|
The
Kaighn Report -
Our blog providing information on
education, business and
finance.
Home & School Association
- The HSA recognizes that parent involvement in children's education allows kids to perform better in school and helps them navigate some challenges of growing up. This volunteer organization meets monthly with administrators and teachers to help communication with parents, to encourage students and to support teachers and staff in the school. Please join and become a member!
Career Information
- The Bureau of Labor & Statistics provides information on their site for students from K-12 to begin their search for information about careers. You can also browse for more in depth information regarding numerous careers in the
Occupational Outlook Handbook and other sources.
NJASK Information - This site
provides information regarding the administration of the NJASK,
as well as results of previous tests and information for
parents, students & teachers.
Cape Atlantic Out-Patient Counseling Services - Here is a complete, up to date list of counselors and counseling services in Cape May and Atlantic Counties for students and families in need of assistance.
Children's Mobile Response and
Stabilization System - Persons requesting
response intervention can call a statewide toll-free hot line to
access the system. Response intervention is available 24 hours
per day, 365 days per year by calling 1-877-652-7624.
Cape Atlantic Integrated Network for Kids -
Working to make the social services system family friendly and
responsive to the needs of children and families.
Division of
Youth and Family Services - The Division of Youth and Family
Services (DYFS) is New Jersey's child protection and child
welfare agency within the Department of Children and Families.
Its mission is to ensure the safety, permanency and well-being
of children and to support families. To report a concern
about abuse call 877-652-2873
Career Builder - Searching for
a job? Use Career Builder to search for positions available in
your area.
|
ARTICLE
DIRECTORY
|
Helping Preteens Transition to Middle School
By Susan Camarillo, MSW, counselor, Crocker Middle
School, Hillsborough
The transition from elementary school to middle school
is one of the most significant changes in a child's
educational life.
The transition is magnified because preteens are
faced with the many major structural differences between
elementary and middle school at the very time that their
bodies and emotions are changing at the most rapid rates
of their lives. By understanding the following points
about the nature of preteens entering middle school,
parents can turn this challenging transition into a
positive foundation for future interactions with their
children:
-
At this age, there is a huge range of individual
differences, so a task that is easy for your friend's
or relative's children may be difficult for your child
and vice versa.
-
Early adolescents have one foot in childhood and one
tentative foot reaching out to adulthood.
-
Because their feet (and emotions) may be at different
levels, they, at times, feel out of balance.
-
At home, you will most likely see the less mature
"child" While at school, the more responsible,
developing "adult" is evident in response to the many
new demands placed on the middle school student.
-
Preteens entering middle school feel extremely
self-conscious. If you consider your most
self-conscious moment as an adult, you will have an
idea how a middle school child feels much of the time.
-
Their bodies are changing so fast in so many ways at
the very time that they feel it is most important to
fit in, be accepted by peers, and be like everyone
else. This makes them feel vulnerable and sensitive to
what they perceive as criticism.
-
They are by nature very "present tense." Adults tend
to be well organized, learning from the past and
carefully planning ahead. It is important for parents
to keep in mind that these skills are just developing
in preteens. The more parents can accept these as
developing skills, the less frustrated they will be.
The key for parents is finding the balance between
supporting your children and still allowing them the
independence needed to grow and build their own skills.
I summarize three steps toward accomplishing this in the
acronym "E.S.P."
1.
E = "enjoy:" Find time to truly enjoy your children as
they enjoy the excitement of starting middle school.
- S = "support" Children
this age will all need support from parents as they
transition to middle school. The art of parenting
middle schoolers is finding ways to support them that
feel more like valued help than like attempts to
micromanage their lives. Think of yourself more as a
helpful consultant than a supervising manager. One way
to achieve this is learning to be an active listener
(i.e. truly listening to understand and accept your
child's thoughts and underlying feelings, rather than
quickly offering solutions or judgments).
- 3. P =
"positive:" Train yourself to look for and find the
positive in your children. At this transition point,
when they are, at times, in a state of disequilibrium,
it will probably be easier to find their mistakes and
shortcomings. However, learning to find and
acknowledge their positives is an incredibly valuable
skill to develop as a parent. This will actually serve
to help your preteens develop more positive
attributes, which in turn makes the positives easier
to find and acknowledge. Your time together at this
important time in your child's life will be more
gratifying for both of you.
|
|
|
Join our opt
in mailing list. Just place your name & email address in the
form below. |
Search Engine Optimization and SEO Tools
|