Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Is there a topic you are interested in hearing more about????
If there is a topic you would like to hear more about, or have questions around middle school and student development….
GOOD NEWS!!!
We are currently taking topic ideas for future blog posts!!!
Feel free to contact either Mr. Manfra or Mrs. Garran with any ideas or questions around future blog posts.
We can be reached at the following e-mail addresses:
Mr. Manfra
jmanfra@natickps.org
Mrs. Garran
bgarran@natickps.org
Executive Functioning Tips for Parents
TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR CHILD WITH
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION SKILLS
CHECKLIST FOR SUPPORTING:
TASK INITIATION
Make sure your child knows how to do the task, as opposed to
it being an issue with task initiation
Provide a consistent homework routine, including a time the
work needs to be completed by and a space that the work is completed in (i.e. a
specific room, a specific table, etc.)
Assist your child in breaking down longer, more complex
tasks into smaller, more manageable parts. Have your child check-in with you after each part is completed
Allow choice in what tasks will be done when
Reflect with your child on what strategies/skills worked or
did not work for completing a task
TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS
Assist your child with using their agenda/planner to record
all assignments. (These can be checked on the teacher websites with your
student)
Have your student predict how long assignments will take and
then follow up with discussion about how long it actually took and why
Work with your student to prioritize their assignments by
doing their most difficult subject first
Use a calendar to help your student plan out long-term
assignments, breaking it down into smaller segments with interim check-ins to
ensure they are being completed
Have your student, organize and pack their backpack upon completing
their homework in the evening so there is no scramble in the mornings to find
or remember things
CHECKLIST FOR SUPPORTING: TASK COMPLETION
Have consistent expectations about when, where and how
homework is to be done
Work with your child on making a plan for completion of the
evening’s assignments. It should include the order and time for each assignment
Your child may need breaks and these should be part of the
schedule/plan discussed at the start of the homework time
Create a chart or reading log to track/monitor reading time
to ensure it is not the “forgotten “ homework list
When your child has to read a complete book, assist them
into breaking it into smaller segments and create a schedule such as “one
chapter per night or so many pages per night”
Long- term assignments should be broken into smaller tasks
and put on the calendar so that both you and your child remember and ensure
they are completed.
HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR
STUDENT’S ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
Model these skills by teaching your child “ EVERYTHING HAS A
HOME.”
Help your child to use their backpack effectively, including
cleaning it out on a regular basis by putting items where they belong
MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS BRINGING HOME THEIR AGENDA BOOK/PLANNER
EACH NIGHT. Review what they have
recorded and if they have not recorded, look to the teacher websites and show
them how to record their assignments
Help your child set up a system for filing their papers. DO NOT DO IT FOR THEM, DO IT WITH THEM
TO TEACH THE SKILL
Some children use a two-pocket folder for homework – one
pocket TO DO, and the other DONE
TO HAND IN. Other children effectively
use an accordion folder with one pocket for each of their subjects. Others benefit from color- coding their
materials for each subject, notebooks, folders, etc.
****Many students benefit from after school time with
subject area teachers to work on the organization of their classroom materials.
Encourage your child to do this if
you are unsure of what should be kept and how it should be organized
The following was created by Mrs. Holmes, a member of the Student Services Team at WMS.
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Transition
INTRODUCTION
Okay. Let's play a game. I want you to sit back in your favorite chair and get into a nice and comfortable sitting position. Now close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Now I am going to present a word and I want you to think about all the thoughts that come to mind. Ready for it….ok: MIDDLE SCHOOL. As I am typing this, I am very curious as to the thoughts that have appeared in your minds.
Let's discuss the elephant in the room. The transition from elementary school to middle school is fraught with negative thoughts, both on the part of new fifth graders as well as their parents and guardians who love them and want the best environment for them.
Comments I have often heard from families are: "…but the school is just too big", and "How will my son do all the homework", and "I want to make sure my child isn't lost in the shuffle".
Comments I have often heard from students are: "Who will I sit with at lunch", and "How will I find where my classes are", and "How will I be able to do all the work", along with concerns about lockers, how the food tastes, and feeling as if they are at the bottom of the proverbial fish bowl.
The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big stepping stone for children and their families. It is a time in children's lives where they are learning to be more independent, learning to rely on themselves, learning to self-advocate versus waiting to be advocated for, as well as the small and insignificant experience of beginning to learn who you are as a person while at the same time going through puberty (insert sarcasm here).
I want you to re-read the concerns from 5th graders coming into middle school above. What follows are comments I have often heard from 5th graders after a few weeks of being at the middle school: "I love how much independence we have here", "I love not having to walk with a teacher from class to class", "I thought homework was worse in 4th grade". I decided to put these comments here to emphasize the point that while transitions and new beginnings can be scary, they can be adjusted to and overcome.
There are ways to make this transition easier and make adjusting to a new set of routines less stress inducing. Below, please find some tips to make this transition go smoothly.
*Listen to your child - let them know they are not alone, instead of saying "it will all be ok" try just listening and acknowledging what your child is nervous about and that you (and us here at Wilson!) are here to support/help them through it.
*Encourage your child to be organized, using their agenda, keeping their binders/folders cleaned out and planning for long term projects.
*Join extra-curricular activities to get involved here at Wilson and meet some new people.
* Students have been in school a few days (but have not started their normal schedules yet), check in and see what worries/anxieties they might still have and who might have an answer to their questions (see contacts below)
*Encourage your student to ask for help from their teachers! This is a great opportunity to foster self-advocacy skills. Most teachers stay late after and are available a few days after school each week.
*Establish good routines at home - is there a time and place for homework?
*Guidance counselors!! Support your child in seeking them out if they have questions.
*Technology is a large part of middle school - between ipads and 1:1 computers by 8th grade, boundaries at home are obviously up to your discretion but remember technology is a privilege and can be monitored.
*When communicating with your child after school to avoid the frustrating "I don't know" answers try asking specific questions, "Who did you sit with at lunch?", "Who is your favorite teacher so far?"
Okay. Let's play a game. I want you to sit back in your favorite chair and get into a nice and comfortable sitting position. Now close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Now I am going to present a word and I want you to think about all the thoughts that come to mind. Ready for it….ok: MIDDLE SCHOOL. As I am typing this, I am very curious as to the thoughts that have appeared in your minds.
Let's discuss the elephant in the room. The transition from elementary school to middle school is fraught with negative thoughts, both on the part of new fifth graders as well as their parents and guardians who love them and want the best environment for them.
Comments I have often heard from families are: "…but the school is just too big", and "How will my son do all the homework", and "I want to make sure my child isn't lost in the shuffle".
Comments I have often heard from students are: "Who will I sit with at lunch", and "How will I find where my classes are", and "How will I be able to do all the work", along with concerns about lockers, how the food tastes, and feeling as if they are at the bottom of the proverbial fish bowl.
The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big stepping stone for children and their families. It is a time in children's lives where they are learning to be more independent, learning to rely on themselves, learning to self-advocate versus waiting to be advocated for, as well as the small and insignificant experience of beginning to learn who you are as a person while at the same time going through puberty (insert sarcasm here).
I want you to re-read the concerns from 5th graders coming into middle school above. What follows are comments I have often heard from 5th graders after a few weeks of being at the middle school: "I love how much independence we have here", "I love not having to walk with a teacher from class to class", "I thought homework was worse in 4th grade". I decided to put these comments here to emphasize the point that while transitions and new beginnings can be scary, they can be adjusted to and overcome.
There are ways to make this transition easier and make adjusting to a new set of routines less stress inducing. Below, please find some tips to make this transition go smoothly.
TIPS
*Listen to your child - let them know they are not alone, instead of saying "it will all be ok" try just listening and acknowledging what your child is nervous about and that you (and us here at Wilson!) are here to support/help them through it.
*Encourage your child to be organized, using their agenda, keeping their binders/folders cleaned out and planning for long term projects.
*Join extra-curricular activities to get involved here at Wilson and meet some new people.
* Students have been in school a few days (but have not started their normal schedules yet), check in and see what worries/anxieties they might still have and who might have an answer to their questions (see contacts below)
*Encourage your student to ask for help from their teachers! This is a great opportunity to foster self-advocacy skills. Most teachers stay late after and are available a few days after school each week.
*Establish good routines at home - is there a time and place for homework?
*Guidance counselors!! Support your child in seeking them out if they have questions.
*Technology is a large part of middle school - between ipads and 1:1 computers by 8th grade, boundaries at home are obviously up to your discretion but remember technology is a privilege and can be monitored.
*When communicating with your child after school to avoid the frustrating "I don't know" answers try asking specific questions, "Who did you sit with at lunch?", "Who is your favorite teacher so far?"
CONTACTS
Making this transition can be a process and the transition experience will look different from child to child. If you have any concerns about your child's transition as they experience their first few weeks of being a middle schooler, please feel free to contact either your child's TEAM or their guidance counselor. Below, please find a listing of the guidance counselors at Wilson Middle School by grade.
Adam Gray
5th Grade (all Teams) and 7th Grade (Team Respect and Team Team Responsibility)
Nicole Papasso
6th Grade (Team Romans and Team Greeks) and 8th Grade (all Teams)
Maria Meisner
6th Grade (Team Sumerians) and 7th Grade (Team Accountability)
RESOURCES
http://www.natickps.org/wilson/guidance/curriculum.cfm
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/middleschool/
Making this transition can be a process and the transition experience will look different from child to child. If you have any concerns about your child's transition as they experience their first few weeks of being a middle schooler, please feel free to contact either your child's TEAM or their guidance counselor. Below, please find a listing of the guidance counselors at Wilson Middle School by grade.
Adam Gray
5th Grade (all Teams) and 7th Grade (Team Respect and Team Team Responsibility)
Nicole Papasso
6th Grade (Team Romans and Team Greeks) and 8th Grade (all Teams)
Maria Meisner
6th Grade (Team Sumerians) and 7th Grade (Team Accountability)
RESOURCES
http://www.natickps.org/wilson/guidance/curriculum.cfm
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/middleschool/
Labels:
parents,
Transitions
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