As a fifth grade teacher in a grades 5-8 middle school, I am well-accustomed to the fears that come with going to middle school for the first time.
First of all, parents---usually you have more fears than your kids do! Many times the kids are looking forward to feeling "older" and not so "elementary" anymore, but it is Mom and Dad who are worried about how middle school will go.
Here are my tips for surviving the first few days of middle school:
1. Practice locker ahead of time. Each school is different. My school has a "Survivor Camp" where our new fifth graders come early to meet their teachers, practice their lockers, and tour the school. If your school doesn't have an orientation, see if it is acceptable for you to come by early with your child to work on their locker. The locker is a HUGE FEAR of many new middle schoolers! For your child to walk in on the first day confident with the tricky combination to that highly-desired locker---well, that would alleviate a lot of pressure off of him!
2. Know that the teachers are there to help you. The teachers really want what's best for you (or your child). Trust that they will assist in any way they can and that they are cognizant of the fears that come with the first few days of middle school.
3. You are starting fresh! Remind your child that change can be good. I always tell my students on the first day of school, "You can be anyone you want to be here! I don't know how you behaved last year. You don't have to be the same person you were last year. If you didn't do your homework last year, you can do it this year, and I'll assume that you always have done it! If you got in trouble last year, work on following the directions this year, and I'll assume you always have been a rule-follower!" As scary as a new school can be, there is a benefit in being able to "start fresh."
4. You are not alone. If your child is feeling nervous, know that the other 130 (or however many are in the grade) students feel the same way. There's always a little nervousness about the unknown, but within a few days this place will feel as comfortable as your former school. Explain to them that EVERYONE is feeling anxious/nervous/antsy.
5. Try new things. Encourage your child to sign up for a new club or try out for a sport. Get involved. The best way to feel at home at a school is to be involved in it. Try something new!
6. Make copies. Make copies of your child's schedule so if they lose the original, they can still know where to go. They can keep a copy in each of their folders/notebooks until they feel comfortable with the new schedule. That is another big fear---not being in the right room at the right time!
7. Laugh it off. Something WILL happen that embarrasses you. It's middle school. It happens to everybody. Have the attitude of "I'm going to laugh this off. It's not the end of the world. This is still going to be an awesome day."
8. Talk to someone new. You can still be friends with your elementary school friends, but you may find out that you can widen your circle and get to know a lot more people with different students in your different classes. Don't be afraid to get to know someone new!
There's probably a lot more I could say, but those 8 tips can help you (or your child) survive the first few days in their new middle school. And before you know it, that scary new place won't be scary at all anymore!
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