Middle School Transition

School Transitions Impact Student Success

Perceptions of Challenges

Students have 3 general areas of concern about transitioning to the Middle School:

•Difficulty adjusting to school transitions can result in academic, social, and emotional decline (Akos, 2002; Akos & Galassi, 2004).

1. Academic (having more homework and more

difficult classes)

For the following graphs:

•Successful school transitions have been identified as an important predictor for later academic and social success (Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2008; Wildenger, McIntyre, Fiese, & Eckert, 2008; Dimmitt & Carey, 2007).

Red= Academic Items

2. Procedural (finding their way around the school,

using lockers, and understanding

rules/procedures/expectations)

Blue= Procedural Items

Green= Social Items

•Poor adjustment during the transition to middle school has been linked to leaving school early (Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2008) .

3. Social (making new friends, getting along with

peers, fitting in, and coping with bullies or older

students)

•School transitions often coincide with significant developmental changes, which could exacerbate any difficulties associated with adjusting to new school environments

(Akos, 2002; Akos & Galassi, 2004; Kingerly, Erdley, & Marshall, 2011).

What Students Look Forward To

Thoughts and Feelings About the Transition

Preparedness

Worry

• 86% of 6th graders agreed or strongly agreed that they feel prepared for the Middle School
• 75% of 7th graders agreed or strongly agreed they felt prepared for the Middle School
• 71% of 7th grade teachers agreed or strongly agreed the current 7th graders were prepared for the Middle School

• 36% of 6th graders agreed or strongly agreed they feel worried about going to the Middle School
• 48% of 7th graders agreed or strongly agreed they felt worried about coming to the Middle School at the start of the school year

Confidence

Goals of the current study:

Limitations:

Forgot to include laptops!

• 94% of 6th graders agreed or strongly agreed they felt confident about their ability to be successful in 7th grade
• 81% of 7th graders felt confident about their ability to be successful in Middle School at the beginning of the school year
• 89% of 7th graders agreed or strongly agreed they felt confident about their ability to be successful in 7th grade at this point in the school year

Ambiguity of some questions

• How do students define "being prepared"?
• What are students "confident" about?

Anonymity of responses

• Attaching student names to the surveys could result in more targeted interventions for students who may need them

1. Identify where 6th grade students get information about the

Middle School.

2. Identify perceptions of the most positive and the most challenging

parts of adjusting to the Middle School.

3. Assess 6th grade students’ thoughts and feelings about their

upcoming transition to the Middle School.

4. Get suggestions for helpful transition activities.

Surveys:

• 6th Grade Student Survey

How Can We Help Students Prepare?

Where do 6th graders get info about the Middle School?

• Administered 3/15/2013 to 6th grade students at New Holland Elementary

7th Graders

6th Graders

• 7th Grade Student Survey

Using Data to Drive Practice: Thoughts for the Future

• Administered 1/30/2013 to 7th grade students at GSMS

• Include student interviews

6th graders suggested:

• Help prepare for academics (learn note-taking and test-taking skills)
• Practice locks
• Tour the Middle School

7th graders suggested:

• Tour the Middle School
• Practice locks
• Practice changing classes/having multiple teachers
• Have 7th graders share info about the Middle School
• Learn organizational skills

7th grade teachers suggested:

• Learn computer skills
• Understand importance of homework
• Learn organizational skills
• Practice locks

• 7th Grade Teacher Survey

• capture narratives of the transition experience
• better way to assess thoughts and feeling

• Administered 2/20/2013 to 7th grade teachers at GSMS

• How does perception data relate to results data (grades, discipline referrals, attendance)?

What part of the Middle School is the most challenging to get used to?

• Are students getting accurate information about the Middle School from siblings?

• explore opportunities to include siblings in transition activities

• How can we explicitly teach academic skills (note-taking, test-taking, organization)?

• classroom guidance lessons and small groups
• opportunity to collaborate with teachers
• resources on the counseling website

Academic Transitions:

“a process during which institutional and social factors influence which students’ educational careers are positively or negatively affected by this movement between organizations” (Smith, 2006)

Perceptions of the Middle School Transition

References

by Stefanie Moore, M.Ed.

Akos, P. (2002). Student perceptions of the transition from elementary to middle school. Professional School Counseling, 5(5), 339.

Akos, P., & Galassi, J. (2004). Middle and high school transitions as viewed by students, parents, and teachers. Professional School Counseling, 7(4), 212-221.

Dimmitt, C. & Carey, J. (2007). Using the ASCA National Model to facilitate school transitions. Professional School Counseling, 10(3), 227-232.

Hernandez Jozefowicz-Simbeni, D. M. (2008). An ecological and developmental perspective on dropout risk factors in early adolescence: Role of school social workers in dropout prevention

efforts. Children & Schools, 30(1), 49-62.

Kingery, J. N., Erdley, C. A., & Marshall, K. C. (2011). Peer acceptance and friendship as predictors of early adolescents’ adjustment across the middle school transition. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly,

57(3), 215-243.

Smith, J. S. (2006). Research summary: Transition from middle school to high school. Retrieved 10/23/2011 from http://www.nmsa.org/Research/ResearchSummaries/TransitionfromMStoHS/

tabid/1087/Default.aspx

Wildenger, L. K., McIntyre, L. L., Fiese, B. H., & Eckert, T. L. (2008). Children’s daily routines during Kindergarten transition. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 69-74.

doi: 10.1007/s10643-008-0255-2.