How can i keep my child focused on her education? Her grades are great (all A's)?

Question

She's entering the third grade in the fall. She's know's how important an education is, however I 've read that children's grades begin to slip in middle school.

I want her to be the best student she can be.

Answer 1

Sounds like she already is. IF you push her too much she will begin to resent you for it. Show her you are proud but allow her to be a child still.

Answer 2

Well as a teen who has just gone through middle school a few years ago I noticed my grades did slip in middle school for many reasons. One school got boring and two there was no fun in school any more. No more recess. Another thing girls and guys begin that stage in which they are beginning to like each other which is a big distraction. Especially if you are popular. What I would do for your daughter is the old thing if you get good grades they get awarded. If I had that when I was a kid I would be a straight A's student but my parents rarely awarded me for my grades.

Answer 3

It is true many kid's grades slip in middle school, because that is when they first start forming true friendships and relationships and such. So I believe a parent of a middle schooler or any age for that matter should be open to talk. If a kid is confused or has things on their mind, it will detract from their school work. However, if they have someone to talk to they can trust to ease their fears, they will be more apt to keep on their studies. Also, be aware of the type of friends you child hangs out with. If she gets with a bunch of kids who don't care about school she may allow her grades to slip to try to feel a part of the group. So basically just be open for your child to talk to and make sure she knows you expect her best.

Answer 4

Keep it fun. She'll burn out before long.

Play learning games with her.

Take trips to educational places (that's everywhere; we homeschool and learning never stops)

Give her an allowance and teach her how to save and spend properly.

Have her teach someone younger than herself. A cousin or neighbor that is ready to learn something. She'll probably be great at teaching.

You could start a motivational program where she gets X for good grades. The downside is then she's externally motivated.

It's really great that you want her to be the best she can be but try to make sure you're not pushing her too much. Make sure she gets time to just be a kid.

Answer 5

Don't be pushy and overbearing. Let her have responsibility for her learning and she will stay on track better than if you try to dictate her interest level. I would not worry so much about middle school. You have to take into account the source of your information (that grades slip in middle school) and see it for what it is. Do grades then go up again in high school? Do kids' grades slip because they are being graded empircally instead of based on individual progress? There are a lot of variables. Trust in your daughter and enjoy her childhood.

Answer 6

Stay actively involved in her education and leave the door open for communication. It's easy to forget that while our kids may start dressing and acting more grownup, they are still immature in a lot of different ways, and need you just as much at 13 as they do at 3.

Ask her what she learned at school, and then sit down and let her tell you everything. Give her the gift of time- and let her go on and on about the little details.

Buy her books and a microscope, and other things that allow her to learn through play and experimentation.

If you make it a priority in your house to keep learning, she will follow suite. So, when it comes time to balance the checkbook don't groan about it. Get excited about it- cause they are watching!

Answer 7

They'll stay great. It's a fallacy that grades begin to slip in middle school. Sometimes they get even better in middle school. People in high school frequently keep up their A average. Plenty of people have had straight A's in college as well.

Answer 8

Kids will place the same value on their education that there parents do. How can you expect it to be important for her if it is not important to you? You obviously have been doing a great job so far, just keep it up.
The best advice I ever received came from a guy who had raised 3 kids all with perfect grade point averages and scholarships to good colleges based on merit. I asked him how he did it, this is what he told me.
1. He learned about how public schooling works. Your daughter is entering a crucial part of her education right now. In the 3rd grade children are sorted into groups. The "A" group, the "B" group and the "C" group. These groups identify for the teachers who is most likely to succeed, who will be put into accelerated classes, and unfortunately, who will warrant the most attention. It is crucial that you try to make sure your daughter ends up in the "A" group. "C" group students are the most likely to end up as high school dropouts. Once your child is labeled there is no escaping it. If she is in an "A" group she will likely have very good results. She will be around other students that have the same drive to do well and we all know that environment and peer pressure have strong results. As a "C" group student, not much will be demanded of her, and barring exceptional teachers, will already be expected to fail by the institution. When everyone thinks you are going to fail it is very easy to allow failure to sweep you up.
2. Sit with the kids while they are doing their homework, every night. Be in touch with what is expected of them, no what homework is required and make sure they do it, and learn from it. Do not do the work for them, but sit with them while they do it. I asked him how long does this go on, how old were your kids when you stopped doing this. He said that he did it every night without fail, until they left for college, and even then he frequently calls to ask them about their homework. He said that as the kids got into their teenage years they started to want to work independently, still it was a nightly ritual for him to verify their work, and look it over.
Of course this includes helping them study for tests and working through problems they are having a hard time with.

The key here is prioritization. If education and homework are important to you they will be for your child. If you don't believe in them enough to push them, the school will only go so far. The number one thing is to get your child to see why you think it is important. If you can get a child to understand why it is a good thing, why it is something you value, they will value it too.
BTW as an "A" student your daughter is likely already in the "A" group. You should check.
I grew up in a very wealthy area (my family was not rich, but that is beside the point), it was not uncommon for parents to buy their child's status. This can mean that other children who should be in the "A" group get shuffled down into the "B" group. Make sure you find out what is going on with this. This typically gets decided at the 3rd grade level. No one likes to call this what it is. Schools generally cover it with separating kids into classes that reflect their learning level, or something like that. Generally students start switching classes for Math & English once this is decided. What level of class they go to is the same as putting them into the "A,B or C group" Math A, Math B, Math C.
There are usually additional classes available for the mentally gifted. This is different from the "group" system and should be considered a separate thing entirely. If you would like more info about classes for the gifted, you can contact me. However, if your daughter has not already been invited to join such a group she probably does not qualify.

Answer 9

Third grade is a tough year as kids are required to do more independent work and the load gets heavier. More state wide testing also enters the picture this year as well. I believe in positive reinforcement and that most kids will live up to the standards you set for them.Keep telling her that you are so very proud of her and that she is very smart. As long as there is love there, she will know that her grades make you proud and that it is her accomplishment, not yours. She will continue to make you and herself proud.

Answer 10

don't know who told you their grades slip in middle school but normally those who have good grades in elementary school strive to keep them in middle school .....nobody wants to be at the bottom of the class and if you notice that there is something more than just slipping grade ..try to find out what their new focus is.That is a red flag

Answer 11

That is not true, my grades in middle school were better than they were in Elementry school and in ES I usually got all A's. Just keep her reading and studying and also its important to not pressure her because then her grades WILL actually slip.