End-of-Year Checklist: Preparing for Middle School
The transition from elementary school to middle school is challenging for all students. This is caused by several imposing factors, including: environmental, personal, social, psychological, and physiological changes. During this transition, evidence suggests that student achievement on standardized tests declines significantly in reading and mathematics. As school lets out for the summer, and to keep your middle schooler on track over this transitional vacation time, get ahead of the planning process using these eight suggestions.
- Meet with your child’s teacher before the school year ends.
Discuss your child’s successes and areas that need improvement. Utilize the summer vacation to address these pitfalls.
- Pick up a summer reading and math packet from current teacher or school.
Many middle schools require a summer learning packet to be done over the vacation. This is given to prevent the proverbial student learning loss over the summer vacation.
- Chat with your school’s guidance counselor.
Find out from the guidance counselor what you can expect from middle school classes and homework expectations.
- Get a jump start on next year’s curriculum.
Develop confidence in your student by getting a jump start over the summer preparing for the middle school classes.
- Review the afterschool programs.
Getting excited about next year’s extracurricular activities helps develop a student’s excitement about middle school.
- Practice using a combination lock.
A combination lock can just ruin a middle schoolers day. So have your student practice using one so they are ready for their new locker.
- Use technology daily
Everyday students are bombarded with technology. Keeping your student tech savvy is a necessity.
- Plan a summer learning vacation or getaway.
Don’t have your student pause learning just because it is summer. Plan vacations and getaways where students can stimulate their minds.