Joe Bruzzese by Parents' Guide to the Middle School Years Read Free Book Online

middle school is half the battle. You now have a stronger grasp of those issues and are more prepared to support your child throughout the ups and downs of her middle school journey. Supporting your child through the roller coaster ride of middle school wouldn’t be possible without help from a team of qualified kid experts. One of the greatest benefits of the move to middle school is gaining not one, but a minimum of four new teachers. Your child’s composition of teachers forms the core of your parental support team. The relationship you establish with this group of individuals will significantly impact your child’s growth for years to come. Building a relationship requires work from both ends—teachers and parents. In the coming chapter, we’ll discuss how to establish strong and supportive relationships with all of your child’s new teachers.

CHAPTER 2
Building Solid
Relationships
with Teachers
    FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND PARENTS , forming good relationships with teachers is another important piece of the middle school pie. This process can prove challenging for parents. For one thing, you’ll find that middle school teachers try to raise the level of student accountability by first confronting students directly with questions or concerns about achievement before bringing issues to a parent. This can be disconcerting at first; after all, during your child’s elementary school years you’ve grown accustomed to being the first to receive word about your child’s progress or lack thereof. But by approaching the student first, teachers compel the student to play a more active part in his school experience. Of course, this presents a new challenge to your child as well.
    You can support your child during this developmental shift by working to build your own strong relationships with his middle school teachers. Together you, your child, and your child’s teachers can form a network of mutual support that leads to a successful middle school experience for all of you.
Teachers: middle school versus elementary school
    Before we talk about how to form good relationships with your child’s middle school teachers, consider the following perspectives from parents whose children have already been through middle school:
    â€œMiddle school teachers are often perceived as more heavy-handed, while elementary teachers are seen as more nurturing.”
    â€”
Sarah, middle school mom, Dayton, OH
    â€œWe were pleasantly surprised by the warmth and enthusiasm of our son’s [middle school] teachers. The fall orientation days gave us a chance to meet and talk to his teachers and the school administrators. Somehow, meeting everyone in person set our minds at ease.”
    â€”
John and Lisa, middle school parents, Denver, CO
    â€œI noticed a broader range of personalities. It took my kids by surprise when they entered middle school. Some teachers, even elementary teachers, are project-oriented, not people-oriented.”
    â€”
Ann, mom of two middle school boys, Ojai, CA
    â€œWith seven classes on her schedule, my daughter was in for a real challenge. In addition to the increased work load I was really surprised by how different each teacher was when it came to assignments, tests, and project requirements.”
    â€”
Jackie, middle school mom, San Diego, CA
    For many kids, middle school marks the first time they will travel from classroom to classroom to learn from a variety of teachers who each cover a specific subject, rather than remaining in the same classroom with a single teacher for an entire day of study. Clearly middle school teachers are a varied group of individuals, yet they share a common set of requirements when it comes towhat they expect from students during the first few weeks of the school year. The following tips can help your child get started on the right foot with any teacher.
    1. Arrive on time for each class. Punctuality will play a big part in helping your