As a parent of two children (one in his mid 20s, and one currently in middle school), and the founder and president of one of the busiest and most successful independent tutoring centers in Boston for the past 14 years, I know a lot about middle school students. More than half of our client base is middle school age (grades 5-8).
Middle school is a time of huge growth for children – physically, mentally, emotionally, and educationally. Middle school is a time of “coming of age”, and a time that can be fraught with angst and self doubt. Children are breaking away from their parents and developing independence. They are also forming thoughts and opinions about school (and subjects they like and dislike), people, life, the world around them, and their own abilities. Needless to say, this is a VERY impressionable age.
It is imperative that parents be involved in their middle school student’s life! Resist the urge to “set them loose”. Do not give them more independence than they are ready for, as it could lead to trouble for many years to come.
Many parents across the United States, and increasingly from Europe and Asia, seek my counsel about educational options for their middle and high school student. Some parents say they want to defer private school until high school so that they only have to pay for 4 years of a private high school, versus 6 (or more) years of private middle/high school. Some private middle schools start as early as grade 5, which could mean up to 8 years of private school tuition from start to finish.
In most cases (depending on the school) it is worth every penny to have your child in private school as early as you can afford to do so!
If your child is in a sub par middle school, with a lot of unmotivated students who are trouble makers, then they are likely to not take their studies seriously, and they may fall in with the “wrong crowd”. Children at this age are very vulnerable and impressionable; they want to emulate their peers to be accepted, and they desperately want to be part of the “in” group.
Make sure your child’s “in” group is studious, polite, respectful, curious about the world around them, and they are children who want to learn and become productive citizens!
Your child’s peer group in middle school can influence them positively or negatively, and will likely set them on a course one way or the other for many, many years to come. Do not leave this up to chance! Stay involved and immerse them in an environment that will prepare them to be successful adults.
Anne Yount Boston ISEE Prep 617-553-8083 www.bostoniseeprep.com - Test Prep for the ISEE & Latin School Exam Boston Tutoring Center 617-553-8083 www.bostontutoringcenter.com - Tutoring Grades K-12 Boston Private School Search 617-553-0540 www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com - Your Resource for Private School Admissions Follow my Blog - http://privateschoolguru.com/blog/