Children starting middle school often worry about all the unknown elements of the coming year. Anxiety and confidence can spill from one area of life to another. If your tween or teen is feeling anxious about middle school math or making friends, they may also bicker with siblings and snap at parents more. If they feel confident about learning one subject, it may also give them confidence to try a new sport or musical instrument.
A tinge of nervousness combined with excitement about the first day of middle school is normal. You, of course, want to ease their anxiety and make their first day of middle school as stress-free as possible.
1. Engage in Conversation
Create opportunities for your child to express their feelings. Talking about their concerns and questions will help them work through some of their stress. Some children are more apt to discuss their feelings when you combine it with another activity like cooking or driving.
Expect questions such as:
“Will I know anyone in my classes?”
“Will my teachers give a lot of homework?”
“Will I be able to open my locker?”
“Who will I eat lunch with?”
“What is it like to change classes for every subject?”
“Will middle school be harder than elementary school?”
If they don’t open up you can use the topics from the questions above to ask them some open-ended questions such as, “Do you have any questions or concerns about how to change classes?” Ask your child how they felt in various subjects in elementary school. Ask specifically about math class, which is often a source of stress.
2. Learn the Details
Proper preparation builds confidence and quells anxiety. To help your child feel confident, eliminate as many unknown elements as possible before the first day. Take a tour of the school and locate each class on their schedule as well as the bathrooms and cafeteria. Meet the teachers and ask about class and homework expectations. Buy an inexpensive combination lock so your child can practice opening one. They will get used to spinning the lock three times to the right, one full turn to the left, and then back to the right again.
3. Help your Child Get to Know Some of the Kids
If your child does not know anyone else going to the school, you may want to plan an informal get together like a pool party. Some schools organize special events for the incoming classes. Make sure to attend those. If your school does not, ask the school for help arranging an event or use a social media site like Nextdoor.com to find out who else lives nearby that is attending the same school. Even if the kids from these events do not become your child’s friends, your child will see some familiar faces in a class, the hallways or in the lunchroom on that first day. That will provide some comfort.
4. Prepare your Child Academically
Be honest with your child that middle school is harder than elementary school. Then, make sure they feel ready to tackle the harder material. The further behind they get, the more stress they will feel. This stress often leads to acting out, goofing off, or apathy.
If your child struggled in math in elementary school, get help for them NOW. Middle school math transitions from the concrete ideas of arithmetic and introduces more abstract and algebraic math. This transition requires a solid grasp of fractions, decimals, percent, ratios, number facts, and more.
5. Get Organized and Learn the Technology
Middle schools are preparing students for high school. Teachers release more responsibilities to the students and rely more heavily on technology. More assignments and communications use computers than in elementary school. Many math teachers use online textbooks instead of regular textbooks. You can help them with this transition by getting familiar with the technology and enforcing good organizational habits at home.
Mathnasium cares about your child’s success inside and outside of the math classroom. If math classes are a source of stress for them, rest assured that Mathnasium of Parker creates a warm and inviting atmosphere for catching up and soaring ahead. Call us to find out more! 303-840-1184 or stop by when you're out and about!
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