grade 8 parent presentation 2013
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to High School:
Meeting the
Changes and Challenges
• High school counseling
• Changes and challenges
• Grade-level information
• How can I help my child transition
to high school?
“Secondary school counselors are professional educators with a mental health perspective who understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population.”
- from the website of ASCA (American School Counselor Association)
What is the role of the high school counselor...
• social and emotional well-being
• academic goals
• college and career goals
...helping students feel successful about themselves and chool
• build self-esteem, identity, and autonomy
• learn strategies and skills to make good choices (academic, social, emotional, college/career)
• create and maintain healthy relationships
Counselors help students...
How do we do this?
•Guidance Curriculum: delivered to students in grade-level meetings, Flex classes, individual or family meetings (as needed)
• Individual Student Planning: help students develop personal and academic goals, and future plans
•Responsive Services: meeting individual student needs that require counseling, referral, information, or intervention
•Systems Support: support from administration and teachers (team approach)
• “Perhaps the only thing more difficult than being a teenager is parenting one”
• A time of great development: physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively
Challenges and Changes
• Trying to understand who they are or who they are trying to be
• Peer group is the strongest influence
• Increased pressure from peers regarding risky behaviors: alcohol, drugs, sex
• Exploration of boundaries in relationships and behavior
Social Development
• ‘Roller Coaster Ride’ of hormones and mood swings. Often one heartbeat away from laughter or tears.
• Students are evaluating themselves and trying to understand who they are.
• With change comes uncertainty.
Emotional Development
• In tune with technology (digital natives)
• Respond well to cooperative learning, academic variety
• Increase in cognitive and reasoning ability
• Critical thinking and writing skills are emphasized across the HS curriculum
Cognitive Development
• Listen to what your child has to say and offer your support.
• Stay connected and communicate. Spend time together.
• Establish (together with your child) clear rules, specific expectations, and consequences. This sets a tone of respect, trust, and fairness. Review them regularly.
• Respect your teen’s privacy – e.g., knock before entering his/her room!
How can I help with the transition to high school?
• Understand your child is transitioning from childhood (needy, dependent) to adulthood (freedom, trust, responsibility)
• Be a parent first, not a pal. Boundaries are important -- model them.
• Stay in touch with teachers. Be aware of and engaged in what is going on at school. Follow the HS Blog and HS Counselors’ blog.
• Help monitor sleep (average of 9 hours), diet, and exercise, laptop use.
More advice on helping your teen
Teenagers are just people trying to learn how to make it among the
adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.
Congratulations…
In six months, you will be the parent of a high school
student!
First, some vocabulary:
Freshmen Grade 9
Sophomores Grade 10
Juniors Grade 11
Seniors Grade 12
Day A (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A)
Day B (1B, 2B, 3B, 4B)
Homeroom: 8:05 – 8:20
Homeroom: 8:05 – 8:20
Block – 80 minutes Block – 80 minutes
Break - 20 minutes Break - 20 minutes
Block – 80 minutes Block – 80 minutes
Block – 80 minutes Block – 80 minutes
Lunch – 55 minutes Lunch – 55 minutes
Block – 80 minutes Block – 80 minutes
What
does
a
HS
day
look
like?
SAS High School Graduation Requirements
Subject Credit
English 4
Math 3
Science 3
Social Studies 3
Foreign Language
2
PE/Health 2
Fine/Performing
Arts
2
Electives 5
TOTAL 24
• English 9
• Lab Science
• Asian History 9
• Math: per 8th grade teacher recommendation and placement test
• Physical Education/Health 9
Required subjects for grade 9
French – per 8th grade teacher recommendation
Spanish – per 8th grade teacher recommendation
Chinese – per 8th grade teacher recommendation
EAL – per testing and MS EAL teacher recommendation
Foreign Languages:
• Art Foundations
• Introduction to Drama
• Band Intermediate/Advanced
• Orchestra Intermediate/Advanced
• Choir Intermediate/Advanced
• Dance
Fine/Performing Arts Electives:
• counselor meetings/Naviance
• time to meet with teachers
• MAP Assessments
• Supervised Study Flex
• EAL Flex
• productive study time
Students have 7 academic blocks -- the 8th block is FLEX
1. Ask your child for the course selection sheet he/she will receive on March 4.
2. Check out the course description catalog at the high school blog at http://teachers.saschina.org/hspudong/
3. Contact your child’s current teacher if you have questions about a specific subject area.
4. Tell us about your child! Naviance parent survey.
5. Discuss fine arts choices with your child.
6. Submit the selection sheet by March 9 to student’s advisory teacher.
What can YOU do now?
Keep up on high school news by checking the Dr. Borden’s high school blog at:
http://teachers.saschina.org/hspudong
• meeting with HS counselors and teachers on Monday, March 4 about course selection
• grade 9 students will talk to grade 8 students about course selection during advisory on Friday, March 8th
• A Day in the Life of a High School Student: Nuts and Bolts held on Friday, May 31st, for students.
What next?