Why is the 6th grade so traumatic?

I always put myself in my kids shoes and wonder how they will/would feel about everything and I am terrified for ds next year (I will probably be more affected than he will be )!! We have 2 wonderful 5th grade teachers that love our kids but 6th will be different story! Hard transition year, but we will all get through! Great advice Magnolia and DD! Thanks!

 

I feel sorry....

for the teachers, the parents, and most important our children and grandchildren! I feel it will have a very bad reaction on everyone treating everyone badly due to stress if kept up. Eventually, all our kids (teachers, parents) will be on pills to try to help them through all this trauma inflicted on them by all the testing, and bottom line numbers (money). Is this what we what our children, our future to become? Unfortunately, we are our worst enemies, following this funding tied to scores. Is this what our children's childhood memories will be? Stopping to cry now...Peekaboo

 

When my daughter was going from elementary school to middle and then again from middle to high school I took her to the school during the summer for a tour alone. We mapped it out so that she would understand where the lunch room was, lockers, etc. In doing this I called ahead to make sure the Principal would be at the school so that we could introduce ourselves.

AIG children used to be in a classroom with AIG children. Several years ago it changed so that classrooms were mixed. In both middle and high school my daughter has been asked by the teacher to explain how to do something to the class because students were not understanding. At first it made me mad but now I understand that sometimes the language used by a child their own age helps them understand something better.

Each grade gets harder and harder both socially and educationally. Please understand that the AIG children will get extra assignments that other children do not get. This is because they have the brains to be able to move ahead of what is taught. My daughter took the SAT in seventh grade and Algebra II in eighth grade. She is now a sophomore in high school and is in classes with seniors. As a freshman she was in classes with seniors and believe me the seniors don't like it, but they don't mind so much when the kid is a sophomore.

I hate the No Child Left Behind Act. I hate EOGs. I hate that a teacher cannot let the children go into too much discussion off topic because they must teach to the test.

We, as parents, must let administrators, school board members, etc. know how we feel on these areas. Our children have suffered under this law.

Yes, I dislike the attendance policy. One can have several absences listed as one but the child still must makeup the work. They should have to makeup the work. What we do is talk to each teacher to get assignments for the week and let them know of the absence. Missing a test, quiz or exam will have to be made up during lunch, before school or after school. Makes sense to me. What doesn't make sense is making sure that absences are lumped together as one or counting the whole day as an absence due to a doctors appointment. Stupid, stupid. Let the administration know how stupid that policy is but remember they have laws they have to abide by for the number of minutes a child has to be in attendance to pass. Stupid law.

If my child were being emotionally or physically abused I would sit my fanny down in the Principal's (sp) office and discuss this. I would also let each teacher know is happening. Throughout the years I have audited my daughter's classes and in doing so have met the children in the class. I try to focus in on those my child have pointed out to me to befriend them and ask them questions about their attire, music, grades, etc. In doing this I have found that they leave her alone.

Hope this helps, somewhat. Gotta love that No Child Left Behind Act. We need to change the name to All Children Are Left Behind.

Sherry

 

I think....

that we should send these comments to all the presidential candidates. Change is sorely needed...not later down the line..NOW!

 

My son goes to McGees Middle he is in 6th. He has been bullied constantly by a group of boys, one of whom is 14 years old and still in 6th. This boy is still failing and is suppose to be promoted to 8th because of his age. (This is what I have heard not necessarily right.) They have stollen his books by breaking into his locker, no one has been punished. Yes there was witnesses and the kid said he did it. I have been to school, reports have been filed. This 14 year old wanna be gansta has threatened to came to our house and shoot the entire family damage our house and cars. Still nothing is done. I told my son to tell them to come to our house and bring their parents with them, because I would make sure no one leaves the property without bruises. The threats have stopped. You may think I am wrong, but you want to threaten my family I will come after you full force, I don't care how old or how stupid you are.

 

Oh and also he has great teachers this year. Mr Anderson is so wonderful he makes learning something you want to do. And Ms. Barber is gentle but firm.

 

My nephew had a tough time in elementary school. He is immature for his age, so my sis and I thought he would be "eaten alive" in middle school. I am SO glad we were wrong! He has had the best year ever!! I am so thankful for all of his teachers at FO Middle School.

 

don't make me go all rebecca demornay on your ***...

 

It's because the parents these days coddle their kids to the point of their reality is so far fetched it screws the kid up for life! Thank a hippy.

 

The middle school years are the most confusing and disruptive time in a Family's life. You are dealing with 2 separate and large animals at the same time.

1) The Pre-Teen years; they are no longer the 'lil ones yet they are not teenagers yet either. Their bodies and mind process are going through changes and no two children are changing at the same pace. These children are straddling two different age groups and on any given day don't know which group they fit in. The parents need some guidance as to how to handle which child woke up in bed that morning. The family can be turned upside down during those 3 precious years; 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

2) The EOG's; a knee-jerk reaction from the bombardment of the media crusifying the education system for allowing students to graduate high school without being able to read and for allowing students, year after year, to be allowed to fall through the cracks. In response to the large out crying of society, the EOG was born. At the time, back years ago, when the EOGs were being tossed around as the 'answer' or 'cure' for the ills of the education system - I strongly opposed it. Any knee-jerk reaction usually is not a good answer/ cure. Since then, I don't know that much has been 'tweeked' to improve the problems within the EOGs/ No Child Left Behind. Each year flows into the next and no one is standing up and saying "Hey! There's a problem here and it needs to be looked at!"

I remember all too well the middle school years of my children. At times I didn't know if either my kids or I would survive to their 9th grade. But with bumps and bruises (metaphorically speaking) along the way we made our way to 9th grade and beyond.

I will say that I took the approach that above all else I am my child's parent and not the school. My son failed a few quarters along the way because of the quantity of absences. Did the principal and teachers fuss? Heck yea. But in the end I told them that I knew my child passed that quarter with good grades and if Bronchitis caused him to fail then it was the principal and teacher who would have to get a grip, not me.

 

LOL But I'm the crazy person

 

Other than the Hippy part, I agree with you. This generation has been so coddled it is freaking employers out.

 

there's the one scene where she has the kids at the playground and another kid is being mean to one of "her kids", so she goes over and puts the fear of god in this little boy....she was above nothing when it came to protecting "her kids"...

 

As I am. I could tell some stories. :twisted:

 

so glad my boys are grown:hurray::hurray::hurray: