Transition Years

 Sixth Grade and Freshmen Year

Adolescence is a tough time for students, but teachers can be a lifeline for their students. Often students feel that their teachers do not care about each student’s particular education, which is why many will expend less effort in school. “So many students still go into a slump when they enter middle school. They exhibit large declines in academic motivation, in perception of their own academic abilities, and in achievement after they leave elementary school” (Dolgin, 2011, p. 311). Teachers can combine social aspects alongside science, social studies, English, and math, to allow adolescents to feel engaged and invested in their learning. 

The same can be said for freshmen in high school. These transition grades are difficult for all students because of the change in school, environment, and teachers. There is a whole new world to learn to the rules of survival for.

What can you do?

 Support the Students

•      Middle schools are generally larger and more impersonal than the elementary schools students come from (Dolgin, 2011, p. 311). Often students do not feel centered and comfortable in the school or, consequently their life.

•      As a teacher, help students feel comfortable in the classroom by creating an atmosphere of learning

•      Students need to feel connected, especially in school. Many adolescent students are constantly fighting self-certainty versus self-consciousness. Students are becoming more self-aware and will need help feeling confident in themselves (Dolgin, 2011, p. 158). Forming a connection will help student feel more self-aware.

 Make the Transition Easier

•      Coming from an elementary school, where you are “top dog,” to a new school at the bottom of the food chain is difficult.

•      Get to know the students individually, try not to bog them down with too much homework at the beginning, and, most importantly, don’t let them get lost in the shuffle of adolescent life.

•      Dolgin (2011) suggests that with a task mastery structure, which is less competitive than a performance goal structure, adolescents experience fewer problems in school and come to value the subjects taught (p. 311).  Which means, have students compete against themselves, instead of others.

Reference

Dolgin, K.G. (2011). The adolescent: Development, relationships, and culture (13thed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be,

and you help them become what they are capable of becoming."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Struggling Readers

By middle school it can be difficult to interest students in reading, especially students who are already reading under grade level. The article "Boost Reading Skills by Summer," by Jennifer L. W. Fink, offers suggestions on how to help catch students up.

1.      Get Graphic - Using graphic novels will appeal to older students, even struggling readers, and is a great way for them to build reading skills. Plus, it will not be obvious that the student is reading a graphic novel that is below the their grade level.

2.      Build Confidence - Middle school struggling readers often have a defeatist attitude toward reading. Build confidence by praising their progression, even with books under grade level, use contests, rewards, or incentives.

3.      Develop Effective Routines - Make reading a part of their day. For example, challenge your students to complete an independent reading project.

Students who are struggling or have identifed disabilities often have negative self concept and have a more difficult time devleoping a positive self-image (Dolgin, 2011, p. 156). According to Dolgin (2011), current research braching off of Piaget’s theories of cognitive development state that the central feature of adolescent cognitive development is that older adolescents control their own learning and thinking, and are more likely to succeed at cognitive tasks (p. 129). The same can be said for students who are struggling; if they do not focusto control their thinking and learning because they feel at a disadvantage or behnd their peers, they will not learn. As the saying goes, you can do what you put your mind to. Using the above tips, you can help convince your students who are struggling readers that they can, in fact, succeed.

References

Dolgin, K.G. (2011). The adolescent: Development, relationships, and culture (13thed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Ward, Jennifer L. W. Fink. (2012). Boost reading skills by summer. Scholastic Instructor. Spring 2012, 52-54.

"What sculpture is to a block of marble
education is to the human soul."

-Joseph Addison

Availability



           Remember to make yourself available to your students. As time passes, allow your students to make a connection with you. Not every student is going to be your best friend, but being available for the students who need a mentor, friend, shoulder to cry on, or just an ear to listen is important. Dolgin (2011) discusses the main factors that lead to the development of a positive self-concept, which include a significant other, parents, socioeconomic status, race, gender, disabilities, and stress (p. 154-6). When one or multiple of these factors becomes a barrior for positive self-concept development, students develop low self-esteem and may make poor decisions. One of the most common reasons adolescents begin using drugs is to relieve tension or anxiety, escape problems, or to be able to deal or face those problems (Dolgin, 2011, p. 392). For students who are depressed and lost, possibly contemplating harming themselves, you could be their lifeline.

Tips

• Choose the time that you want to make yourself available for students: before/after school, lunch once a week, study hall, etc.
• Make sure this time is consistent to avoid having students come anytime during the day.
• Set a time limit.
• Take notes after talking to a student. In situations where there is abuse at home, having notes of incidents is helpful for DCFS.
• Don't judge. Your students came to you, the least you can do is listen without judgement.
• Seek advice yourself. If you ever feel unequipped to help a student, consult with your mentor, school social worker or psychologist, they are there to help you as well as the students.

Reference

Dolgin, K.G. (2011). The adolescet: Development, relationships, and culture (13thed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. 

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you."

-B.B. King

Looking Past the Surface

As Dolgin (2011) very accurately states, “Sometimes, adolescents who are angry or unhappy turn outward…sometimes the anger or unhappiness turns against the self” (p. 354). Either result can be extremely damaging to the adolescent and the people in his or her life. Adolescents are going through emotional, physical, and mental changes, and are often not equipped to appropriately deal with all of these major changes. For some adolescents, running away seems to be the only option; some develop severe depression and contemplate suicide; others turn to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia; some break laws serious enough to become juvenile delinquents and/or join gangs; still others turn to drug or alcohol abuse (Dolgin, 2011). There are very real choices that adolescents are faced with.

It is our job as teachers to see our students as more than a seat filler. We need see our students and human being with ever changing feelings and emotions. Because we have the unique opportunity to see our students on a daily basis, often time more than any other adult sees them, we are able to notice the signs of something wrong. Adolescents are working on developing and refining their decision making skills. According to Ross, there are five skills to decision making, most of which focus on alternatives and their merits (Dolgin, 2011, p. 134). Unfortunately, young adolescents may not recognize an alternative course of action, especially when they are depressed and feel lost. Consequently, adolescents can then make poor decisions, some of which may negatively affect the course of their life.

School is more than a place to learn math, literature, history, or science.  Don’t fail your students; see and hear what they aren’t saying and you could be their champion.

Reference

Dolgin, K.G. (2011). The adolescet: Development, relationships, and culture (13thed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.