Fortunately, scholars have identified some schools that have implemented successful transition programs. For instance, in Spokane, Washington, a middle school administration found that too much time was being spent establishing rules and procedures at the start of the school year Fields, To address this problem, the middle school personnel initiated communication with the feeder elementary schools to gain information from the teachers about students through meetings and from students through a survey.
Using this information, they created a program that featured:. Watson described a program in Hanover County, Virginia. There, counselors at Stonewall Jackson Middle School opened up communication with feeder schools by hosting meetings with counselors to get information about the students and to collaborate on how to improve the middle school transition.
After getting background information and ideas, stakeholders were invited to share their issues and concerns about the middle school transition before making improvements to the program. Without this open communication with all stakeholders, an effective and collaborative program could not have been developed to meet the needs of the upcoming students.
By definition, transition activities are defined as multiple activities that occur before, during, and after transitions that support students and parents and help students develop a real sense of how middle school will be Akos, ; Anderson, et al. These activities include but are not limited to:. By implementing transition activities like these, middle schools can help build a sense of community for these upcoming middle schoolers and parents which will ultimately help them feel more comfortable with the transition process.
The biggest misconception with transition programs is that once the students have entered into the middle school, the transition is over Akos, Arowosafe and Irvin and Schumacher have described ways that transition programs can be ongoing, such as periodically surveying the students to see what concerns they still have and addressing these concerns through activities and meetings; continuing activities that focus on communication between parents and student, parents and school, and building rapport with teachers and students.
Continuing to support transition issues across the school year allows students opportunities to be included in the transition process, especially since some of them may not have felt comfortable with participating and giving their input at the beginning of the transition process.
Continued transition activities will also allow for an open dialogue among all stakeholders involved in the transition process and offer additional assistance to students who may struggle with transitions Akos, ; Anderson, et.
The transition to middle school is a challenging time for students, parents, and teachers. However, students can transition from elementary to middle school more smoothly with the implementation of an effective transition program. To create an effective transition program, team members must understand not only the needs of young adolescents but also the expectations the teachers and administrators will have for the students once they enter middle school.
To aid in the creation of an effective transition program, feeder schools and middle schools can start with the following suggestions to open the lines of communication and to begin the construction of a transition plan:. All and all, with strong teamwork and collaboration among middle school and feeder elementary school faculties, an effective transition program is possible; however, it takes dedication and cooperation from all involved parties to address the needs of the transitional students.
Akos, P. Student perceptions of the transition from elementary to middle school. Professional School Counseling, 5 5 , Advice and student agency in the transition to middle school.
Research in Middle Level Education, 27 2 , Anderson, L. School transitions: Beginning of the end or a new beginning? International Journal of Educational Research, 33 , Arowosafe, D. Transition to middle level school: What kids say. Middle School Journal, 24 2 , Bellmore, A. Peer rejection and unpopularity: Associations with GPAs across the transition to middle school.
Journal of Educational Psychology, 2 , Brighton, K. Coming of age: The education and development of young adolescents. Cauley, K. Developing an effective transition program for students entering middle school or high school. Clearing House, 80 1 , Cohen, J. Tightening the dropout tourniquet: Easing the transition from middle to high school. Eccles, J. Young adolescent development. Irvin Ed. Fields, D. Transition From elementary to middle school.
Middle Matters, 10 8 , Jackson, A. Turning points Educating adolescents in the 21st century. Kingery, J. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 57 3 , Morgan, P. Designing comprehensive transitions. Principal leadership: Middle level edition, 1 7 , National Middle School Association. This we believe: Keys to educating young adolescents. Westerville, OH: Author. Niesen, V. Transition from elementary to middle school: Strategies for educators.
National Association of School Psychologists. Parker, A. Understanding and supporting young adolescents during the transition into middle school. Andrews Ed. Perkins, P. Elementary to middle school: Planning for transition. Clearing House, 68 3 , Reynolds, K. The fourth grade experience: Insights toward the transition to middle school.
Schexnaildre, E. The effects of classroom structure and practice on the transition to middle school. Doctoral dissertation. Shoshani, A. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14 4 , Theriot, M. Student discipline problems and the transition from elementary to middle school. Education and Urban Society, 42 2 , Merriam-Webster Online Department of Education Mentoring Resource Center Making the transition to middle school: How mentoring can help.
Watson, C. Transitions to and from middle school. Wormeli, R. Educational Leadership, 68 7 , Information is organized in seven key sections: 1 why are school transitions difficult, 2 who has the greatest difficulty with transitions, 3 difficult transitions and the process of disengagement, 4 facilitating successful systematic transitions: a conceptual framework, 5 the framework revisited, 6 facilitating successful transitions: recommendations, and 7 concluding comments.
Each of these sections is supported with research and provides a clear and thorough explanation. Ultimately, these authors suggest that middle schools create collaborative transition teams that include school faculty, students, and parents.
Akos reports a descriptive qualitative study where he asked upcoming middle schoolers and current middle schools about their perceptions and concerns of middle school. This study was conducted in four phases. In Phase I, he asked fifth graders to write down questions they had about middle school.
Phase I took place in January. Using these questions, Phase II consisted of a 5-item questionnaire that accessed the concerns that arose from the questions created in Phase I. This questionnaire was given to fifth grade students in May. Phase III took place in August as the fifth graders were transitioning to middle school. This phase consisted of a 7-item questionnaire that addressed their concerns, best aspects of middle school to date, and who helped them during their transition.
Phase IV took place in December of their sixth grade year. As they move to the high school setting, many 9 th grade students commonly experience a significant decline in both grades and attendance. This often occurs as a result of the new social opportunities, the greater option of choices for the young students, in addition to the pressures of fitting in and finding their own comfortable peer groups.
A transition program is a collaborative attempt on the behalf of middle schools to prepare their students for high school. While each middle school is unique in its practices, some successful programs provide 8 th graders with an opportunity to visit the high school and meet new students before the beginning of the school year; some schools invite high school teachers to speak with 8 th graders prior to entering high school, while other schools provide students with a mentoring program, so that 8 th graders have a high school student who can help show them around, provide advice and tips.
Ultimately, as NMSA supports, since the high school dropout rates are significantly lower in districts and schools with successful transition programs, school communities and leaders should ensure that both young adolescents and parents are provided with the appropriate tools and information to ensure individual care for each student.
As each public and private school has its own unique curriculum and academic requirements, not all schools have successfully implemented transition programs.
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