7th Grade

The 7th grade curriculum builds on the previous year, with higher expectations in reading comprehension and vocabulary. Passages will be longer, and students will be expected to do more than just answer a few questions directly based on the material. They’ll be expected to infer from the passage, interpret the author’s ideas, and draw from additional sources to reach conclusions.
To teach writing, many schools use the workshop approach. Seventh-graders work through the writing process, using peer review to improve their work. At this age, kids sometimes struggle with the difference between fact and opinion and may need prodding to back up their opinions with well-researched facts.
One thing conspicuously absent from some 7th graders’ lives is reading for pleasure. “As kids get older, they’re reading fewer and fewer books.
Students may be required to read a classic or two as part of the language arts curriculum. But to develop the reading prowess necessary to succeed in high school and beyond, they need to make independent reading a habit. Parents can help their kids find books that match their interests and reading level and help them carve out time for reading.
Another aspect of modern middle school life that parents and teachers find frustrating: the shorthand, slang-heavy language kids use when communicating with each other. Teachers will  addresses this by encouraging students to recognize the difference between personal, interpersonal, and public writing. “With personal writing [that] you do for yourself, spell any way you want,” he explains. “With interpersonal writing, where you’re acquainted with the audience, if you’ve communicated clearly then you’ve succeeded. With public writing, it must be conventional.”

Mathematics
Many 7th grade students will develop a deeper understanding of measurement and geometry while also being introduced to some algebra concepts. Some schools will focus more exclusively on algebra, a subject once taught in 7th grade but now increasingly taught to most students in 8th grade.
Such curriculum shifts should not be cause for alarm. Most kids can do the work; for those who struggle, support services are available at school or in the community.
Parents should be careful not to project their negative attitudes toward math onto their child. They should also avoid pushing children into advanced classes if they aren’t ready for advanced work.

Science
Like math, science can be intimidating in 7th grade as students are introduced to lab reports and expected to study independently for tests. But science should be a fun subject for 7th graders; it’s hands-on and connected to their immediate world.
The curriculum will vary, but many 7th graders will study the natural world and the human body, with an emphasis on collecting data, forming hypotheses, and using the scientific method to test the hypotheses.
Students at this grade level most likely will participate in a science fair, giving them a chance to explore a topic of interest in depth. Parents should resist the temptation to get overly involved in their child’s science project, though they may be needed to assist in selecting a manageable topic, breaking the large project into smaller pieces, and gathering supplies.

To get an idea of the 7th grader’s mindset, take a look at his backpack, if you dare. Chances are it’s a disorganized mess of papers, books, headphones, and half-eaten bags of chips.
“It’s all part of the 7th grade package,” says  a veteran 7th grade teacher.
Grade 7 is a transitional time when kids are leaving their childhood behind and looking ahead to high school. Their lives are changing, their bodies are changing, and keeping their math homework in the correct folder just isn’t a priority.
“Seventh-graders, particularly boys, face significant challenges in organization and motivation. It’s typical of adolescence. They’re asserting their uniqueness and facing new challenges.”

Students in 7th grade often spend time and energy convincing their parents to go away, but in reality kids at this age need clear limits, meaningful consequences, and parental support. Instead, parents sometimes take a hands-off approach in hopes that their child will become more independent.
For parents struggling with how much to hover during homework time,   Let the first half of the first marking period go by without intervening unless she asks for help. Once you get initial feedback from the school, adjust the game plan accordingly. If  your child grades in math are terrible,  you need to see your child math homework every night .

It’s important that parents make good on their threats of punishment. If you tell your 7th grader you’re going to ground  if you get another report saying he/she isn’t doing   homework, then you need to ground your child.
“Our lives are so busy, we don’t follow through on consequences,” Rakow says. “The kids find out we’re full of baloney.”
Another shift that continues from 5th and 6th grades is the need for kids to gain approval from peers rather than adults. They are no longer motivated to do well in school because they want to please their teachers or their parents. They want to gain favor among their peers. Girls who have always been good at math may get the message that it’s cooler to be dumb in class than to be the student who always has the right answer.

The hardest part about having a 7th grader is that their behavior can be confusing. One minute you’re talking about current events and your child seems like an adult; the next, he’s stomping away and throwing a temper tantrum.  That’s why it’s so important for parents not to let discipline issues slide: “It goes from being a stage to being their behavior.”

Another issue parents face with their 7th grader is conflict over activities. Your child may want to play a sport  and remain active in a youth group, running her parents ragged.

The 7th grader can test a parent’s patience, but the key is to not surrender. Once they learn it’s not OK to quit doing their homework, to stop working hard in school, to demand a cell phone only to never answer it when a parent calls, and to mumble one-word responses to their parents, they’ll realize it’s useless to push back.
And then, don’t be surprised if out of nowhere you get a glimpse of the fantastic teenager your child is turning into.