Anyone else find 7th grade really challenging?

[kpgclark]

Everyone in our district says 7th grade is extremely difficult for children to adjust to. I know this to be true for my son. Does anyone feel 7th grade is especially hard for kids? What strategies do you use to get your children to complete homework which for us is quite voluminous? When your child gets into a "funk" how do you bring him back to begin working hard on homework?

Personally I think the school is pushing the kids way too hard this year. They hardly have any free time and always have homework on the weekend. I think it is too much too soon and the kids emotionally have a hard time coping.

 

[Frantasmic]

I agree. My daughter is in private school, and it isn't any easier. She has tons of homework. The teachers aren't letting up so this is one of those facts of life. They have to learn coping mechanisms to hang on until Christmas. It's their job. A little early to be learning that lesson, I know, but that's the breaks.

 

[spazzyjazzy]

It's even harder when the past two teachers who you would think would be helping with the responsibilities that come with 7th grade. My son's 5th and 6th grade teacher did not enforce the hoemwork policy. My son started out struggling with all the homework he is getting now is 7th grade. He is finally getting used to it. His school is so strict when it comes to responsibility if the kids aren't prepared for class they have to stay after school in study hall called "sandtrap". If homework is not done then they have to stay after. Some of the teachers don't give full credit for late homework or they don't give credit at all. It has been a hard adjustment. Any ideas would help. My son just did his 3rd day of sandtrap. Not because of homework though. MOnday was because he forgot his red pen for math, Tuesday because he forgot his pencil and today because his cover page from his agenda was torn off. The agenda is treated as a major necessity at his school. It has to be taken care of otherwise they get sandtrap. But, the cover is made of coverstock. There is no way that it can stay meticulous being shoved in a backpack or locker everyday. I think that it should have been made of a sturdier material.
So, I totally agree is has been hard.

 

[kpgclark]

I think some of the teachers have unrealistic expectations. My son tries hard on his homework (mostly). He always has to have his name, class period, and date on his work. Well he got HALF CREDIT on his English homework because he had these items in THE WRONG ORDER. Give me a break! On top of the extreme difficulty of material and the hard tests they can sometimes be a little anal when it comes to things they should give kids a break on. Also he has to turn in ALL his homework before homeroom.

 

[spazzyjazzy]

I am soooo glad that I am not the only one that seems like it is so much harder for them. I feel like I am stressing myself out over this stuff.

 

[DVCLiz]

Aaaah, seventh grade!! SO glad I'm going through it for the last time!!!! At DD12's school, the agenda is a major lifesaver as far as organization is concerned. Thankfully, they don't care about the cover, but we have many homework rules, etc. Starting in 5th grade, if they forgot their homework it was counted as a zero, and parents weren't allowed to bring forgotten items in. If a parent brought something, the kid still got a zero! It took some parents a while to learn that lesson. This year, if something is late it's ten points off. DD is finally learning some good organizational skills, although we still have our moments.

She had a compostion paper due this week. They have been learning the "rules" for 3 years, so if it is not double spaced, with one inch margins, in 12 point Times New Roman, it will be counted off. The teachers are VERY particular and by 7th grade, the kids are expected to know and follow those ruls, no exceptions.

I will say it makes high school a breeze if your kids can adjust now to the strict rules, but it sure does make middle school feel longer!!!

 

[tmt martins]

7th grade here is the same way the High schools really look at this and 1st trimester of 8th. So they push them real hard .

I was real proud of the way DD came through it with all the other growing issues they face at that age as well.She is in a private school and doing harder work then her cousin is doing 2 grades higher in a public highschool.

I know most won't agree but a nice reward for trying is really a great idea for getting them motivated in this hard time.

 

[Pop Daddy]

they where all hard for me, I still dont get that homework junk

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I'm an 8th grader, and, trust me, it's harder. A lot harder. This year, even though it's only October, my teachers are already pushing for higher standardized testing grades. My language arts teacher has expectations for my class that's through the roof. (I'm in the Gifted and Talented class.)

Yes, I was stressed out with homework for the past two weeks. How I stopped stressing, I'll never know. It's nice to have some free time again.