Good afternoon IA families,
I am hopeful you all have wonderful plans for this long weekend.
One quick note about the grade reports and non-academic scores you will be seeing for students. We are happy that you will get to see a more complete picture of your students’ work at IA. We did find a likely pain point for us all. The scores for non-academic skills are different. The top score is a C for consistently demonstrates, but this looks suspiciously like a C for a 70-79 score. The next highest score is an O for Often demonstrates, but this looks suspiciously like a 0. Share this with others, so we don’t ground our kids for doing well!
Here’s the key for these skills on the report card:
C – Consistently demonstrates
O – Often demonstrates
S – Sometimes demonstrates
R – Rarely demonstrates
Next I wanted to share an article I read recently. I have a sophomore child myself, and so I’m often looking for ways to support him. I wanted to share this article that I thought was valuable at this particular time as I see our students struggling with social issues, grades, expectations, and other things in life. I do hope it is received as intended, an article from one parent to another about ways we can support our kids. The article focuses on how we can help our students develop mental strength.
If you don’t have time for the whole article, these are the major steps for parents to help their kids become mentally strong.
- Stop negativity in the moment: Help them learn to quickly move away from the negative thoughts that are eating at them. Work on positive perspectives.
- Use hopeful mantras: Saying positive things will change a child’s perspective. “I can do this.” Or “I’ll be ok,” helps students recenter on their strengths.
- Teach brainstorming: Help students get started on finding the solution. It’s easy to get stuck on the issue, but when we turn their attention to solutions, they can find the strength to take the next step.
- Share hopeful news: Students are surrounded by negative stories. Share information about good things happening in the world. Remind them of their own hopeful news. Remind them about a problem did they once have that they have now solved.
- Ask “What if”: Students will often focus on general negatives, so it is good to walk them through possible scenarios. “What would happen if…?” or, “What’s the worst that could happen if…?”
- Celebrate Small Gains: Small victories will help. Don’t focus on the long-term goal only. Celebrate small steps along the way.
- Boost Assertiveness: Help students work through scenarios where they have to respond. Support themselves.
- Create Gratitude Rituals: Try to develop regular opportunities to discuss things you are grateful for. This helps develop a hopeful perspective that focuses on the positives things in a person’s life.
- Embrace Service: Giving students the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world around them will help them develop self-efficacy.
We have amazing students at IA, but I do see them struggling with the complex world around them. If we can find ways to help them build resilience and grit, it will help them build the skills they will need when they enter the larger world.
Scott Kent