The transition from elementary to middle school can be incredibly overwhelming for your child. It can invoke a wealth of emotions, from anxiety over meeting new teachers and students to excitement over purchasing new clothing and supplies. Additionally, they have to deal with increased homework, the responsibility to navigate from one class to the next by themselves and much more. Regardless of this pressure, you want your child to experience a smooth transition.
So how do you get them ready for a smooth transition from elementary to middle school? Here are five tips:
1. Help Them Develop the Skills to Keep up With Homework
During the middle school years, homework tends to get more intense. Time spent handling it can also be longer than it was during your child’s elementary years. Having a systematic plan of writing down assignments can be of great help, and fortunately, personal planners tend to be more effective in this case.
Help them set a specific start time for homework every evening and always check how they are progressing. Praising your child also every time they adhere to the routine and complete their assignment well gives your child the motivation to keep moving forward.
2. Create an Efficient Study Space
Creating a designated study space greatly helps your child to be as efficient and productive as possible, especially when doing their homework. If the child needs more close supervision, prepare a study space where they can quickly get help with their assignment. Older children might prefer a quiet spot like their bedroom or an office. Always ensure that the space is well-lit, as comfortable as possible and that all the necessary supplies are available.
3. Pay Close Attention to How They Learn
As a parent, your close involvement in the academic life of your child is essential. Get in the habit of always seeking to know what they learned in school and generally engage them academically. By paying close attention to their learning, you’re showing them that you care about their welfare.
Closely paying attention to how well they are learning gives you a glimpse of what they need to put more effort into and what can be done to improve their performance before they get too far behind. Additionally, explore different ways of studying and pick out those that can help your child to improve their studies and do exceptionally well in their performance.
4. Teach Them Study Skills
Alongside planning enough study time for your child, always remind them to take notes in class. These notes will act as a learning material for your child, and it gives them something to go back to later for studying. This way, it’s easy for them to prepare for a test. Remind them that sometimes it might take a number of tries before they fully grasp the concept, and therefore they should not be discouraged.
5. Instil Organization Skills in Them
Considering that middle school is the introduction to keeping track of multiple tasks at the same time, you should always ensure that your child is well organized. Help your child to organize assignments and class information in notebooks, binders or folders. Additionally, teach them how to use a personal planner or calendar effectively. The planner should also involve their non-academic commitments to help them manage time well. Let them also know how to make a daily to-do list to help them prioritize their tasks and achieve everything they are supposed to at the end of the day.
Bottom Line
The transition from elementary to middle school can be an exciting experience and, at the same time, a time filled with anxiety and stress. Nevertheless, with the above tips, you can help your child to transit as smoothly as possible. With the right preparation, you and your child will be looking forward to middle school with excited anticipation.
If you are seeking an excellent middle school for your child in Houston, Texas, do not hesitate to contact us at The Tenney School. Your child’s academic excellence is our top priority.