8th Grade Ready: Expert Advice to Help Parents Navigate the Year Ahead

“This book exemplifies the subject matter expertise, get-things-done attitude, and leadership of State Teachers of the Year and Finalists to provide action-oriented guidance on the comprehensive supports all students need to succeed. 8th Grade Ready is a must-read from teacher leaders at the school, district, state, and national levels that will help you continue supporting student achievement.”– Scott Meltzer, President and CEO, National Network of State Teachers of the Year

“It is said that 8th grade is a year of refinement, transition, anxiety, independence, and social media influence. Tim Dove has brought together great educators who know first-hand what your child will encounter in this very important year in school. This advice and counsel will assure your 8th grader success in school and life.”—John I. Wilson, former middle school teacher and retired Executive Director of National Education Association

“8th Grade Ready is an invaluable resource for families to understand not only the social, emotional, and physiological changes students will face, but also how students can find their people and place through a variety of extracurricular options and how to anticipate and prepare for high school course selection. Motivation, goal-setting, self and time management tips and suggestions, along with conversation starters can be found woven through the chapters empowering parents to best support their children in the gradual release to the world of high school and beyond.”—Jessica Saum, 2022 Arkansas Teacher of the Year

8th Grade can be a major year of change for your child. 8th Grade Ready helps parents support their student to be the best they can be.

Each contributor to 8th Grade Ready is a current or former 8th grade teacher, who has worked extensively with parents and families of students, and has been a Teacher of the Year or finalist in their state or are nationally recognized educators.

8th 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.
- Effective strategies to balance guidance and support with encouraging self-reliance, helping parents strike the right balance.

8th 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, and an adjunct professor at The Ohio State University. 8th Grade Ready contributors include:

Stephen McDonald, Middle School Counselor, New Hampshire
Jennifer E. Lawson, 2011 Vermont Teacher of the Year
Dorina Sackman, 2014 Florida Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist
Carol Aten Frow, 2014 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Finalist
Sally Hundley, 2005 North Carolina Teacher of the Year Finalist
Dina Howell, 2016 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Finalist
Stacey Donaldson, PhD, NBCT, 2010 Mississippi Teacher of the Year
LéAnn Murphy Cassidy, EdS, 2018 Connecticut History Teacher of the Year
Jada Reeves, 2019 West Virginia Teacher of the Year
Barbara J. Hopkins, PhD, 1988 Nebraska Teacher of the Year
Spencer Kiper, 2019 Louisiana Teacher of the Year
Sara McCarthy Casassa, 2022 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year
Jane McMahon, 2014 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year
Joy McKarns, 2021 Ohio District Teacher of the Year and State Finalist

8th Grade Ready is one of a series of guides published by Parent Ready to help parents navigate the milestones, challenges, and passions of their kids.

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.