Transition to New School
eri...@gmail.com
if you are able to prepare for the change in advance it's highly
recommended. The following are wonderful articles from Schwab
Learning about transitions to Middle School and High School.
Enjoy! Coach Erin
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Smoothing Your Child's Transition to Middle School
Ah, middle school. Though your child may barely be entering puberty
and may still be a pre-teen, the transition to middle school is a big
step on the road to maturity. A big, scary step. Regardless of what
specific grade marks the beginning of junior high or middle school in
your community, your child will be both excited and afraid.
Researchers have found that students anticipating the move to middle
school worry about three aspects of the change: logistical, social,
and academic. Your child with learning or attention difficulties
shares the same worries as her peers, and may be afraid the change
will be even harder for her.
While you won't be able to calm your child's fears completely, with
some advance planning and open discussions you can substantially ease
her mind. The first step is understanding what may worry your child.
Logistical Anxieties
When researchers asked kids what aspect of moving to middle school
most concerned them, the top answers related to how things at the new
school worked (Akos, 2002). How would they find the right classroom?
What happened if they were tardy? Where was the cafeteria? What about
the bathrooms?
Middle school is a much more complex environment than grade school.
The campus is larger, there are more students, and instead of one
teacher and one classroom, your child will have a separate instructor,
and classroom, for each subject or block of subjects (e.g., language
arts/social studies or math/science). It's no wonder kids worry about
finding their way in this new world.
For your student with learning or attention problems, understanding
the rules and procedures of the new school may be even more important.
The challenge of navigating multiple transitions between classes and
organizing books and materials for every subject may be all she can
handle in the first few weeks. Here are some strategies for helping
your child make a smoother transition to middle school:
Accompany your child on campus tours and orientations offered to
parents and incoming students. The better you understand the school
layout and rules, the more you can help your child.
Get a map of the campus and take your child to explore. Pick a time
after school in the spring or in the days just before school starts in
the fall. Be sure to check in with the school office to get an OK for
your explorations.
Include a couple of your child's friends on campus treks. They can
boost each other's memory about where things are when school starts.
Take advantage of summer programs - academic or recreational - offered
at the new school for incoming students. Your child will get the feel
for the campus in a much more relaxed atmosphere.
Get a copy of your child's class schedule and mark the location of her
locker and each classroom and bathroom on the school map. Tape both of
these inside her binder. If your child has trouble reading maps, walk
the route between classes with her - more than once, if necessary -
and note "landmarks" that the student can use to navigate.
Find out the length of the passing period between classes. Time it out
for your child. Demonstrate how far she can walk in that amount of
time.
Get a copy of the student handbook. Review rules and requirements -
especially the school's code of conduct, which describes consequences
for "violations" of the most important rules. Ask the school staff
questions about anything that's unclear.
Sit with your child and explore the school website.
Buy your child a lock for her locker several weeks before school
starts to give her plenty of time to practice opening and closing it.
(Note: Consider whether a combination or keyed lock is best for your
child.)
Provide your child with an easy-to-read wristwatch so that she can
quickly see if she needs to hurry to be on time to class.
Social Fears
Another area of worry for students moving to middle school is the
social scene. Will I see anyone I know? Will it be hard to make
friends? Will I have to eat lunch alone? Are the older kids bullies?
Your child is moving from the top of the elementary school heap to the
bottom rung of the middle school social ladder. She may have heard
that the older students tease or bully the younger ones. She knows for
sure that she and her best friends are unlikely to be in every single
class together, and, even worse, there may be classes where she
doesn't know anyone at all on the first day. And if your child with
learning or attention problems struggles to make friends anyway, then
this all adds up to a potential social nightmare.
Remember that, in addition to changing schools, your child is entering
adolescence, a stage when kids start to rely much more on peers and
pull away from parents. This is a time when being part of a group is
very important and being perceived as different can be devastating.
It's not surprising that finding friends in the new school is a top
priority.
The good news is that the more varied social environment also offers
many opportunities to meet people. Being in multiple classes each day
means your student is surrounded by more potential friends. The better
news is that, once students are settled into middle school, they
report that friendships and the social scene are among the best things
about school (Akos, 2002: Forgan, 2000).
Some things that you can do to ease the social transition:
Encourage your child to join sports teams, clubs, or other extra-
curricular activities.
Ease any loneliness in the early weeks of school by helping your child
arrange weekend social activities with neighborhood, church, or grade
school friends.
Encourage your child to join group conversations. Discuss how to join
in without interrupting, to add something relevant to conversation in
progress, etc.
Talk about traits that make a good friend (such as being a good
listener).
Talk about social skills. Discuss how words and actions can affect
other people.
Practice skills needed for difficult social situations.
Remind your child to make eye contact when speaking or listening.
Academic Concerns
Though students worry more about the logistical and social aspects of
middle school before they get there, once settled in, academic
concerns rise to the surface. Will the classes be too difficult? Will
there be too much homework? Are the teachers hard graders?
It's quite typical for students' academic performance to drop upon
entering middle school. Along with everything else that's going on -
rollercoaster emotions, physical changes, and social upheaval - your
child is also coping with harder classes, more homework, and a whole
new set of academic expectations. Middle school teachers don't form
the close bonds with students that your child enjoyed in grade school.
There is less small group and personalized instruction. Teachers
expect students to take charge of assignments and projects with less
day-to-day guidance.
For a student with learning or attention difficulties, these changes
can come as quite a shock. Teachers may vary in their willingness to
understand and accommodate your child's learning needs. Organization
and time management demands rise to a new level. Though it can seem
overwhelming, keep reminding your child that she can manage these
changes successfully, though it will take time and practice.
Some tips to help ease her academic concerns:
If your child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP), meet with
the middle school staff no later than the spring before your child
enters the new school. Discuss the qualities of the "ideal" teacher
for your child to help ensure the best placements.
Meet with teachers early in the year. Give them a profile of your
child's strengths and where she needs help.
Encourage teachers to continue using strategies that have worked for
your child in the past, such as writing homework assignments on the
board, or assigning your child a "homework buddy" she can contact if
she forgets what her assignments are.
Help your student with time management skills. Work together on a
schedule for study time, break time, chores, etc.
Work out an organizational system with your student. Acknowledge and
make allowances for her anxiety; at first, she may need to carry
everything for all classes all the time in order to feel prepared.
Avoid overreacting to grades. Making sure your child gets a handle on
how to meet the demands of the new school is the critical factor in
the early weeks.
Stay connected to your child's school work. Try to teach your student
to work more independently while supporting her enough to give her
confidence.
Go to parent-teacher nights, open houses, and other events where you
can connect with your child's teachers.
Help your child be her own advocate. Encourage her to discuss problems
and solutions with teachers on her own, but be ready to step in and
help as needed.
The best way to help your child through this transition is to keep a
positive attitude about middle school. You may remember how clueless,
awkward, and self-conscious you felt at that age, but your child
doesn't need to hear that it was a horrible time. Remind your child
that the school and the teachers want her to be successful and that
she has what it takes to make it all work.
Most students make the adjustment to the routines and demands of
middle school within a couple months. If your child is still
struggling as fall gives way to winter, then a meeting with her
counselor is in order. Together, you, your student and the counselor
can pinpoint specific trouble spots and brainstorm ways to get things
on track.
And remember - you can't give your child too much information about
how things work at the new school. To prepare for a conversation with
her, you may want to read through the "Middle School Transition Tips
for Parents" - and offer your child the "Middle School Transition Tips
for Kids." The more she knows up front, the more comfortable she'll be
on the first day, and beyond.
© 2006 Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation Created: 07/20/2006
About the Contributors
Nancy Firchow is a freelance writer and former librarian for Schwab
Learning. She has a Masters degree in Library Science and has also
worked as a medical research librarian.
Other Resources
Books
Too Old for This, Too Young for That!: Your Survival Guide for the
Middle-School Years
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1575420678/ref=nosim/schwabfoundation
By Harriet S. Mostache & Karen Unger
Not Much, Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0345475763/ref=nosim/schwabfoundation
By Linda Perlstein
References
Akos, Patrick. "Student perceptions of the transition from elementary
to middle school." Professional School Counseling, June 2002; 5(5):
339-45
Forgan, James W. "Adolescents with and without LD make the transition
to middle school." Journal of Learning Disabilities 2000; 33(1):33-43
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Helping Your Middle-School Child Make the Transition to High School
Not so very long ago your child was entering middle school and was
tied up in knots worrying about how he would find his way in the huge
new school, if he would have any friends, and if the classes would be
too tough. Now he's facing high school, and guess what he's worried
about? The same things. Plus he knows that now it really counts. He
needs to decide if he's aiming for college or the workforce. He
definitely must accumulate enough credits to graduate and may need to
pass a state-mandated exit exam. And then there's dating, getting a
driver license, and his first job...
OK. Slow down, just a bit. High school is a time of great change and
numerous "firsts" and transitions. Luckily, you and your student don't
have to cope with all of them at once, and certainly not all during
his first few weeks as a freshman. So let's take a relaxed look at
what is important during the transition from middle school to high
school, and what extra concerns may crop up for your child with
learning difficulties.
A Sophomore Looks Back
Scott *, a 16-year-old sophomore with learning difficulties, reflects
on his early weeks in high school: "I was a little worried about
finding my way around the new school. But I knew I had managed to get
around OK in junior high and I had done the whole locker thing
already, so I figured I'd get where I needed to be. After a couple
days, it was no problem."
Scott didn't just make the move from junior high to high school, he
also transferred from a private school to the local public high
school. He credits friends and sports with helping make the transition
easier. "I already knew people from my neighborhood and the swim team
and seeing familiar faces helped a lot. That made me more comfortable.
I met even more people by trying out for water polo."
The classes, on the other hand, were more of a concern. Says Scott:
"The workload increased dramatically. Junior high was much more
relaxed. In high school, the teachers are stricter and there are more
deadlines." He says his parents were (and still are) a great help.
"When I get discouraged, they remind me that things will get better
and help me to keep going."
Scott's experience confirms formal research findings: Kids moving into
high school rely heavily on friends and are, at least at first, caught
off guard by the academic workload (Letrello, T., 2002; Mizelle, N,
2000; Akos, P., 2004). This applies to students with learning problems
as well as those without. Scott's participation in swimming and water
polo probably contributed to his smooth transition. Studies reveal
that students who feel they are a part of the school community are
more motivated and show higher academic achievement (Isakson & Jarvis,
1999). Parents should also know that the transition period is more
than just the first few weeks of school. Many schools treat the
transition as a long-term process, beginning in the 8th grade and
continuing through the 9th, and provide multiple avenues of support
and information to help freshmen settle in socially and academically
(ERIC Development Team 2006; Isakson & Jarvis, 1999; National Network
of Partnership Schools, 2005).
Choosing Freshman Courses: the First Transition Step
Students know that what happens in high school really counts. Course
selection and grades help determine which paths are open immediately
after high school. That's a good reason for you and your child to
thoroughly understand the choices offered by the high school as you
register for freshman classes during eighth grade.
Freshman courses are largely limited to those that meet graduation
requirements, without a lot of space for extras. At Scott's school,
freshmen had only one class period open for an elective. He and his
parents chose to fill that slot with a foreign language, to get that
requirement out of the way early. In hindsight, Scott's mother says,
that might not have been the best choice. "By including Spanish as his
elective, all of Scott's freshman classes were academic. He ended up
having to work so hard in every course that it might have been better
to have a more creative elective in that spot, to give him a break."
You and your student need to be aware of any flexibility or "tracks"
available within the required freshman course work. For instance, does
one version of freshman algebra lead on to trigonometry and calculus,
whereas another version fulfills the math requirement but doesn't
prepare the student for more advanced courses? Understanding these
details allows you to choose the ninth-grade courses most appropriate
for your child without inadvertently closing off some academic
pathways as he moves through high school.
It's a tricky task for students and parents to choose courses that
maximize post-high school options. The average eighth-grader doesn't
know for certain if he's headed to college, vocational training, or to
a job after high school. That natural uncertainty makes leaving many
paths open all the more important. Work with your student's guidance
counselor to come up with an appropriate balance of academic and
elective courses for your child's freshman year.
Be Prepared to Make Changes
Once the high school workload takes hold, you may find that the study
strategies and accommodations that have worked well up to this point
are no longer adequate. This is because continued cognitive
development means your adolescent is beginning to think more
abstractly, use more complex reasoning, and form his own opinions. His
school work all through high school reflects this and becomes
increasingly demanding.
Scott's mother recalls, "We always knew that Scott had to work twice
as hard as other kids to get through his assignments. But not too long
into his freshman year it was obvious that sheer hard work and
determination weren't going to cut it any more. He was exhausted. I
was exhausted. That's when we began meetings with his counselor and
started talking about accommodations. Scott now gets extra time on
tests and sometimes gets tested separately from the rest of his class.
It helps, but he still has to work extraordinarily hard."
Keep a close eye on how your child is handling his workload.
Do the increased reading demands warrant a switch to audio textbooks?
Does your student need to tape class lectures?
Would a laptop computer help him take better, more thorough notes?
Changing approaches and adding strategies as your child progresses
through his first year and beyond will help keep things on track. Stay
in touch with his counselor and, if your student has an Individualized
Education Program (IEP), review it frequently to make sure it
continues to meet his needs.
There's More to High School Than Classes
Extracurricular activities, sports, and social functions are just as
much a part of the high school experience as classes. Research shows
that involvement in activities makes the high school transition easier
for freshmen with learning disabilities as well as for those without
(Letrello, T., 2002). And, since the high school years are a
remarkable period of self-exploration and identity development, extra-
curricular activities are a great way for your student to try new
things, show off his strengths, and connect with peers with similar
interests.
High schools offer many special-interest clubs, such as computers,
drama, debate, and photography. There is usually a broader range of
sports available than in middle school, and many sports teams need
students to help with support functions, such as scorekeeping. Your
child can get involved in student government, activity planning
(dances, rallies, etc.), leadership, and community volunteering.
Encourage your child to participate. Scott plays water polo and swims
on the school team. He knows that he has to maintain a certain grade-
point average to be on these teams, which is an extra motivator when
the going gets tough. He also goes with friends to football games and
dances and stays connected to what's going on at school overall. He
doesn't let his learning difficulties set him apart from his peers.
Stay Involved
Your involvement in the high school transition is just as important as
your child's involvement in school activities. Your student is
entering a phase of great change, and support from parents is
essential. Scott knows he can count on his parents and acknowledges
the critical role their support plays in his schooling. Even if your
student seems more likely to push you away than ask for guidance, keep
the lines of communication open. Get to know your child's friends. Be
aware of school functions and encourage your child to join in. Find
out where the school needs parent volunteers.
Your active support and participation will help ensure a successful
transition into high school. Use our downloadable "High School
Transition Tips for Parents" as a checklist, so you can keep the
basics in mind as you set the stage for all of those other transitions
and "firsts" that are on the horizon in the next few years.
*"Scott" is based on a real-life teenager in the author's extended
family. The conversations recounted here, with Scott and his mother,
are accurate representations of actual conversations the author had
with them.
© 2006 Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation Created: 07/26/2006
About the Contributors
Nancy Firchow is a freelance writer and former librarian for Schwab
Learning. She has a Masters degree in Library Science and has also
worked as a medical research librarian.
References
Akos, Patrick. "Middle and High School Transitions as Viewed by
Students, Parents, and Teachers." Professional School Counseling,
April 2004.
ERIC Development Team, "Helping Middle School Students Make the
Transition into High School." ERIC Digest, ED432411.
Isakson, Kristen, and Jarvis, Patricia. "The Adjustment of Adolescents
During the Transition into High School: A Short-term Longitudinal
Study." Journal of Youth and Adolescence, February 1999.
Letrello, Thesea M. "The Transition from Middle School to High School:
Students with and without Learning Disabilities Share their
Perceptions." The Clearing House, March/April, 2002.
Mizelle, Nancy B. "Transition from Middle School into High School."
Middle School Journal, May, 2000.
National Network of Partnership Schools. "Middle and High School
Report: Plan to Help Incoming Freshmen and their Parents Transition to
High school." Type 2 Spring 2005, Issue 2.