Support your middle schooler by being an academic coach
An effective coach is someone who guides, encourages and inspires. Thinking of yourself in this role is an effective way to support your middle schooler and promote learning.
To be a positive academic coach:
· Act as a resource. Expect your child to complete assignments independently. But be available to offer encouragement, answer questions and suggest places where your child can find additional information, such as a website or a particular reference book.
· Talk about the things your child is learning. Grades matter, but they are a product of learning. It is more important to emphasize the learning process. This includes hard work, persistence and making steady progress toward goals.
· Be willing to say, “I don’t know.” There will be times when you are not familiar with the material your student is learning. If your child comes to you with a question, it’s OK to say, “I never learned that. Let’s look online or in your book.”
· Keep in mind that your child has strengths and weaknesses. Some students never need help in math, but may struggle in language arts. Support and encourage your middle schooler in every class, but do not expect the same performance in every subject.
Reprinted with permission from Parents Still make the difference!® newsletter. Copyright © 2025 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc. Source: K.T. Alvy, Ph.D., The Positive Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy and Successful Children, Birth–Adolescence, Teachers College Press.