Helping Students Succeed in High School Kelly Ingraham-Friedman 9 th Grade Special Education Eric Rosen School Psychologist

Areas where incoming 9 th graders tend to struggle: Transitioning to High School Organization Study Skills Test-Taking Strategies Time Management Independence

Transitioning to High School Academic Challenges  Additional & More Demanding Classes  Increased Homework  Slightly Different Structure & Requirements  Increased Pressures Social Challenges  “Where do I fit in?”  More Freedom- Good thing? Bad thing?  Self-Advocating  Finding Success & Coping with Failure

Transitioning to High School What Parents Can Do At Home:  Appropriate Communication with School Personnel  Appropriate Communication with Your Child- Find Quality Time  Provide Encouragement/Praise & Expectations/Consequences  Limit & Monitor Computer/Video Game Time  “Sink or Swim” “Teachable Moments”  Experiencing Both Success and Failure is a Good Thing- Teaches Resilience  Allow Your Child to Explore What Works for Them  Pick Your Battles What Supports are Offered at CHHS:  Big Buddy Program  Internet Resources- schoolnotes.com & eChalk  Counseling  Learning Lab  High School Survival Skills Group (HSSSG)

Organization Challenges  The Black Hole Back Pack  Notebooks, Binders, & Folders  Locating Material, Homework, etc  Knowing What is Due When Possible Solutions  Make time to clean, purge, organize backpacks, notebooks, folders, etc.  Explore Organizational Options (i.e. Expandable File Folders)  Create Checklists at Home, Post Due Dates for Long Term Assignments  Use Internet Resources & Encourage Your Child to do so as Well  Ask to See the Homework in Progress or Completed  Don’t Fall for Excuses

Study Skills Challenges  “I’m studying the same way I did at PVC, but I’m not doing as well”  “I don’t know what to study”  THE SUPER EGO “I never study and I always ace tests” Possible Solutions  Learning Lab  Helping Period  Explore Different Study Strategies at Home  Provided a Location for Studying- watch out for the computer  Quiz and Drill with Your Child  Utilize Internet Resources  Make the Time to Study

Test-Taking Strategies Challenges  Pacing  Reading & Rereading Questions to Ensure Proper Comprehension  Different Formats Require Different Strategies: Multiple Choice, Short Answer, Essay, Open Note, etc.  Test Anxiety, Freezing Up, Going Blank, etc Possible Solutions  Learning Lab & HSSSG Provide Students with Different Strategies & Practice  Testing Center  Create &/or Take a Practice Test at Home  Helping Period to Check in With Teachers  Group or Individual Counseling/Activities to Work on Reducing Anxiety

Time Management Challenges  Balancing Academics with Sports, Recreational, Religious, and/or Family Obligations  On Average Students Will Have 30 mins. minimum of Homework Every Night (or more for larger assignments)  Determining How Much Time to Set Aside for Homework and Studying  Long-Term Planning  Social Distractions Possible Solutions  Use a Calendar or Day Planner- Post This at Home  Calculating How Much Time is Needed  Learning How to Prioritize  Recognizing When Too Much is on a Child’s Plate  Emphasize That Academics Comes First  Communicate - Alleviating Any Additional Obligations When Appropriate

Increasing Independence As students get older they are coming into their own. Allow and encourage them to be more independent learners Self-Assessment and Self-Reflection Self-Advocacy Teachable Moments are Important Finding their Voice Discovering what kind of student/learner they are and what their needs are on their own

Useful Technology Skills Familiarize Yourself and Your Child With:  and eChalk through the school’s website  ing, attaching files  flashdrives  google docs