The Middle School Years and School Relationships

What to Expect

   Child:

• Feels good about school
• Is accepted by classmates and teachers
• Is included in group activities
• Joins school clubs, teams, or other school activities
• Cooperates with school rules and routines
• Responds positively to guidance from teachers
• Seeks help when needed

   Parents:

• Help child feel confident about school (visit classroom, meet teachers before school starts)
• Have expectations that match child's abilities
• Provide help or guidance with school tasks
• Encourage child's interests in school activities
• Become involved at school (field trips, PTA)
• Talk with child's teachers regularly
• Encourage child to invite classmates home to play

When to Seek Help

   If your child:

• Is worried or fearful about school; refuses to go to school
• Often has headaches or stomach pains on school mornings
• Has problems with classmates, teachers, or school work
• Feels "different," rejected, or left out
• Acts out in class or on the playground
• Likes to "hang out" with classmates who get into trouble
• Gets "picked on" or bullied at school or play
• Refuses to follow school rules and routines
• Loses interest in school (grades, friends, activities)

   Or if you, as parents:

• Observe that your child does not have friends or playmates at school
• Get calls or reports from teachers with concerns about your child's behavior
• Expect your child to achieve more than she seems able to do
• Notice a change in your child's school performance, such as a drop in grades

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