Your child has finally gotten to be the top of middle school, congratulations! Before you start worrying about high school, find out how you can best support your student during this last year of middle school. Each contributor to 8^th Grade Ready is a current or former 8^th grade teacher who has worked extensively with parents and families of students.

Beginning with how 8^th grade differs from 7^th and moving through preparing them for 9^th grade, this book will serve as your guide. It will describe what to expect in a variety of areas and what to look for as you navigate your child's physical, emotional, and academic growth.

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 that can continue throughout the school year.
• Effective strategies to balance guidance and support with encouraging self-reliance, helping parents strike the right balance.

Contributors have all been Teachers of the Year or finalists in their state or are nationally recognized educators.

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. 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.

Eighth grade can be a major year of change for your child. We hope this book helps you as you support your student to be the best they can be.

8th 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.

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