Dear Middle School Families,

 

Several times in the past few months I’ve been asked by parents about keeping their middle school child meaningfully occupied between the end of school and the beginning of evening routines. Homework fills some of that time, but as we understand more and more about learning development, we - the teachers - have been more judicious about what we assign to students outside of school. This is not only because of research supporting that there is little benefit and some harm to extensive assignments, but because we want to show that we value and support children having rich lives outside of school. The world is wide, their interests are many. We want middle schoolers to have time cultivate hobbies. The reality of the age we live in is that when middle schoolers have unstructured time, they’re often on their phones. What do you do as a parent if you want your child to engage in activities that are rich and rewarding, or to experience the benefits of idle time? Hence the occasional request: Can you just give my child more homework?  

 

The neuroscientist Frances Jensen, who wrote The Teenage Brain, said that the kinds of activities that most help develop the adolescent brain are reading and anything that requires repeated practice. While it may feel simpler to have these activities assigned by teachers, it actually would undercut the most important thing about hobbies - that they are done by choice. That’s not to say there aren’t ways to help support and encourage your child in pursuing interests and cultivating passions. Part of the answer is clarifying the rules about screen time (see my letter about that from earlier in the year). The other is helping to initiate and sustain lifelong learning. Middle school teachers offer some suggestions about how to do this below. The offerings from last week’s Discovery Day are a good starting place! As the days lengthen as we approach the open space of summer summer vacation, there will certainly be opportunity to try some of these out. 

Michelle: Learn something from a grandparent (like crocheting)

Megan: Invest in a pair of binoculars and print a NYC bird list. New York City parks are a stopping ground for migratory birds in the spring!

Jeremiah: Keep a sketchbook! Drawing is a practice-based skill, but you can write, collage, keep photos and so much more.

Amanda: Write a letter to a camp friend or grandparent. Decorate it with stickers.

Robin: Keep a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle in progress for the whole family to work on

Jessica: Plant herbs/plants/succulents indoors

Sherezada: Does your child wonder how something works? A fun family project could be to figure it out together.

Sharyn: Practice yoga.

Suzane: Model reading! Let children see what you value and they will follow suit.

Sarah: Bake together. Start with pie dough from scratch.

Amanda: Be in charge of meal prep for a week.

Alexis: Biking in a local park or nearby greenway.

Clair: Chores. Kids should have jobs around the house that help to support the home and build a sense of investment and responsibility The more a kid feels like they’re a part of the family and the household, the better their behavior and the happier they’ll be in the long run.

Karima: Get a kit and have them build something! 

Momii: Learn to play solitaire (the kind with real cards).

Dimitry: Practice your instrument for 30 minutes a day. If you don’t know what to practice, ask me!

Margaret: Kids should express themselves creatively! Some great ideas for home include short term (not too messy): origami, doodling, solving brain teasers, doodling and coloring. Some longer term (somewhat messy) - tie-dying, papier mache, sewing, yarn crafts.

Ana: I have great memories of teaching myself to juggle when I was in middle school. I went to the park across the street from my house. I liked the privacy of it - that no one I knew was watching and no one was judging my progress.

Rob: My girls and I love to learn a new card game and play it for a night.

Phil: Learning card tricks, always good at a party and when you’re a grandparent.

 

Warmest,