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[quote=pbraverman][quote=Anonymous]We are looking into sending our current 7th grader to boarding school.  He is a B student who puts in no effort currently at school (MCPS) and has become increasingly difficult to deal with at home.
Anyway, looking for any help in getting started with research or recommendations.  I'm lost as to even where to start other than google searches.
[/quote]

It's not uncommon for boys in middle school to become a bit ... uninspired. You might ask his teachers whether his attitude toward school is outside the norm for what they see.

It's also common for middle schoolers to become surly and argumentative. One of the primary tasks of adolescence is to declare, "I'm independent!" In many instances, the closer you are to your son, the harder he's going to have to push against you to become his own person. I don't have nearly enough information to suggest reasons he may not be performing well in school, but I would do your best on his attitude changes by trying to set clear boundaries and not to engage the worst confrontations with the "miniature attorney" (per Wendy Mogel's brilliant phrase). Depending on your child's temperament, there is probably nothing you (or he) can do to "fix" it — it's normal, what we used to call "a phase," so just ride it out. It usually resolves in (ugh) two to three years.

I don't know your motivations for the question about boarding school. I worked in a boarding school for five years and loved the experience, as did the kids I met there, some of whom have become good friends as they've become adults. However, I think it's important to consider it because you believe it's a good path, not as a "punishment" for normal, if objectionable, preadolescent behavior. Parents who use boarding school as a threat risk setting their children up for a miserable experience, and a sense that their parents are turning them out at the time they may need clear parenting most.

If you decide to go with it, I second the recommendation for Clare (no "i") Anderson. I've known her a long time and she's a total pro. She's on Old Georgetown in Bethesda.

Good luck!
Peter
_____________________

Disclaimer: The anonymity here makes me uncomfortable; it's easy to be uninformed, personal, or simply mean-spirited if people don't identify themselves. For that reason, I have an account so you know whose words you're reading. I have more than 20 years' experience as a teacher and administrator in independent schools, and I hope I can be helpful to some folks. If you don't like something I've said, you're in good company — there's a long line of past students ahead of you. :) If you want to chat further, please feel free to contact me offline: peter &lt;at&gt; arcpd &lt;dot&gt; com[/quote]

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