The Transition to Middle School (continued)

Organizational Factors

Students who move into middle level schools from elementary grades that rotate students between classes at least part of the day reported feeling better prepared to enter a middle level school. Waggoner (1994) investigated transition concerns and the self-esteem of 171 sixth-graders. Students from teamed settings in elementary schools demonstrated a stronger affiliation in school activities and fewer concerns about the transition to junior high school than students in self-contained sixth-grade classrooms. Teachers in teamed settings felt their students exhibited fewer indicators of stress related to progressing to junior high school than teachers of students in self-contained sixth-grade classrooms. Sixty-six percent of all students surveyed believed they would be better prepared for seventh grade if they had more than one sixth-grade teacher (Waggoner, 1994).

Motivational Factors

In middle level schools, it is important to emphasize mastery and improvement, rather than relative ability and social comparison. Empirical evidence suggests that middle schools tend to stress relative ability and competition among students more, and effort and improvement less, leading to a decline in task goals, ability goals, and academic efficacy. Working in groups, focusing on effort and improvement, and being given choices all support a more positive task-focused goal structure (Anderman & Midgley, 1996).

Effective and Comprehensive Transition Programs

The transition into middle level schools is accompanied by intellectual, moral, social, emotional, and physical changes taking place in at least part of the transition group at any given time. Students making the transition into middle level schools need to receive assistance prior to, during, and after the move so that their social, psychological, and academic well-being is not compromised.

Effective and comprehensive transition programs help (1) build a sense of community; (2) respond to the needs and concerns of the students; and (3) provide appropriate, faceted approaches to facilitate the transition process. The following guidelines are suggested for planning transition programs (Weldy, 1991):

• Provide several activities that will involve students, parents, teachers, and staff from both schools in the transition process.
• Establish a transition protocol that can be easily replicated and updated annually with little effort.
• Establish a timeline for the transition process.
• Schedule meetings between collaborative groups from sending and receiving schools and discussions for adults and students about the issues.
• Assess the human and financial resources available to support the transition process. Identify adult and student leaders from all schools and constituencies to help with the transition.
• Ask students, teachers, guidance counselors, parents, and others to evaluate the transition program.

Transition Activities

The following examples may be helpful in selecting or creating a transition plan to best suit your community: