7th Grade Ready: Expert Advice to Help Parents Navigate the Year Ahead

“In their hearts, every 7th grader wants to be known, respected, and loved. For too many of us, navigating this pivotal time in our children’s lives can be frustrating and complex. 7th Grade Ready offers sage advice from seasoned educators who have spent their careers understanding and knowing this group of kids. Read and re-read this book.”—Deb Delisle, Former Asst. Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Dept. of Education

“This is the cliff notes for every parent with a child going into the 7th grade! I laughed, I cried, I grew as a parent. What an amazing resource to have at our fingertips!”—Kate Adams, Parent of 6th grader and Technical Assistant Support Specialist, The CEEDAR Center, University of Florida, College of Education

“For most of us, 7th grade is seared into the mind as a very tumultuous time in our lives that we’d rather leave in the past. If you’re a parent of a middle schooler, it’s even more challenging to navigate and still keep your wits about you. 7th Grade Ready is a fantastic compilation of advice, strategies, and guidance for how to make it through the year. This handbook is essential for anyone helping a 7th grader.”— Rebecca Mieliwocki, 2012 National Teacher of the Year.

Updated for the 2024-2025 school year!

Whether your child is entering middle school for the first time in 7th grade or has already spent a year there as a 6th grader, you’ll find loads of information in 7th Grade Ready useful to you and your student. Each contributor to 7th Grade Ready is a current or former 7th grade teacher who has worked extensively with parents and families of students and are Teachers of the Year or finalists in their state.

Beginning with how 7th grade differs from 6th and moving through preparing them for 8th grade, this book will serve as your guide. It describes what to expect in a variety of areas and what to look for as you navigate your child’s physical, emotional, and academic growth.

7th Grade Ready includes:

• Expert advice on a wide range of topics, from academic expectations to emotional and social development.
• Practical suggestions and relatable anecdotes.
• Conversation starters for you and your middle schooler to open new lines of communication that can continue throughout the school year.
• Effective strategies to balance guidance and support with encouraging self-reliance, helping parents strike the right balance.

Each contributor to 7th Grade Ready is a current or former 6th grade teacher, who has worked extensively with parents and families of students. Contributors have all been Teachers of the Year or finalists in their state or are nationally recognized educators.

7th Grade Ready is edited by Timothy M. Dove, who was the 2011 and 2012 Ohio State Teacher of the Year, where he was a 7th and 8th grade teacher. He has also been an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University. Since retirement from K–12, Tim has been a consultant with Battelle for Kids in Hong Kong, Learning Forward, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and the Collaboration for Effective Education, Development, Accountability and Reform (CEEDAR) Center.

Seventh grade can be a major year of change for your child. 7th Grade Ready helps you as you support your student to be the best they can be.

7th Grade Ready is one of a series of guides published by Parent Ready. Parent Ready's guides help parents navigate the milestones, challenges and passions of their adolescent and young adult kids. More at https://parentready.com.

Timothy M. Dove, an educator for 42 years, is the Ohio State Teacher of the Year in 2011 and 2012. Tim was a middle school teacher for 32 years and helped develop the Global Scholars Diploma program. He taught high schoolers for three years, was an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University for 20 years, and for the past decade has worked with state and national education agencies supporting educators and students in a variety of ways. He has been a consultant with Battelle for Kids in Hong Kong, Learning Forward, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center.