Taming Homeschool Middle School Anxiety

The goal of middle school is to prepare your children for high school. Middle school is called Junior High School in some areas. It usually includes grades 7 and 8, although it sometimes includes grade 6 or grade 9 as well. It’s intended to provide a gradual and age-and-ability appropriate transition between the elementary school and high school.

Whether your child is ahead of the curve, or struggling in one or more areas, you simply can’t be “behind” in middle school. Educate your child to meet their current needs, whether they are remedial, on track, or advanced. In fact, the best thing that you can do in middle school is to instill the love of learning, so they look forward to high school. With hands-on learning fun sprinkled in, they’ll hopefully be eager for the in-depth learning in years to come.

The first step for homeschool parents is to understand the purpose for teaching middle school. It is normal during this awkward age for children to flit back and forth between childishness and maturity. Understand that there is a wide variety of abilities between different middle schoolers. Some are super-star academics with excellent work ethic. Some are gifted or academically capable. Others are challenged in one way or another. This wide range of normal is why middle school was created, so college-bound students could do college-prep work not available in elementary school, and remedial students could boost up their skills in preparation for high school level work.

Second, your purpose is to learn about high school. Nationally, most parents stop homeschooling during or after middle school, and in my experience it’s overwhelmingly because of fear. You can remove the fear of homeschooling high school during 7th and 8th grade. Read your state homeschool law. Learn about high school record keeping, and class selection. Get a general understanding of tests. Once the fear of high school is removed, parents are more able to make informed decisions that are best for their children. The High School Solution will give you a deep understanding and confidence about homeschooling high school

The first purpose of junior high is to give struggling students some remedial help. Students below grade level in math can spend the time focusing on math. They can use the time to get up to grade level again. These children aren’t behind. They are using the time given to them for this purpose.

The second purpose of middle school is to allow students ahead of grade level to move straight into high school level work. Children doing high school level work competently, using high school level material with understanding, can include high school credits on their transcript. Algebra 1, biology, and perhaps a foreign language, are common high school level classes that may be taught in junior high.

1. Social benefits: parents have time to shape and mold behavior and ensuring a wholesome environment in curriculum choices and extracurricular activities.
2. Physical benefits: physical maturation rates vary dramatically. Whether students are adult-looking or not, parents can provide appropriate content for their child.
3. Character benefits: parents have the time and ability to instill the values, work ethic, and morals of the family.
4. Family benefits: with additional time with parents and family members, homeschoolers are creating memories and bonds that last a lifetime.
5. Problem solving: rather than facing challenges alone, as students interact with others they have their parents close by and can discuss tough situations that arise.
6. Academic benefits: each student can proceed at their pace in each subject all the time, with their unique learning style in mind, to maximize the love of learning regardless of ability level.
7. Curriculum benefits: parents can choose curriculum appropriate the maturity level, academic need, and learning ability, keeping children challenged, but not overwhelmed.

The best test preparation is a well-educated student, not a well-prepped student. Cover English skills like vocabulary, spelling, simple grammar, reading, and writing. Include math, history, and science each year, and you will do more to increase test scores in high school.

Do not give the SAT® or ACT® test that is beyond their ability. When exposed to tests they simply can’t succeed in, students can develop test anxiety, and feel less confident about tests in general. Instead, use a grade-level test that’s age-appropriate (like the ITBS for 7th grade or CAT-8) so you get a truer measure of ability. One grade-level standardized test each year will give you the information that you need about academic achievement. It will also give the student one experience per year taking a standardized test with a group of friends. They don’t need to prepare for that test, they are simply taking it for practice and you can use the results to guide your curriculum choices next year, while students comfortable with filling in bubble tests in a group, while being timed.