Goodbye Elementary! Hello Middle School!
Dan Everett, ES Counselor and Andrea Callaway, MS Counselor
“How do you handle excuses?” This brilliant question was posed by a fifth grader to one of her future sixth grade teachers.
During the past several weeks, the fifth and sixth grade teams collaborated to implement our annual transition program for our future sixth grade students. The program involves several events:
● Parent Coffee information session about what to expect in Middle School.
● “Nuts & Bolts” information session for fifth graders led by Mr. Keith Boniface and Ms. Andrea Callaway. This session explains several of the differences between Elementary and Middle School such as schedules, subject requirements, number of teachers, mini-courses, student leadership opportunities, etc.
● “Meet & Greet” opportunity that allows the fifth graders to meet each of their sixth grade core teachers in the hallway and hear a bit about their respective subject area. The finale of this event is a Q&A session between the fifth grade students and a panel of sixth grade students. The kids enjoy the chance to hear “the real deal” from kids close to their age.
According to the Association for Middle Level Education, the attributes of successful transition programs include the following:
● A sensitivity to the anxieties accompanying a move to a new school setting
● The importance of parents and teachers as partners in this effort
● The recognition that becoming comfortable in a new school setting is an ongoing process, not a single event.
http://www.nmsa.org/AboutNMSA/PositionStatements/TransitioningStudents/tabid/283/Default.aspx
The Counselors worked in tandem to gather data from the fifth graders as they experienced this transition program. A survey was given to each student before and after the “Meet & Greet” session. They were asked to respond to the three different questions listed below by circling one of the following responses:
1. How do you feel about starting Middle School?
2. How do you feel about finding your way around the Middle School?
3. How do you feel about meeting new students (including seventh and eighth graders)?
The resulting data indicated that the Meet & Greet had the desired impact for a majority of the students. Approximately half of the students described themselves as prepared for the transition prior to our session. After the session, over 80% described themselves as prepared. The survey results enabled the counselors to follow up with those students who still reported feeling scared or nervous. One student rated himself as feeling scared after the activity. He explained that participating in the transition activities caused him to realize that Middle School was not too far away!
The following articles may assist you in supporting your future Middle Schooler. And of course, you can also contact the Counselors, Andrea Callaway and Dan Everett.
Articles for parents:
1. Making the Transition: Help your child navigate these typical Middle School challenges.
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2157
2.The Elementary to Middle School Transition: Five Helpful Hints for Parents
http://www.nmsa.org/publications/webexclusive/helpfulhints/tabid/649/default.aspx
3. Smoothing your child's transition to Middle School: Planning and conversation will ease your tween's anxiety about meeting the new, complex demands of Middle School.
http://www.greatschools.org/LD/managing/smoothing-your-childs-transition-to-middle-school.gs?content=980&page=all
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