Why is the 6th grade so traumatic?

My grandson is in the 6th grade this year and it has been a traumatic year for all of us. It appears the kids have been thrown from the frying pan into the fire. Teachers don't have time to answer questions.....if the kids get it, okay....if not.....there is no time. Too much is being put on EOG's. Silent lunch seems to be the answer for everything. They are scared to be sick and miss school. I wish doctor appointments could be made at night or weekends as it is a real hassle for them to miss. They don't want kids getting out before 2:15 so appointments have to be made earlier....which means they have to get out earlier. Have not figured that one out yet.

 

Nana,

It seems that things got so wrapped up for NCLB and accountability for testing things that can be tested, that learning seemed to have become secondary.

When did it become more about teaching the test, as opposed to teaching so that a child can apply what they have learned, and therefore pass the test as a matter of course.

My gut call is that in our haste to require accountability (a good thing) we chose to make schools solely responsible for the achievements of the students, neglecting to examine and appropriately recognize the contribution of parents and home in the student's educational achievement.

To be fair, I do see teachers who are "phoning it in." Yet, I have to wonder at what stage a professional checks out of the process? It seems that, for whatever reasons, the passion that teachers begin with are rarely evident during their later years, when they can mentor younger teachers and impassion a love of learning in their students.

H6

 

the day they tied funding to scores

 

6th Grade

I couldn't agree more! My son is in AIG and this year is proving to be a killer. It seems like they just expect them to know how to do things rather than teaching them how to do it. There is never time for questions anymore so they either get it or they don't and it doesn't matter.

I am also very annoyed by the attendance policies. My son missed 4 days last 9 weeks and one so far this nine weeks. Unfortunately, we received some very bad news and have had a death in the family-out of state. My grandmother has passed away and I am actually considering not going because I don't want him to fail. The problem is that if we drive up there, then he will end up missing Monday-Wednesday next week and 1/2 day on Thursday. Will he fail?

I find it hard to believe that there are kids who can go to after school detention every other day and are in trouble constantly who are treated the same as my honor roll student. Heaven forbid if my son does something questionable (like talking in class), it is like the world has stopped spinning but yet these other kids get away with it because it is expected of them. How fair is that?

 

Mine hasn't reached that far yet. As far as the teachers theres good and bad. Some love their job and some don't its that simple. My child has a teacher this year who is wonderful thankyou god.I have heard horror stories from other parents about teachers who act as if they don't care if their kid dosen't get it. I am a pesty mom though, if my childs having problems with something I call and ask Is there something I can do? something she can do? something you can do? Most of the teachers really want the kids to do well they just have so many kids its hard to reach each one of them. I would call and speak to his teacher and ask any questions you have.

 

I hated 6th grade when I was there, and I hate it now.

I feel so stupid trying to help my 12 year old with her math homework, I can't do it!

 

Question(s)...

I have a question! Well, two. ... I'm new to all this eog testing stuff. I know tests were timed last year. Are they still timed? (seems I remember something about them changing it)


DH1 had a 5pt deduction on a paper for handwriting. :shock:
The beginning of 2006-2007 his handwriting was neat and legible. They decided speed was at least as important as accuracy. But now it looks like a Kindergarter does his work. They traded speed for LEGIBILITY! :evil: So now he is reprimanded with lower grades. (Goodbye straight A student! And screw your self esteem too!) <----best wicked witch of the west voice. His handwriting really does look like crap and were working on it, but... :roll: He's type A...maybe even a little neurotic. I have no idea where he gets it from. Everything has always had to be just right and if it reflected on him (such as school work) it has to be 100% correct ALWAYS! When he was assigned writing sentences in 2nd grade using his spelling words, he wrote what looked on paper, a one sentence paragraph! Neat and spelled correctly. But it took him FOREVER! So, they wanted speed. Now his work is misspelled and looks like it was written a confused bilingual.

______________________________________________________________

Question 2: Does any one have suggestions to get his handwriting back on track, without doing the typical kindergarten print practice?

(really would like ideas on that one)

*One thing we are doing is learning to draw small cartoons. (Using very small movements with his fingers and having to write small to fill in the caption boxes.

 

I have 7th and 8th graders now. But when they went to the 6th, it was quite an adjustment. they are trying to find there "niche" there as well as balance out their schedules and lockers and friends and homework and all the extra carricular activities they want to do, etc..etc... When my eldest started the 6th grade, I knew a teacher there at the school personally as out kids and soe other boys all played pop-warner football together and they were all starting the 6th grade together. She said, "Be prepared because the first 9 weeks is going to be awful. Don't get upset or angry or disappointed. This is a culture shock. They have come from baby land to shock city! But by the time the 2nd 9 weeks rolls around, they will be fairly adjusted well." Let me tell ya, if I had not had that info, I would have been nutso!! The fifth grade prepares them pretty well, at McGee's Middle anyway. But all the prepping in the world will still not help in the "peer" stuff. My kids did pretty good and are doing okay now too.

It'll all be okay!!!!!!

 

My son had already attended both Cleveland and West View, been in Scouts and played baseball for a long time so he had friends. That isn't the issue that we are facing, luckily!

My problem is that they expect the AIG kids to just. . . GET IT. Unfortunately, with all of the different teachers they have had over the past 6 years and the different schools these kids have come from, you can't guarantee that each of the kids in these advanced classes has learned this stuff or has grasped the concept of "get it and move on". Even the study groups that some teachers offer isn't a help and some teachers will tell you that. My son's teacher told me that there are so many kids in the after school study group that he probably shouldn't even come because it won't help!

I also have an issue with the "bad" kids getting away with a lot because it is expected of them whereas my son talked in class one day and got a behavior notification. I never even knew that this teacher had a problem, it was just written up one day.

 

I have one more question about absenteeism. If anyone can help me, it would be most appreciated.

My son missed 4 days last 9 weeks and one so far this nine weeks. Unfortunately, we received some very bad news and have had a death in the family in PA. My grandmother has passed away and I am actually considering not going because I don't want him to fail. The problem is that if we drive up there, then he will end up missing Monday-Wednesday next week and 1/2 day on Thursday. Will he fail?

 

McGees Middle???? They make me so frustrated!! They could care less! We have had a problem with bullies.....file an incident report. The child has to be able to give name and identify. They will give him a year book to look at the pictures. Retaliation? I was told they would not stand for it. Who's looking??? G'son has been pushed down, pushed into bookcases, the bruises were there for weeks. Teacher standing there....didn't see a thing. He is scared to death to be sick or have to go to the doctor. They give silent lunches for everything. I told him to enjoy the peace and quiet. Appointments they want scheduled after school. Sometimes that is not possible. Heaven forbid asking to take them out after 2:15. I don't know why they even put that sign up.....don't they know that legally they can not stop a parent from getting their child after 2:15. Do they do it for intimidation?

 

I heard second hand by my niece that a kid last week was ganged up on in the bathroom and beat up pretty bad and he got in trouble for fighting back and it was something like 2 or 3 on 1. I'm not sure if its the way it happened but thats what she said. She told me this last week it could have happened the week before I don't see her everyday so can not be sure when it suppose to have happened.

 

Why is the 6th grade so tramatic??

my grandson had the worst year ever in 6th grade. He got sick and could not catch up the work. Plus dealing with a couple of bullies and stuff. the social part of 6th grade is so hard. He had to go to summer school to pass the eog in math. This year is very different. He is on ab honor roll and has adjusted socially real well. So if they can make it past the year from (you know where) they might be ok for a while. I wish i had it in me to home school. anyway that's our story. grandma macy

 

Usually they will count those as excused and will not fail him. The "four a quarter" is an average. If he misses no more, that should not be a problem. Your administrator SHOULD work with you on the death of a family member or serious illness.

 

Alright guys you all are starting to scare me....any tips on how to get an up and coming 6th grader prepared for the sixth grade?

 

Have him start a journal and write in it during a time when he's relaxed, such as before bed. They often do journals at school, sometimes in English, but it's a pressure situation. He needs to write while he's relaxed...about things he knows about or is excited or upset about. When he is writing for himself only, his own handwriting will develop on it's own and he will learn to pace it comfortably for himself. Get him a really nice journal, not just a spiral notebook. And get one with ruled pages.

Once he's mastered that, he'll be able to gradually write faster when instructed to do so. And if it's not perfect...it's not perfect. Handwriting is very personal...that's why we all have different styles. It's a reflection of the person's personality, and no teacher or course can dictate that. Those who think fast, tend to write sloppy and their letters are thin and often lean to one side more. Those who are more laid-back, tend to write rounder and neater, and their letters are more straight up and down. (just some trivia for ya!)

If he gets discouraged, remind him that doctors have the worst handwriting of us all...and they are pretty smart people.

 

He'll be fine. For you, I'd suggest Valium. (Just kidding)

6th grade is the hardest transitional year for kids, it seems to me...and it's a long year of adjustment. But what an accomplishment when June comes!

They are transitioning at that age, in every way shape and form...socially, academically, meeting new kids from other elementary schools, and of course...you've got those biological changes beginning to kick in too. Put together, it's a trainwreck.

Best recommendation is to be prepared to always be reading between the lines. There will be times when they want and need support...and times when you have to give them more room than you are prepared to give. They'll be clingy one moment and distant and morose the next while they adjust.

If ever there was a time to make sure to keep communication lines open between you and the kidlet...this will be it.

I asked my daughter what she (having been there not too long ago) would recommend, and here is what she said:

1. Even for a boy, make sure he has something to wear the first day that he's comfortable in and that he likes - even if you don't. My daughter said one of her biggest worry was what kind of 1st impression she would make on the new kids she would meet, and that she knew that the visual impression was what they would notice first.

2. Brown bag it for lunch. She said that having lunch with so many more students without the structure of going to lunch with your class such as was done in elementary school, was a little intimidating and that the chaos was "just too much to even consider getting in the lunch line." LOL!

3. She also said that one of the killer first day traumas was that lots of teachers went around the room and asked each person to tell their name and "something about yourself." She didn't expect that, because she didn't think they would do that past elementary school. She recommended telling him a few days before that first day, to come up with a spiel to rehearse on how he would answer that or a similar question. She said that way he'll come out looking confident as all get out!

 

Thanks Magnolia, good tips:mrgreen:

 

And pray...

I would recommend praying.........a lot!

 

Please watch for depression! There is so much pressure. More than any of us go through when changing jobs. When the kids get too quiet, it's time to pay extra attention. My g'son has got to the point he won't discuss what kind of day he has had other than it was good. The intimidation at that school is beyond belief.

I still can't get over the teacher showing the movie on how kids bring weapons to school. If they didn't know then, they know now. Amazing !!

Talk to the Principal? Forget it. She is the first Principal I have ever seen who was so off limits.