It’s spooky season!
Pumpkins are out. Costumes are being coordinated. Haunted houses are being screamed at!
And maybe the scariest of all - ninth graders have come to or are coming to the end of the first quarter of their high school experience and they are hoping their marking period grades are not a frightening nightmare.
Going just as fast as a night of trick-or-treating when you were younger, about nine weeks have passed since the beginning of their school year. It has hopefully been a time of growth and development of academic skills, personal responsibility, and functioning while also remembering to get yourself out there to broaden your social circles and try new things.
But just like the scary, uncomfortable mask that torments you as you walk around the neighborhood and eventually gets worn on the top of your head for most of the night, not everyone’s beginning of high school goes well.
This might be the first time that a student is challenged academically in a class and doesn’t know how to react.
They may have tried out for a team and not made the cut.
The friends you had in middle school may not want to talk to you anymore.
All of these things, and many more, go into the cauldron that is stirred together to create your 9th-grade experience.
So instead of giving you mini Tootsie Rolls, Nerds Clusters, and lollipops, I offer to you a list of tricks - things to avoid - and treats - things to do - in order to help you avoid a terrifying remainder of your 9th-grade year.
Feel free to take as many of the treats as you want. I wouldn’t be silly enough to put out a bowl and post a sign that says, “Please take just one!” and expect you not to take the whole thing.
Trick: Forgetting to do the simple, everyday classroom things.
Leaving your name on papers. Losing your notes and not handing in papers on time. Eventually, all of these little things add up and can impact your ability to get the grades you want. They also tend to pile up as the marking period goes on, raising student anxiety levels and creating what feels like an insurmountable task of getting yourself back on track.
Treat: Coming up with a system to keep everything in order.
You have probably figured out that there will be more work in high school than in middle school. Managing your time is crucial to your success. Some simple tips include writing down assignments, either digitally or in a planner, attempting to work ahead, and using your study hall time while in school to get work done instead of playing Retro Bowl.
Trick: Using your technology too much
At this point, every educator and student knows the impact of cell phones in the classroom and the distractions they can cause. If your school doesn’t have a way of helping you regulate phone usage (my school requires students to put phones in a pouch during all instructional time) then it is critical that you figure out a way to self-regulate your own phone usage. You can’t learn if you are constantly attempting to live in your phone’s virtual world.
Also, don’t rely on Google for the answer to every question on your worksheet. Teachers present you with the information you need in your class to be successful. Use that information from class to answer questions, not the first link in the search results.
Treat: Learning How To Ask For Help
This is a skill that can benefit all students at all levels but is particularly important for incoming freshmen since there are so many things they do not know. Admitting weakness is often tough, especially for students who have been successful throughout elementary and middle school. The majority of staff members in a high school are there because they want to help kids. Seeking out a trusted adult - whether it is a counselor, teacher, coach, staff member or custodian - can be a critical step in getting the support that is needed. Remember not to save all of your academic help questions until five minutes before the test. Reach out as soon as you feel like something doesn’t make sense.
Trick: Letting yourself get sucked into the drama.
During those first days of high school, everyone wants to fit in and feel a part of something, whether it is a peer group, club, or activity. But it is important to remember the distinction between friends that will lift you and those that will haunt your ability to fulfill the dreams you have. I often tell students that I have different friends who I would hang out with on a Friday night than I have if I need to get work done and an important part of life is figuring out who those people are.l
Treat: Finding your people and getting involved.
High school offers so many opportunities to explore different things and expand your horizons. It is OK to go to a club once and not go back if you don’t like it. There is someone in your school who will share similar interests to you and I hope that you will have a way to connect with them.
For more tips like this and to hear from current students, teachers working with 9th-grade student, and other adults sharing advice on how to survive and thrive in 9t grade, go to www.9thgradeexperience.com to hear and see the latest episodes of the 9th Grade Experience Podcast
