It can be a tricky balancing act for parents who want the best for their children but don\u2019t want to pressure or burden them with high expectations for their future. How can parents become more involved in their child’s education, what can be done to help them prepare for college, and is middle school too soon to even think about college?<\/p>\n
The answer to the last question is simple, it\u2019s never too soon to think about your child\u2019s future. There are always things to consider and things you can do to help nurture your child’s development. To that end, we have broken down the top three things parents should consider when thinking about their son\/daughter\u2019s academic future.<\/p>\n
Plan Ahead and Highlight the Benefits of a Good Education<\/strong><\/p>\n We briefly touched on this in the intro to the article, planning ahead and thinking about college from an early age can be a great tool in structuring your child’s educational development. With clearly defined long term goals, you and your child can map out effective strategies that highlight areas for improvement, incorporate them into their study\/revision time.<\/p>\n Effective planning in middle school can help make the transition into high school much more comfortable for your child. Knowing where their passions and strengths lie, will inform them on\u00a0 what classes to take in high school when it comes time to make that decision.<\/p>\n Understandably, convincing your child to think so far ahead and plan for their future career can be a tricky endeavour, but it’s worth planting those seeds early on so that they can make more informed decisions about their lives. Having said that, it is important that you don\u2019t pressure your child into mapping our their entire future just yet. This is a time for them to think about their lives and to explore every available option. Nurture that process and encourage them to dream big, emphasising that a good education can go a long way.<\/p>\n Afterall, that’s what people go to college for. Beyond the degree, college allows people to expand their horizons, meet new people, and explore their options. Those experiences will better prepare them for adult life and a college degree can by tremendously beneficial for their careers. Regardless of the subject matter, a degree shows employers that they are capable of working independently, completing assignments, meeting deadlines and organising themselves.<\/p>\n Build Their Skills in English and Math <\/strong><\/p>\n Students currently in middle school will most likely be studying pre-algebra<\/a>, as it tends to be taught to students in 7th<\/sup> or 8th<\/sup> grade. The course is often used as an introduction to Basic algebra<\/a> or Algebra 1<\/a>, covering topics that will be built upon in grades 9, 10 and 11.<\/p>\n The reason students are exposed to algebra at a young age is that it not only develops their problem solving skills, but it\u2019s also one of the key things that colleges look for in potential students<\/p>\n The school system does a fairly good job at teaching students the basics and exploring more advanced forms of algebra<\/a>, but we\u2019d strongly recommend looking into\u00a0 a study guide for pre-algebra<\/a> to help cement your child’s understanding of the topic. In doing so, they will have a much better grasp of algebra<\/a> when they\u2019re introduced to it later in their academic life.<\/p>\n We\u2019d offer the same advice for English studies too. Your child will need to have a good grasp of the English language and will be required to demonstrate this in the application process. Take advantage of the study tools available to them.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Study, Study, Study<\/strong><\/p>\n It cannot be stressed enough, studying outside of school hours can make a dramatic difference to your child’s performance in exams and assignments. Not only that, it will also help them to perform better in their day to day classes.<\/p>\n Getting into good study habits can also help them mentally prepare for college and the demands of the workload and the level of commitment needed to succeed. Setting aside an hour or two each evening to go over the class content or to prep for upcoming exams, can help them to better digest the information and more importantly, to retain it.<\/p>\n As mentioned above, a good grade in mathematics will go a long way in providing opportunities for your child at high school and college level. Many courses require basic math<\/a>, so it would be wise to spend some time studying areas for improvement outside of school hours.<\/p>\n![\"study](\"https:\/\/www.studypug.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/planning.jpg\")
![\"math](\"https:\/\/www.studypug.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/graphs.jpg\")
\n<\/strong>If you\u2019re a parent thinking about your child\u2019s educational future and what to know how to prepare for college,\u00a0 you should know that for most colleges, a passing grade in English and math is required. Depending on the subject matter, there may be also be an additional requirement for science.<\/p>\n![\"study](\"https:\/\/www.studypug.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/laptop.jpg\")
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