Kid Confident Book 4: How to Navigate Middle School
INTRODUCTION GETTING THE LAY OF THE LAND If you are just starting middle school you might be wondering or even worrying how it's going to go Or for those of you that are already in middle school and starting 7th or 8th grade you might be focusing on how school is getting harder and how you will manage even more expectations Let's face it middle school can be scary but it can also be fun During middle school you will have new experiences face new challenges and have more independence than you did in elementary school the school building is bigger you have a new schedule with classes that are more spread out you have more teachers and you have more homework This can be a lot to adjust to But keep in mind that there are some good and exciting changes too With 11
more choices of classes and interesting clubs you will have more independence meet new people and make new friends We want you to think of this book as your roadmap to a new adventure and us as your tour guides YOUR TOUR GUIDES ANNA AND BONNIE I'm Anna and I'm a psychologist working in private practice where I meet with children teens and adults to work on goals to take care of their mental health focusing on issues like stress anxiety and feeling good about themselves Before working in a private practice I spent a lot of time working in schools where I helped children and teenagers deal with some of the common challenges that come with being a student I'm Bonnie and I'm a kind of learning specialist called an educational therapist I help neurodiverse students who have their own way of thinking that doesn't always match with the strategies used by teachers in school Many of my students have learning challenges such as a reading disability or dysgraphia or trouble regulating their attention 12 Introduction Getting the Lay of the Land
and focus and staying organized My goal is to help make school easier for my students by teaching them strategies to work efficiently and effectively based on how they learn best We have known each other for a long time In fact we lived in the same town and met when Anna was in middle school As your tour guides we will help you get the lay of the land and learn the tools to help you manage the challenges of middle school We want to show you that you are not alone all middle schoolers struggle with some aspect of middle school at some point You'll see some examples of experiences based on actual middle schoolers that we know or were friends with MEET THE MAIN STREET CREW MEET DILLON Dillon is very active and loves sports and video games He's lived in the same neighborhood since he was four but was going to a different school so this is his first year at Main Street Middle School MSMS At his old school he played soccer basketball and baseball Introduction Getting the Lay of the Land 13
