A comprehensive guide for parents sending their students to 7th grade for the first time.
Written by experts, 7th Grade Ready prepares parents for the unique year ahead.
Get prepared for a special 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 for you and your student.
7th Grade Ready includes:
Beginning with how 7th grade differs from 6th and moving through preparing for 8th grade.
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.
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.
Contributors have all been Teachers of the Year or finalists in their state:
Dylan Huisken, 2019 Montana Teacher of the Year
Kristi Reinke, 2021 North Dakota Teacher of the Year
Joy McKarns, 2021 Ohio District Teacher of the Year and State Finalist
Joan Ebel, 2018 Nebraska Teacher of the Year finalist
Cindi Rigsbee, 2009 North Carolina Teacher of the Year
Stacey Donaldson, PhD, NBCT, 2010 Mississippi Teacher of the Year
Barbara J. Hopkins, PhD, 1988 Nebraska Teacher of the Year
Tyler Bartlett, 2015 Wyoming Teacher of the Year
Nikki Bartlett, 7th grade ELA teacher
Jamey Olney, 2000 DoDEA Teacher of the Year
Angela Wilson, DoDEA 2012 National Finalist
Tom Jenkins, 2021 Ohio Teacher of the Year Finalist
Erin McCarthy, 2020 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year
Meghan Everette, EdD, 2013 Alabama Teacher of the Year Finalist
LéAnn Murphy Cassidy, 2018 Connecticut History Teacher of the Year and Connecticut Teacher of the Year Finalist
“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, soak up its content, and then bravely walk along this journey with your 7th grader.”
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! This book shines a light on when to let go, when to hold on, and how to coach your child into a well-rounded student and friend. I laughed, I cried, I grew as a parent.”
Kate Adams
Parent of 6th grader and Technical Assistant Support Specialist, The CEEDAR Center, University of Florida, College of Education
“Good news, parents! With special sections on friend groups, executive functioning skills, study tips, social and emotional wellness, and how to work with your child’s teachers, this handbook is essential for anyone helping a 7th grader experience a wonderful year at school.”
Rebecca Mieliwocki
2012 National Teacher of the Year