School Transition Can Be Trying Time for Students

By The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

May 25–While summer is a nice break for most students, it also can be a time of uncertainty and excitement for students entering kindergarten, middle and high schools. Here are some tips for getting the most out of kindergarten, middle school and high school:

Kindergarten

Any child who is at least 5 years old by Aug. 31 has a right to go to public school, according to state law. However, that doesn’t mean that every 5-year-old is ready for school. In 2004, about 56 percent of incoming kindergartners were not ready for school, according to a report by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Some gaps were in language, literacy and social and emotional development, which are skills such as getting along with other kids and following directions.

The more skills that a student has going into kindergarten, the more useful the kindergarten experience will be for him or her.

Here are some tips and characteristics for students who are ready for school.

–Students can play with other children their age, recognize and respect authority, be able to manage their own bathroom needs, know his or her first and last names.

–Pre-kindergarten youngster also can get experience with scissors and pencils and crayons.

–Parents and guardians can read short stories aloud to their incoming kindergartner, play rhyming games and count along with their children.

–Talk with children at every opportunity. Children who don’t hear a lot of speech and who aren’t encouraged to talk often have problems learning to read, which can lead to other problems in school.

–Practice counting things at home and in the community. Show how numbers are used in everyday life; play counting games such as “hide and seek,” measure out a recipe, or sort some coins and discuss their value.

–Encourage active listening. Listen to your child’s ideas and respond. This type of give-and-take at home is likely to help your child participate and be interested in school.

–At a meal or on the way home, practice the rules of group discussion like raising hands, listening carefully to others, taking turns to talk, etc. You also can practice sharing, waiting in line, sitting in a circle and waiting for a turn.

–Practice with asking for help by asking questions at home like, “May I go to the bathroom?” and “Would you help me tie my shoe?”

Sources: Olympian archives; North Thurston Public Schools; Stephanie White, South Bay Elementary School kindergarten teacher

Middle School

Middle school means the end of recess and, for some, the beginning of lockers. Students stop having one teacher in one classroom with the same classmates. It means having five or six teachers a day.

Middle school also comes at a time of physical and mental development that separates 10- to 14-year-olds from younger children, according to the National Middle School Association.

For South Sound students, that transition into middle school happens at sixth grade for Olympia students, and in seventh grade for the North Thurston and Tumwater districts. In the fall of 2009, North Thurston is scheduled to move some of its sixth grade classes to the middle schools, as it gradually switches to putting all of its sixth through eighth grades in the middle schools.

There are some ways that families and schools have been softening the transition from elementary school to middle school:

–Understanding the building’s layout is important, and a visit before the start of the year is a chance to walk through the student’s class schedule so the routine starts to become familiar. If possible, families should get a copy of the schedule and walk through the building together

–Students should not be afraid to ask questions — being afraid to ask questions is one of the biggest reasons that first-year middle school students fail.

–Some middle school students experiment with drugs, alcohol and sex, but parents should not become overly alarmed. Instead, parents should try to work hard to stay connected with their students.

–Because students have more classes with different teachers, they get more homework and more personal responsibility. Families can help their children learn to be organized, which includes staying on top of their work, handling their own lunch money and taking the right supplies and books to school every day.

–Parents should encourage their children to get involved in extracurricular activities that can help them make friends and create a connection to school.

Sources: Olympian archives, Yelm School District

High School

Getting from ninth grade to graduation can be complicated. Progress is not only measured in years, but also in credits. Colleges look carefully at activities and grades to determine admissions.

The state also increased the number of requirements for a diploma starting with this year’s graduates. Students starting with the class of 2008 must pass the reading, writing and math tests in the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, must do a culminating project by senior year, develop a “High School and Beyond Plan,” and have enough credits to graduate as required by their schools.

Complicating matters, is that it also is a time of many firsts in many students’ personal lives: the first driver’s license, the first real job, perhaps first chance to vote in a political election.

Here are some aspects of high school to keep in mind as this year’s eighth graders get ready for college:

–While graduation seems like a long way away for ninth-graders, they should keep their grades up in freshman year. It’s not always easy to raise a grade point average.

–Students must learn to balance their time between academics, other activities and socializing. Some ways to do this is keeping a planner with a daily schedule for writing down assignments.

–Students should attend orientation sessions or at least visit their new schools before the first day to become familiar with the layout of the school. Orientation sessions also give students an opportunity to meet their classmates so they will know someone on the first day of school.

–Getting involved in activities is another way for students to make new friends and get to know teachers and coaches.

–Parents should try to set aside time each day to spend with their teenagers so that they can watch for signs of possible drug or alcohol use or other problems.

–Practice note-taking in academic classes such as math, science, language and history. Taking notes is an important skill for college.

–Study ahead for tests rather than cramming. That will give you better retention over time.

–Talk with your teachers. Self advocacy and student initiative are survival skills.

–Be familiar with college requirements and plan your academic schedule accordingly. Work with your counselor to get the classes you need.

–Research and be willing to use a variety of sources, not just the Internet.

–Be willing to meet before or after school with a teacher for extra help.

–Enroll in the most challenging courses you can successfully complete, not what your friends choose.

–When it comes to math, let skills, not ego or social issues, be the guide.

Sources: Olympian archives; Penny Therrien, a Tumwater High School assistant principal

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Copyright (c) 2008, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

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