The First Steps

Dear Pre-AP Literature Parents, Guardians, and Students
First of all, thank you so much for sharing your sons and daughters with Tahoma High School and with me.  It truly is a blessing to be their teacher, as the first day has already reminded me :-).

My goal this year is to keep a bi-weekly blog for Pre-AP students and their parents.  I hope to share information about adapting to high school, preparing for college, improving reading/writing/analysis skills, class activities, and other information that might benefit you as a parent. I'll try not to be too wordy! I would love to have you respond with your suggestions, thoughts, questions, reflections, and anything else you wish to post.

Of course, if you don't wish to participate or simply don't have the time, that's absolutely fine, as well.

So...to begin...

Today and tomorrow I get to meet your sons/daughters for the first time.  While we as teachers view the high school setting as our second home, the new structures,expectations, and people can be intimidating for some students.  You can safely reassure your student that moving to a new building is a time of transition for all sophomores, and that we as teachers and administrators understand that they may be confused as to how things work and what the rules are.  Encourage them to ask questions of their peers, older students, their Link Crew leaders, and staff; to listen to the announcements; to read the information in their planner and on the website; and to give themselves time to get adjusted.  This year again we are all working on the concept of One School, and we truly want students to feel at home here.  Please let them know that I am happy to help them in any way I can and to feel free to ask questions of me, either in person or via e-mail.

I have taught, including subbing, in a total of 10 school districts over 34 years (the last 16 years or so here at THS), and I can truly say that this is the warmest, most welcoming school I have attended.  Your son/daughter is very lucky to be a student here!  There is a multiplicity of clubs and sports to join, and the school is also supportive of students who wish to create their own clubs.  The happiest, most positive students are those who look for and find their niche here--there truly is a niche for every student.  If one club or activity isn't appealing, encourage them to try another until they find a place they fit.  If they need suggestions, have them talk to Dave Peters, the Activities Director, or to any of their teachers.

One warning:  if your sophomore is your oldest child, you may not be aware that sometimes friend groups shift, change, or even disintegrate during tenth grade.  Some students decide to re-invent themselves; some move into a group with different values; some grow up rapidly and feel themselves distanced from their old friends.  If this happens to your son or daughter this year, let them know that it is normal, although painful.  Encourage them to seek out new friends, friends with whom they may have more in common than the geographical connections of their elementary or middle school friends.  Ultimately, most students find themselves in a group that is a better fit for them, but the heartbreak can be real and harsh for awhile.

The final opening piece of advice I would give is to ask your sons/daughters how they are doing in terms of keeping track of assignments.  Are they using the teachers' websites to check homework and assignments?  Are they checking Skyward for missing assignments or incorrectly entered grades? Have they developed a system for Blue/Gold classes, i.e, different backpacks or binders?  Are they using the planner that the school handed out?  With more homework in high school, and a generally more active social life, stronger organizational skills may be necessary.

So, my pieces of advice in a nutshell are:  Allow Time to Adjust. Ask Questions.  Expect That Friends May Change. Strengthen Organizational Skills.

What advice would you offer other parents?  Are there other issues in the first month of high school that I've overlooked?  If you have older children, what helped them to be successful?  If you are a student reading this, do you have any advice as yet?  What do you wish you'd known before the first day of school?

I'd love to have you post.

Thanks for reading, and I'll post again in two weeks.