Young adolescents are known for their reluctance to discuss school with their parents, yet we know that family involvement with the school and interest in what their children do at school lead to greater student achievement. Middle school teachers should devise homework and projects which require that students speak to or join with family members to accomplish a specific task. Assignment notebooks give parents and guardians the opportunity to review a day's or week's work and open up dialogue. Often the community is largely unaware of the excellent education being offered in their schools. Teachers and administrators could well spend more time on simple, inexpensive ways of publicizing their programs.
Most young adolescents express social concerns.
Middle school teachers are keenly aware that their classrooms do not exist in a vacuum. The more the lines and boundaries are blurred, the more families and the community can reach in and connect with students. Consequently, more students can then safely explore the larger world. What you can do Know the importance of catching students doing the right thing and of regularly delivering positive messages to students' families. Broaden your methods of meeting and communicating with students' families.