Reply to The Middle School Problem

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Reply to "The Middle School Problem"

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[quote=Anonymous]I feel ya, OP.  It really is the weak link in the chain and the school system cannot function well without improvements.

Here is what I would recommend.  You'll be more effective if you focus your efforts on places where you are a stakeholder, either because you attend a feeder or live in the boundary.  So if you're at a neighborhood elementary, be the PTA point person on middle school issues.  Set up some transition events for the 4th and 5th graders, take the little kids to cheer for a middle school basketball game, have a PTA mixer with parents from all feeders, etc.  Build out the relationship with an open mind.

Another thing you can do is focus on quality at your school for 3rd-5th.  A lot of PTAs make the mistake of focusing on the little kids because that's where their own kids are so that's what they know the most about.  But everything you do to help the upper elementary grades will result in better-prepared kids entering 6th, whereever they end up enrolling.  If your PTA can afford it, sponsor some aide time for those teachers so that they spend more time teaching and less time on boring admin stuff like making copies.  One hour of minimum wage aide time buys you an hour of teacher time-- great deal, right?[/quote]

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