- Read and hold on to the handouts from teachers on grades and policies. Students bring these papers home in the first week. This information tells you about the types of homework, quizzes, tests, and projects your child will have in that class.
- Go to Back to School Night in September to meet the teachers face-to-face. Introduce yourself, even if you are shy or never liked school yourself. It always helps to meet your child’s teachers.
- If your child is having a problem in a class, follow the 1-2-3 rule:
- Ask your child how he feels about school, why he received a poor grade, or what is going on in class.
- Coach your child to talk with her teacher to understand the problem or resolve the misunderstanding, or to email the teacher and copy you. Sometimes it helps that a teacher knows that a parent is involved.
- If your child has spoken with the teacher and has not resolved the problem, you have the right and responsibility to email the teacher, ask the counselor for help, and if that does not resolve the problem, contact the assistant principal.
- Keep an eye on organization and homework. Ask your child to tell you what classes he had each day, and ask if he has homework.
- Check Edline with your child so you both know what is going on in the classroom.
- Make sure that your child is on time and attends school every day. Learning to be timely and organized leads to success.
- Middle schools expect children to act independently. That’s a good thing, but don’t let it make you feel disempowered. If there is something you don’t understand or your child needs help with, write the teacher or meet with the school counselor. Trust your feelings about your child.