The Impact of Student Perceptions on the Transition from Elementary to Middle School
When confronting change, individuals may face perceived fears and challenges. Many current middle schools do not address the needs of middle school students as they transition from elementary to middle school (Akos,2004; Eccles, Midgley, et al., 1993). School personnel understand the problematic transition students embark on when moving from one level of schooling to another. The transition from elementary to middle school may be particularly challenging because it often involves substantial school and personal change at a time when most students are experiencing cognitive, physical, social, and emotional challenges that occur in puberty and have been coupled
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There are several school-level processes that may affect student outcomes either as direct effects of instructional practice or indirectly through support of students’ social-psychological needs (Rowan, B., Chiang, F.-S., Miller, R. J., 1996).
Difficulity in transitioning from elementary school to middle school can be seen by lower test scores, lower motivation, lower self-efficacy, higher absentism rates, and more office referrals (CITE). The sixth-grade year is, for many reasons, one of the most important academic years for most students. Not only does this year mark the transition for most students into a middle school setting, but the sixth grade year also serves as a catapult for future academic and educational experiences
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According to Niesen, transitions can be difficult for everyone, but for young people one of the most difficult transitions is the one from elementary to middle school. At the same time that young adolescents are adapting to hormonally induced physical, emotional, and cognitive changes, they suddenly enter new educational environments that are typically less nurturing, larger, more departmentalized (e.g., going from one classroom to another), more competitive, and more demanding academically. Middle school students are generally expected to be more independent and responsible for their own assignments as well as other commitments ( 2004, p. 163).
The sixth-grade year is critical in terms of providing the foundation for a student’s middle school career (Clark, 2007). If students have problems transitioning to middle school, the outcome for students may be negative (Ruiz, 2005). Akos, Eccles, and Midgley (1993) state that the timing of these events in a student’s life can lead to lower motivation, lower self-efficacy, lower standardized test scores, higher rates of absenteeism, and behavioral issues. Developmentally responsive schools may be the key to alleviating the problems of young adolescents' school transition (Mullins, Emmett R.; Irvin,
Throughout the length of schooling, students go through various changes. In their first year of school, children are required to make the transition from being at home for the entire day to being in school for a number of hours a day. These transition periods happen many times through the schooling years, but the most drastic changes occur during the transition from high school to college, where students weather numerous lifestyle changes. While each individual student goes on their own journey, certain themes remain common between different students. Studies are done to look at these themes identifying the numerous differences and similarities.
As young adolescents make the transition from middle to high school, ambiguous behaviors are becoming increasingly evident. Hoping to improve these behavioral issues among freshmen, certain schools are reestablishing their system so that 9th graders are isolated from the larger high school community. This will result in negative outcomes for the community as well as for these young adults.
Making the transition from middle school to high school is a huge stepping stone in a teenager’s life. High school represents both the ending of a childhood and the beginning of adulthood. It’s a rite of passage and often many teens have the wrong impression when beginning this passage. Most began high school with learning the last thing on their mind. They come in looking for a story like adventure and have a false sense of reality created through fabricated movie plots acted out by fictional characters. In all actuality high school is nothing like you see in movies, television shows, or what you read about in magazines.
Theresa M. Letrello & Dorothy D. Miles (2003) The Transition from Middle School to High School:
The narrator describes the drastic change from elementary to junior high for example the narrator talks about his new situation with his teachers “…what happened was there were teachers now, not just one teacher, teach-erz...” his confusion by the drastic change of having only one teacher to teach his class and help him out then to having multiple teachers. You also get that sense of abandonment and being overwhelmed. He feels abandoned because now that he has multiple teachers, he doesn’t get the kind of attention and care that he was used to in middle school. With all these different teachers with different personalities and classroom rules he
The text depicts a historical perspective on Middle Childhood, as during the twentieth century, children were viewed primarily as an economic source of income, in terms of providing for the family. According to the text this happens often in European counties and in parts of the United States. Elizabeth D. Hutchinson, Dimensions of Human Behavior The Changing Life Course 3rd, 2008. In this short review we will look at how this historical perspective in itself is not a question to how, but when these individual give.
During adolescence, the transition from childhood to adulthood is extremely important. Children are becoming more independent and begin to look to the future in terms of career, relationships, family, housing, etc. During this period, they are exploring the possibilities and begin to form their own identity based on the result of his explorations. This sense of who may be hampered, leading to a sense of confusion about themselves and their role in the
This Transition Summary provides ideas and information on how students, families, school personnel, service providers, and others can work together to help students make a smooth transition. In particular, this document focuses on creative transition planning and services that use all the res...
Middle childhood is defined a number of ways, but perhaps best defined as the ages 6 to 12 years of age or prepubescent to pubescence Middle childhood is a challenging time and a major challenge is social constructs, as this is the earliest time when children begin to move away from parental influences and establish more meaningful peer and other adult relationships. It signifies a new set of social contacts with adults and other children as well as a wider variety of settings than those that characterize early childhood. Children begin to see themselves as a part of a bigger whole. Peer influences can become more powerful than the adults in the children’s life and impact their sense of self. Grouping is established and teasing of others groups and children begins to take hold in establishing social ranking. This can be a critical time for children and a great time for a social work practitioner to implement interventions to assist vulnerable children. However, a child who has one or two adults or trustworthy peers to whom she may turn may learn that peers cannot necessarily be trusted to give her good feedback. (website) Providing a setting were children could expand their ideas, make like minded friends and have the mentoring of trustworthy adults can transition children into the next developmental phase. They begin to look at different perspectives and can see another point of view. The world opens up before them, while this is an exciting time; it is also perhaps the most turbulent.
Children in middle childhood are growing psychosocially at a quick rate. During middle childhood they become industrious, develop a self-concept, and learn how to be friends, amongst other things. In Erickson’s Stages of Development, a child in middle childhood (or children from age six to age eleven) moves through the industry versus inferiority stage. This stage is marked by the child working to gain new skills and in general just being productive (Click P. M., Parker J., 2002, p. 89). A child who is successful in their attempts will gain confidence in themselves and move on into adolescence firmly on the industrious side.
Zins, J. E., Bloodworth, M. R., Weissberg, R. P., & Walberg, H. J. (2004). The Scientific Base Linking Social and Emotional Learning to School Success. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University .
As the bell rang to trek to my next class a sense of relief filled my body as I had made it through another day in Geometry. That relief soon dissipated as I realized my next class was Algebra II. Starting ninth grade I was looking forward to the challenge of taking two math classes, but also getting ahead of my peers, so I could subsequently create more options for myself in the future. Instead, a week never went by without having a test in either one of these classes. People always talk about how transitioning to high school is a reality check, and I lived it daily.
challenged to transition from childhood to adulthood. As Adler describes it, “For most children, adolescence means one thing above all else: he must prove he is no longer a child” (Fall & Berg, 1996, p.433). Adolescent individuals must understand his or her place within society, family, and community while simultaneously seeking independence in task and identity.
Growing up can be a difficult time for children and adults. Children move from being children to teenagers in the blink of an eye. In many cases, parents and families are not prepared for the challenges and changes that their child will experience in this new period of life. The world of adolescence is a confusing and unique place where the adolescent may feel like part child and part adult. It is important for parents and adults to understand the struggles and ways to encourage adolescents to move from childhood to adulthood. With the changing culture in today’s world our youth are facing challenges unrivaled in previous eras. Through using the research and studies available today can a more complete picture of what adolescence is as a period of life, the struggles that come with being an adolescent, and how to parent adolescents.
In middle school, a student is faced with many social changes that affect success in school. The change from elementary school, where kids are mainly in one class with the same kids and teacher, to middle school, where students are rotating classes, teachers, and other students is a hard switch for some students. The relationship with their teachers isn’t as strong, due to the fact that they have multiple subjects. This makes it hard for students to get the attention they need. So that is why success in middle school is a strong indicator for success in high