I remember speed walking (because you couldn't run in school) around my pretty large donut-shaped three-story (Affiliate Link) middle school, worrying that I wouldn't have time to get to my locker, get my books, and get to class on time. It was three years of this emotional rollercoaster ride since the locker wasn't anywhere near my classes. Middle school can be quite stressful.
Fast forward 20+ years, and I experience my kids' stress about middle school. I would hear worries like, how will I not lose my stuff? How will I get to my locker and then to my classes? How can I keep my homework organized and not lost? While listening to these worries, all of my childhood worries came flooding back.
It was quite stressful because I was the first generation of immigrants who knew nothing about how to organize school supplies in middle school. , so I had to create a system for myself through trial and error and many worrying moments. However, my kids were lucky; I was able to pass on my knowledge from experience. And, hopefully, it would help them have a less stressful year. Here are some ways to reduce academic stress for middle schoolers.
Middle School Student Essentials Every Student Needs For a Successful School Year
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Have a helpful binder.
This is so important for middle school students. They already have to deal with a bigger school, more students, and more subjects. They don't need to deal with disorganized papers as well. My kids loved the more massive 4-inch binder (Affiliate Link) that would hold all their subjects in one. It had a zipper so no loose papers would fall out, and it had a handle. Note: some school lockers don't fit these binders, so ask the school teachers if there are options where they can store their binder when they are not using it.
My daughter and son could leave it in their homeroom at lunch. Here is an example of the large binder my kids used. Feel free to click on the image and buy through Amazon (Affiliate Link). This image is from Amazon (Affiliate Link), if you wish to purchase it, I will receive a small referral fee which will not increase your cost for the product.
4 inch binder Case-it The King Sized Zip Tab Zipper Binder 5 Subject File Folder
Buy Now →(Affiliate Link)
Organize the binder in the order of your subjects.
I like to use double-pocket dividers (Affiliate Link). If you can't find double-pocket dividers (Affiliate Link), you can pick ones without pockets and add pockets after the tabs (Affiliate Link). Having pockets will help keep loose papers contained. You can pick between 5 to 12 tabs (Affiliate Link) depending on how many subjects the middle school student has. Here are some examples from Amazon (Affiliate Link). (aff.) Tip: Use one pocket for each subject in the pocket dividers solely for homework to bring back to school.
Avery Big Tab Insertable Plastic 2 Pocket Dividers for 3 Ring Binders
Buy Now →(Affiliate Link)
Have a large zipper pencil case to hold all the writing tools and calculator.
A three-hole punch clear zipper pencil case (Affiliate Link) works great to keep all the items visible and organized. Look for one that is large enough for all their pencils and their calculator. If you use the zipper binder, there are many pockets inside, so the calculator can be stored in one of those pockets. Here's an example of one from Amazon (Affiliate Link). (aff.)
Buy Now → (Affiliate Link)
Label everything of value.
Since they will be walking around the school and will be in different classes, they are bound to lose something. So labeling everything is a good idea. The labels (Affiliate Link) can be placed in an area that is not noticeable, like the image below, though. You don't want to embarrass them either. Mabel's Labels has some adorable labels (Affiliate Link) you can customize with your student's name. (aff.)
Buy a great time management planner.
Looking for planners can be quite overwhelming, so to make it easier. Last year, my kids loved this planner, and it was very useful for keeping their assignments and evening schedule straight. Click here and read about how my kids set up their academic planner (Affiliate Link) last year. Read why I love this planner by Order Out of Chaos! We also talk about how to help kids with time management in this post.
Have a place to find a tutor quickly.
Another way to reduce academic stress for your student is the get a tutor. Ask your student's teacher or counselor about help with academic help as needed. Don't wait too long. When you start seeing the test score results dropping consistently over a few tests, get a tutor. If you wait too long, it can kill your student's confidence in learning the subject.
Enjoy $5 off your first lesson!
Here are some tips from WyzArt (a tutoring service for students) for students going back to school. Find a tutor in your area through WyzArt. I found two great tutors for my kids over the last few years on WyzArt. (aff.) And it helped them.
I hope these tips help your middle school student reduce their academic stress and make their years a huge success. Let's continue the conversation. What tips do you have to help reduce academic stress in your middle schooler? Please leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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Janet Schiesl says
Great advice. I remember my kids had similar issues in middle and high school. In my area the schools are so large there was never enough time between classes to make it to a locker. They spent all these years carrying everything and never using their lockers. Crazy.
Janet Barclay says
It's been way too long since I had kids in middle school to remember much about it, but you've definitely covered a lot of bases here - great post!
Sabrina Quairoli says
Thanks, Janet. =)
Jamie Steele says
I'm saving this post for when mine is in middle school. He is in 4th grade now and already switching classes. I love that our school starts preparing them for this so early. Takes some of the pressure off.
Jill Robson says
Great post Sabrina, my son has the exact set up you have pictured, his binder is blue as well, it works because everything is in easy reach which goes from class to class.
Seana Turner says
I've never heard of WyzAnt, but I do think that having access to a tutor is a wonderful thing, if you can afford it. Sometimes, a child just needs to hear something one more time, or in a different way, or when he/she can ask a few questions, in order for it to really click.
Sabrina says
WyzAnt is a great site for parents to find tutors in their area. There isn't a fee for signing up nor a monthly fee if you don't use it. You only get charged if you have a scheduled appointment and the tutor says that it was completed. Then, the parent receives a confirmation that this will be charging the account. It's great to know you can find a tutor in your area easily because not all schools have good lists of tutors available for parents. Thanks for commenting.