Freshman year of is viewed as the most important year in a students’ high school career. For many students it is a make or break time period that many don’t move past. Ninth grade students begin their year between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. During that age, students begin to one of the biggest growths within human development. Entering a new format, with new teachers, different building, and a whole new culture can cause problems within the new group of students. The need of support to assist these students with the transition from middle school to high school has become increasingly apparent. It seems that most research backs up this assumption. There are many ways of trying to assist these students in making a smooth transition into …show more content…
As teenagers enter high school, they face the emotional changes that come with the challenges and pressures of approaching adulthood. High schools are typically larger and offer less support than elementary and middle schools, creating an environment that requires a great deal of adaptation to succeed. In addition to this transition, students are also faced with “issues of personal identity, changing family systems and the impact of substance abuse, violence, teen pregnancy, rising dropout rates and emotional problems” (DaGiau, 2000 p. 13). Increasing the ability for ninth grade students to have a better transition into high school seems to be a likely cure for these common problems of high …show more content…
(2000) maintained that many students find it difficult to adjust to high school. This often results in low grades, high absences, a high number of discipline referrals, and a high number of dropouts. High schools are typically larger and offer less support than elementary and middle schools, creating an environment that requires a great deal of adaptation to succeed. This review will also discuss the difficulties adolescents experience in transitioning from middle school to high school. This references the factory type atmosphere of many high schools where students are churned out like products into higher education or the
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.
It's quite difficult transitioning from being the biggest to back to being the smallest. In eighth grade, you've finally become comfortable with your peers, the school, and even the teachers, and it's gone in a matter of a couple months. My perception of high school was extremely terrifying because it was an academy where I didn't really know anyone because it was slightly far. It seems so easy when you already know someone at the school because they can help guide you around, but to a zoning that's a twenty minute distance it's difficult. I expected the least, honestly. I knew that the halls would be packed, getting to classes would be confusing, and teachers would continuously give homework, but no one said it would be so much more. Moving
High school students don’t know how they can succeed in school and improve their academic performance. A student in high school with unexceptionally easy courses could glide through high school with very limited effort involved and receiving mediocre results. The student receives low grades since they are not required or expected to exceed above any standards set by the administration. When that student graduates high school and begins their college career or applies for jobs, they are vacuous and struggle since they only took the easy route throughout their early life and was never prepared. Unfortunately, most students end up in that predicament of not being prepared for their future struggles and fail to succeed since there was never any
All middle school students are at different developmental stages--some students have matured significantly, while others still have a long way to go. Hunt, Wiseman, and Bowden conclude that, in looking at attitudes and behaviors, some middle schoolers are “childlike,” while others are “deeply involved in the complex lifestyle characteristics of teenagers (1998, p. 57). They also establish that middle school students are in a time of “significant transition,” a time that some struggle with, while others thrive on this change. (Hunt, Wiseman, & Bowden, 1998, p. 60-61). The middle school age group is typically distinguished as children and teens ages 10 to 14. This age range was not distinguished until the 1980s (Hunt, Wiseman, & Bowden, 1998, p. 58), which coincides with further development in the middle school (in comparison to junior high school). These students are in a stage coined by Donald Eichhorn called “transesence” (Manning & Bucher, 2012, p. 5).
Since I'm coming to an end in my middle school years in a few months, I feel obligated to make a guide to help you youngsters transition to middle school, and even help people who are already in middle school, struggling! Hopefully these tips will help you in your three years of Hell on Earth.
Pre‐teen and teenage years are often difficult periods socially, mentally, physically as well as academically. Adolescents struggle with identity development, acceptance and the demands of peer pressure. They often experience intense emotional states of insecurity, rebellion, and depression; however these challenges are typically intensified for at‐risk youth. At‐risk youth may lack the necessary social or familial support to be successful in their academic, personal and social lives or to overcome such pressures. Many of these young people do not have a family life capable of providing a structured environment that encourages positive decision‐making skills or the building of basic social skills. Furthermore, there is often little or no support academically to complete homework or to be studious during after school hours. Many children from at‐risk homes lack the motivation to be successful in school and to build personal relationships with peers.
Theresa M. Letrello & Dorothy D. Miles (2003) The Transition from Middle School to High School:
When any adolescent enters High School they are still young and on the search to find themselves. High Schooler’s often make bad decisions, but quickly see that these mistakes there to be learning experiences rather than to dwell on them. Often, for many students, High School does not present an extreme amount of stress, rather it is a a place to learn more about yourself. Once college hits, stress is the only thing on the mind. College students are always worrying about if they did their homework, if they have a big test coming up, if they studied enough, and if they even have enough money to pay their bills. So the key to college is to know that the fundamentals of college are different than high school, be responsible and reliable to yourself, do all your homework, and most importantly be respectful to your peers and teachers
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
Over the past four years, we have grown from insecure, immature freshmen to successful, focused and confident young adults. This incredible transformation has been the result of our entire high school experience. Everything from that first homecoming game, to late night cramming, to the last dance at prom. These experiences have pulled us together as a class and we have learned to love and respect our fellow classmates.
Many transitions occur throughout a students' life. From their first day of preschool to their first day of college, as humans we constantly have to readjust to new school environments. In terms of developmentally, transitioning to middle school comes at a terrible time! We know that the time children are transitioning from elementary to middle school occurs between the ages of nine and twelve years old, also known as early adolescence, and the start of puberty. Adolescence is a time where our bodies are changing physically, psychologically, and emotionally, and having to deal with a body transition as well as an environmental transition can be difficult. This is why it is essential for school systems to ease student's anxiety and fears about the upcoming years as much as possible, by implementing an effective transition program.
All or most of us have gone through it. The countless hours we spent filling out college applications, scholarship applications, visiting colleges, and taking the dreaded tests. Whether it was the PSAT, SAT, ACT, or other college entrance exams, it was a big hassle. After visiting such a great number of colleges, the advantages and disadvantages of the schools seemed to run together in my mind. The endless paper work and deadlines seemed as though they would never end. When I thought about college, it seemed like it was not real, like it was a figment of my imagination. I imagined what it would be like, wondering where I would go. The questions of "What did I want to major in?" and after I decided that, "What schools had my major?" circled around in my head. When filling out questionnaires for college searches I was asked about what size college I preferred, whether I wanted to be in a rural or suburban area. Did I really know how to answer these questions that would so greatly affect the next four years of my life?
Young adolescents can be described as ages 10-15 years old, but it is also considered that adolescence continues until the age of 25. During this time in an adolescent’s life there are many internal and external factors that affect the development of each individual. The influence that an adolescent’s peers, parents, and community have on them can be conflicting and therefore cause stress. Trying to meet the expectations of others during a time where one is going through so many forms of physical, psychological, and cognitive development can be trying for a middle school aged student. They are expected to focus on their education and the expectation of other outside influences while their bodies are growing and developing into an adult body. When development happens differently for these kids it can affect their psychological development if they focus too much on how fast, or slow they are developing in comparison to their peers. Some adolescents may let their peers influence their behaviors creating a problem with how they interact with others, or how they view themselves as a person. The middle school is a place where students are guided through these developmental experiences with the help of their peers, teachers, administrators, parents and community.
To start off with, going to high school was a big journey to explore. High school wasn't always as easy like in the movies. In every year there were sacrifices I made to graduate to the next. Playing sports while going to school could be a hassle, especially when having too much homework. Going to school and playing sports isn't always the best way to have good grades.
A study performed in 1992, reported approximately 3,400,000 youth had failed to complete high school and were not enrolled in high school (Starr 1998). This statistic is based on the United States where job competition has greatly increased due to technology. Many of these student lacked the support and training necessary to succeed in today’s society. Currently in every high school across the nation, there is a person responsible for offering support and training to the youth of America. Available for all students is a guidance counselor. Counselors within the high school setting play an influential role in the forming of post high school goals through the planning of numerous activities.