January 2014
Madison Public Schools
Matthew Mingle, Director of Curriculum
Remember that you and your
child’s school are a team
How is your child doing so far in school? Now is a good time to think about
it, while there is still time to make course corrections. See if you are pretty
sure you know how each of your child’s teachers would answer the following
questions:
• How is my child handling the
curriculum so far?
• What are her strengths?
• Are there areas in which she
needs improvement?
• What part of the class does
she seem to enjoy most?
• Does any part of the class
present her with difficulty?
• Are there any behavior concerns? If so, what?
• Does she focus and pay attention in class?
• Does she turn in homework consistently?
• Is she missing any assignments?
• Are there any social problems that you’ve noticed?
• What can I do to help my child?
Remember, your involvement in your child’s education is still critical in
middle school. If you have no idea how a teacher might answer some of the
questions, talk with your child. Ask what she thinks the teacher would say.
If you have serious concerns, especially if your child’s grades are slipping, it’s
time to contact the teacher(s) involved and make plans for improvement.
Source: P.L. Benson and others, What Teens Need to Succeed: Practical Proven Ways to Shape Your Own Future,
Free Spirit Publishing.
Successful learning builds day by day
Your child’s education spans 13 or
more years. Poor attendance in one
grade can have a negative impact
on his cumulative academic success,
just as missing an episode or two
of a TV series can make it difficult
to catch up. To truly do well, your
child needs to catch each “episode”
of learning.
To improve attendance, keep in
mind that:
• Winter break is often a time to
sleep in. But it’s over now. Your
child should get to bed in time to
allow about nine hours of sleep,
and set an alarm clock to wake up
on time.
• Cold weather is not an excuse
to miss school when schools are
open. Your child should wear
several warm layers and get out
the door to school.
Read with questions in mind
By middle school, your child needs to know
how to “read between the lines.” This skill
is called making an inference. Inferences are
based on clues in the text and clues from the
reader’s background knowledge. When she’s
reading a passage, encourage
your child to ask herself:
• What does the
author mean to convey?
• What clues can help me
understand the meaning?
Help your middle schooler
control anger
Your middle schooler is
growing in many ways.
He is questioning things
he used to take for granted. And
he is dealing with an array of new feelings.
All this can add up to occasional explosions.
In most cases, this is part of growing up.
Here’s how you can help:
• Be understanding yet firm. Accept
your child’s emotion, but not inappropriate
behavior, such as screaming.
• Talk to your child about stress.
Remind him to take time out for things
he enjoys if he feels overwhelmed.
• Practice calming techniques. Taking
deep breaths or counting to 10 often works.
Source: J. Mandel and D. Anshel, “Anger: Helping Children
with this Complex Emotion,” Education.com, www.education.
com/reference/article/Ref_Anger_Helping/.
Easy ways to support your
child’s learning at home
Reinforce your child’s learning at home and
you’ll help her be successful at school. You can:
• Encourage her to do her best. Don’t
let her fall into the habit of just doing
the bare minimum.
• Let her know you believe she can
be successful.
Copyright © 2014, The Parent Institute®, www.parent-institute.com
Help your child develop
a study system
January 2014
Is my child old enough to
join a social media site?
Q: My eighth grader received a tablet during the holidays and
now wants to join a social media site. Isn’t he too young?
A: Technically, probably not. Popular social media sites require users to be
at least 13 years old. Still, if you’ve spent any time on these sites, you already
know that plenty of preteens have their own accounts. And it seems evident
that these sites aren’t going away. So it doesn’t
make sense to ban them outright. Instead, ask
yourself:
• Is my child responsible? Does he
keep up with schoolwork? If he says
he’s going to do something, does he
do it?
• Is my child mature? Is he savvy
about Internet safety? Does he
understand what is—and is not—
appropriate to post online?
If you answered yes to both questions, then
it may be fine for your child to join a social media
site. But if you’re nervous, you can monitor things by:
• Opening an account for him. Make sure he can’t log on without
your knowledge. This will give you a chance to see how he conducts
himself online.
• Making him “friend” you. That way, you can still keep tabs on him.
(Just don’t mortify him by posting anything on his page!)
Are you preparing for the future?
Your child can take steps now, in middle school, to influence her future
success. Take this quiz to see if you are encouraging her to do this. Answer
yes for something you do often or no for something you do rarely or never.
they might translate to her life
___1. Do you urge your child to
after school?
take the most rigorous math
class she is capable of each year? How did you do?
___2. Do you stress the imporMostly yes answers mean you are
tance of reading? Urge your
helping your child focus on the future.
child to read every day.
Mostly no? Check the quiz for some
suggestions on getting ready for the next
___3. Do you encourage your
step.
child to learn about current
affairs? This can boost her
to
tion
interest in civics and history.
a
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___4. Do you encourage your
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___5. Do you talk with your child
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about her interests and how
dau
Does your child struggle
with end-of-chapter
tests? Help her develop
a study system by
reminding her to:
• Start by reading the first section of
the chapter.
• Imagine what questions the teacher
might ask.
• Write down and answer those
questions.
• Proceed section by section.
• Write new vocabulary words on
cards.
• Use them to study for the test. Better
yet, offer to quiz her!
Source: J.S. Schumm, Ph.D., How to Help Your Child with
Homework, Spirit Publishing.
Work with your child to
develop thinking skills
Critical thinking skills are very important
in middle school. Discuss issues with
your child that require him to analyze and
interpret the information. Then have him
use that information to solve a problem or
form a valid opinion about the issue.
Spending time together
builds closeness
You’re busy. Your child is busy. But kids—
especially middle schoolers—need time with
their parents. It’s how they stay connected to
family as they begin finding their own way
in the world.
Spend more time with your child by:
• Being available. • Embracing his interests.
• Including him in your activities.
Helping Students Learn®
Published in English and Spanish, September through May.
Publisher: John H. Wherry, Ed.D.
Editor: Stacey Marin.
Staff Editors: Rebecca Miyares & Erika Beasley.
Writer: Erika Beasley. Production Manager: Pat Carter.
Translations Editor: Victoria Gaviola.
Layout & Illustrations: Maher & Mignella, Cherry Hill, NJ.
Copyright © 2014, The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc.
P.O. Box 7474, Fairfax Station, VA 22039-7474
1-800-756-5525 • www.parent-institute.com • ISSN 1526-9272
1527-1021
Copyright © 2014, The Parent Institute®, www.parent-institute.com
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