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Middle Years

A Louder School Bell It's time to enter middle school. By Carol DausPublished: July, 2003

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Middle school can be frightening, not only for soon-to-be middle schoolers but also for their parents. Eighth-grade girls that look and act like Britney Spears, locker combinations, multiple teachers and passing periods are enough to make many new students feel like running straight back to their elementary schools. Fortunately, there is much that middle schools and parents can do to help make this a smooth transition for the student. The majority of middle schools in Southern California consist of sixth through eighth grade, although a number are seventh and eighth grade. The schools that tend to be the most intimidating for new students have the sixth-grade component mainly because there are major physical and emotional differences between the typical sixth- and eighth-grader. An eighth-grader is often at least a head taller than most sixth-graders. "Probably one of the biggest fears of incoming middle-school students is that some 'mean,' 'nasty' and 'large' eighth-grader is going to throw them into a trash can," says Marc Ecker, Ph.D., superintendent of the Fountain Valley School District and president-elect of the National Middle School Association. Ecker stresses that fears are normal because middle school is a completely new social and academic environment for incoming sixth-graders. Among their biggest fears: remembering how to open their locker and getting to class on time. Many also are afraid of increasing academic expectations. As a mother of a sixth-grader, I noticed that my son's biggest challenges were organizational skills and effective time management. With an increased homework load coming from five teachers, he was forced to record daily assignments and start homework earlier in the day. Participating in an after-school homework club at his school also helped him complete assignments. When my daughter entered sixth grade, her biggest concern was being able to make the combination lock work. To ease her anxieties, I had her practice with a combination lock at home before she was given her own lock from the school. The stresses facing these students also can be minimized by the middle schools, particularly the sixth-grade teachers. Many schools assign teachers to a specific sixth-grade core of subjects, such as language arts and social studies. These teachers play an important role in helping new students make the transition to middle school. "I have found that an effective sixth-grade core program can be instrumental in kicking off a successful middle-school experience," says Ecker. "These teachers serve as advisers and often make conferences with parents." Most middle schools also host orientations for both new students and parents before the start of the new school year. The week before school starts, my son's middle school holds a three-day orientation in which sixth-graders are paired with eighth-graders who serve as mentors and assist them with opening lockers and finding classrooms. The program helps the younger students realize that eighth-graders are not out to get them. Parents must play a supportive role when their child enters middle school. "The best things parents can do are become involved with the school and talk regularly with their child to help ease their fears," says Ecker. "Parents who know what is going on at school seem to have students who have fewer concerns." In many ways, entering middle school for a child is a major steppingstone on the road to becoming a young adult. Parents and teachers, therefore, need to offer support and encouragement as students adjust to their new school environment. Before they know it, these students will be starting all over again - this time in high school. REFRIGERATOR CLIP What Can Parents Do?  • Join the PTA and become involved in school activities.  • Maintain strong communication with your child.  • Support your child in their efforts to become independent.  • Provide your child with a quiet place to study.  • Be alert to signs of depression or anxiety and seek help, if necessary.

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