How to prepare my soon to be 9th grader for high school (private school, scholarships)

[tnff]

Other than reading, let him have the summer off from school. His mind needs the break and HS will be plenty work enough without adding extra during the summer. I'm not one who believes in non-stop school. Instead, I believe the mind needs periods of rest/alternate activity to process what was rushed over the previous year and time to grow. When he gets in HS there will be plenty of hours of class, homework, and study.

[citylove101]

Originally Posted by psikeyhackr

What is wrong with fiction?

There is nothing wrong with popular fiction or established literature. But most kids manage to find and read the former on their own -- whatever the genre -- while they get the "classics" in school as a matter of course.

What's missing is substantial non-fiction reading. (Something, incidentally, the Common Core says schools should require more of.) Frankly, I'm surprised at how few kids I've met who can actually find a whole non-fiction book about something they like and read it--which is something I did as a matter of course growing up. I don't think that happens much anymore and it's everyone's loss. The earlier kids can get accustomed to the fact that everything important you read isn't a tweet or a text message, and that it's somehow connected to real issues rather than tabloid concerns, the better off we'll all be.

Repeat: Get the kid reading non-fiction early and he'll be ahead of the game.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by sahmof2boys

Hi

Are there any teachers/educators/school counselors out there. Can you please tell me what I can do to help my son prepare for high school during the summer? Also, what steps to take to make sure he's on track during the school year? Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated.. thanks in advance.

My oldest boys (twins) graduated in May. My advice to you:

Attend the parent's night/open house to meet the teachers and see how THEY want you to "make sure he's on track."

Other than that, I would assume he has been building study skills throughout his school years. It's not as if he will just show up for high school with no clue what to do, right??

Or will he? Is there a reason you are asking? What kind of middle school student was he? That is when they are supposed to take on more responsibility for their own performance.

Do you find that you have to prompt him constantly to get his work done? Because you're supposed to begin backing off during this time.

[davebarnes]

Show him how to smoke in the Boys' Room without getting caught.

[greenvillebuckeye]

I'm just thankful every day I don't teach freshmen. I teach sophomores, which are pretty much freshmen with one year under their belts. In fact when I was in high school back in the mid 90s we had even had a saying among ourselves as students that "freshmen have an excuse to be dumb, sophomores are just annoying".

The 9th grade year is by far the make or break year. More students drop out after their 9th grade year than any other year of high school. Statistically if a kid can make it through their 9th grade year with all their credits or close to it AND they return then the chances of them graduating on time greatly increase. Not implying that that would be a challenge you will face but just tossing it out there just in case.

[PeachSalsa]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Show him how to smoke in the Boys' Room without getting caught.

Only the losers smoke in high school.

OP, I agree with the reading. One can never read too many books. The more one reads, the better writer one becomes. The vocabulary increases. Comprehension increases. Read, read, read. My kids (all in their 20s) STILL are voracious readers (as is their mother). They always read stacks of books in the summer. All were honors students, all the way through college. I attribute that to their reading.

[psikeyhackr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM5gnNg7JTI

[Meyerland]

Has your son taken any standardized tests that you can review. (Stanford, Iowa, etc...)

If so, they give you a general idea in how they are doing in the core subjects.

I usually pick one or two areas to focus on during summer.

[katjonjj]

Originally Posted by AMSS

Does he have summer work. My daughter finishes freshman year tomorrow and had a few packets, novels and tenmarks to get through for her classes - she was doing all honors, but I know every student had some sort of summer assignment.

I've found with my kids that it's actually the parent that has more preparing to do. Be prepared to take a step back. Keep up with your child's grades - which may drop in the beginning (especially if it's honors), encourage, but if he's a good student who wants to do well...he will work at it and pull it off. We are on block scheduling and some good advice given by the administrator was to take a year study hall if the kid is doing a sport or some time consuming extra-curricular.

Yes it is more the parents that need to adjust than the student. My kids adjusted well to both middle school/junior high and high school. It is a natural progression to responsible adulthood.

They found freedom in their situation. I would prepare him more in the romantic situation area than academics. There is more pressure to have a "girlfriend" and other stuff but realistically high school is actually mentally easier than middle school/junior high.

[OptimusPrime69]

Tell ur kid to be nice and not engage in bullying.
Tell him to get involved with clubs and orgs/sports teams, etc.
Tell him to keep his GPA up and make sure it stays UP.
Tell him to prep for the SAT/ACT
Tell him to attend class
Tell him it only lasts 4 years and you'll eventually be free, give him hope.
Tell him to avoid drugs and alcohol (or at least dont let it become his identity)
Tell him to behave in class and form relationships with teachers (good teachers)
Lastly, tell him to have fun and enjoy it, for what it's worth.