How Do I Help My Middle School Child?
Suggestions for Helping Your Middle School Child Be More Successful at School
- Encourage your child to attend regularly – limit absences as much as possible.
- Maintain frequent contact with your child’s teachers – either through Edsby, email or by telephone.
- Attend parent/teacher interviews or if necessary ask the counselor to arrange a meeting with your child’s teachers so that there is open communication between home and school.
- Check communications regularly. Edsby is a website where you can see your child’s marks and attendance between report cards. You can also check which assignments your child has not handed in.
- Set up a homework/study routine that involves 30-45 minutes of homework per night, in a supervised location (kitchen table). Your child can use this time to complete homework, study or organize his/her binder.
- Limit the amount of time your child spends on social media, watching television or playing electronic games. Social networking websites (Facebook, Twitter, Insta-gram etc.) can be distracting and time consuming.
- Provide incentives, rewards and encouragement when you child’s marks and effort improve.
- Ensure that your child is getting adequate sleep – limit late nights to the weekend.
- Visit your child’s locker and check his/her binder and backpack to see if organization is a problem.
- If your child is working hard and is still unable to achieve a passing grade, contact your child’s counselor so that the possibility of an underlying alternative issues can be explored.