Going from Elementary School into Middle School. Annie Shy – her story of years from Elementary school into Middle School. Maybe, some of what I went through will help you on your journey in school. I learned how scared I was to becoming eventually self-confident and self-motivated. Also, I had a goal and that was to be a stand-up person and adult.
However, in elementary school, I was too shy to address my teachers by name. I would hover nearby, hoping they would realize I had a question. also, I was the new girl, and the existing cliques seemed impenetrable. To make matters worse, I was a late reader and had difficulty articulating half the alphabet.
By middle school, I was ready to throw myself into the mix. It was not always pretty. I got tossed out of classes for giggling uncontrollably. I navigated earning my first “D” and getting demoted in math. And I had a knack for choosing overly dramatic and bossy friends, and I accidentally dyed my hair brassy orange. I agreed to go to a school dance with a boy, only to panic when I realized this involved actually going to a dance with a boy. One day I got busted for passing notes in class and for finishing overdue homework in the girl’s bathroom.
On the plus side, I figured out how to connect with teachers, and I learned I could solve math problems when I made an effort. I discovered that books kindled my imagination and provided a mental escape. Sports play a useful role also, allowing me to burn off excess energy and improve my focus. I shifted social groups more than a few times. Overall, it was the typical junior high experience, one I relive frequently as a middle school counselor and as the parent of kids in the seventh and eighth grade. Long before social-emotional learning became a buzzword in education circles, I was stumbling along, acquiring self-awareness and problem-solving skills
There is no instruction manual for how to get through Middle School
However, YOUR child can develop skills like perseverance and resilience. Most kids learn as I did through trial and error.
Here are some of the things I learned along the way that helped me and they may help YOU also on your journey:
Make good friend choices
Accept a teacher even if they are not a match for you
Create organizational and homework system that works for YOU
Take responsibility for YOUR grades
Learn to self-advocate
Self-regulate emotions
Cultivate passions and recognize limitations
Make good choices
This is Annie Shy signing off but I will be back with some more stories about my school years.
Balancing the Growth of Independence, Self-Management With Respect for Parental Authority?
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