework and
  what your childs class rules are.
• Help your child figure out what is hard homework
  and what is easy homework. Have your child do
  the hard work first. This will mean he will be
  more alert when facing the biggest challenges.
  Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue
  begins to set in.
• Watch your child for signs of failure and
  frustration. Let your child take a short break
  if she is having trouble keeping her mind on an
  assignment.

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• Reward progress in homework. If your child has
  been successful in homework completion and is
  working hard, celebrate that success with a
  special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the
  park) to reinforce the positive effort.
• Be positive about homework. Tell your child how
  important school is. The attitude you express
  about homework will be the attitude your child
  acquires.

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Make Time to ListenTake Time to Talk

• The best thing you can give your children is
  time. By taking time to listen to your children,
  you can get to know more about your family by
  honestly answering questions and carefully
  listening to replies. Here are a few questions
  to get the dialogue started.

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• If you could write a book, what kind of book
  would it be?
• Would you rather be rich or happy? Explain your
  choice.
• Do you learn more when you win or when you lose?
• If you had to lose one of your senses, which
  would it be? Why?
• Would you rather be good looking, smart, or
  athletic? Why?
• What is your favorite sport? Why?
• What makes you angry?
• What makes you laugh?
• If you could be any animal, what would you be and
  why?
• What do you love about school/work?

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Questions? Comments?