This month I worked with two (anonymous, at their request) Best In Class middle schoolers to tap their insider expertise (and to develop their essay writing skills). Enjoy!
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Hey, kid! Have you done the crime of aging into the double digits, and now you’re serving the time at the middle school correctional facility? We have some tips to get you through your 3-year sentence.
- Get to know key staff: Although it's important that you make sure your principal knows who you are, in terms of day-to-day life in middle school the most important staff for you to know are your assistant principals and the school secretary. They know everyone and everything at school. Make sure these people have a favorable impression of you. It can help, later in the year, if anything comes up.
- Due dates and deadlines: You will have many homework assignments and projects in middle school. Meeting their due dates is important! You will lose points on the assignment for late work and a zero if you don’t turn in your work at all. Don’t be that kid!
- Friends, friends and friends: Middle school is a great time to make new friends. You will spend most of your classes with a mix of new kids and kids you knew from your elementary school. Be open to new kids and expect some of your friendships to change.
Although it is important to be serious in class, there are lots of social things that take place during middle school, too, like dances, mixers, parties, b'nai mitzvahs, sporting events and field trips, which are great times to have fun and get to know new friends. - LUNCH! While there were only hot and cold options at lunch in elementary school, there are at least 4 choices for lunch every day in our middle school: salad bar, sandwich shop, pasta and pizza bar, Chinese food choices, a fro-yo machine, as well as, vending machines. It’s good!
- Lunch is also a time to socialize with friends and get outside. We don’t have recess anymore, but you can go out to get some fresh air, walk around or play ball after you eat.
- Afterschool advisories: the last 10-15 minutes of school your teachers will be available to help you with any questions you have about assignments or topics from the day. Make sure to use this time to keep up with what you learned during the day.
When you start middle school, you will realize that it is not all that bad (it’s actually really fun), we just needed a “strong hook” (we learned that in Best in Class) to get your attention and keep you reading!
 Dr. Alissa Gardenhire, owner, Best in Class Education Center: South Orange | Best in Class will be offering our Homework Help Hub, Tuesdays to Thursdays beginning in September to assist our middle school friends with study skills, completing assignments, real time tutoring, essay writing skills, peer discussion groups, workshops, and more. |
