How Parents Can Help - An Interview with Trevor Kampfl

Many parents and children worry about moving from elementary school to middle school. For most students, the elementary school is a smaller, more protected environment where the student is likely to stay in the same classroom for most subjects. Students typically have their own desk or personal storage space and are taught by one or two teachers who know the student well and whom the student knows well.

A middle school typically includes students filtering in from two or more elementary schools within the district. Middle school students change classrooms and teachers for each subject, learn to take greater responsibility for completing their homework, and learn to navigate crowded hallways between classes while keeping their personal supplies in their locker. While a few friendships may stay constant from childhood, it is not unusual for students to spend some time trying out different social groups until they find a peer group with which they feel most comfortable.

Authors Mizelle and Mullins suggest that the transition to middle school and then later to high school may be more difficult than other school transitions. One reason this transition is difficult is because of some of the developmental changes that are occurring in a young teen's life. Compared to elementary school-age children, middle-school-age children are more self-conscious and are less likely to think that others are viewing them positively. Also, middle-school-age students are typically looking for more time to develop their friendships and more freedom to make decisions about how to spend their school day ([1], pp. 304-305). If the student is also going through other major life changes-such as moving to a new house, having a new baby in the family, or dealing with family conflict-she or he may be particularly vulnerable ([1], pp. 304-305).

Parent News talked to Trevor Kampfl, a school counselor at Edison Middle School in Champaign, Illinois, to get a better understanding of how parents can help during the transition into middle school.

PN:
What might parents and children expect during the first few weeks of the middle school transition?

TK:
There are developmental changes going on with adolescents, and it is normal for most students to feel a little anxious at first. At Edison, the staff started a new program to ease the adjustment and some of the early jitters by having the sixth-graders start the new school year a day before the upper classmen. This gives the staff and the new sixth-grade students an opportunity to get acquainted, learn about their lockers, find their way to classes, and meet new classmates without the crowded and sometimes intimidating behavior that occurs when the older students are in the school. Students and parents have liked the early experience that they have gotten from the program and want it to continue. With transitional programs and other supportive activities, most students make the adjustment within about three weeks.

PN:
How can parents help ease the transition to middle school?

TK:
There are a variety of ways that parents can help their child with the transition from elementary to middle school.

Remaining confident. Parents who "play it down" and are not overly enthusiastic but simply portray an attitude of confidence that the child will do well generally have children who make a faster adjustment.

Preparing. Children feel more confident and prepared for the transition if their parents have registered them early, helped them find where to get on the school bus and know what time the bus arrives, visited the school with them, and purchased all of their books and school supplies-all in advance of the first day. There will be plenty of "unknowns" that children will face during the first few weeks, and preparing them for the basics will make it easier for them to focus on the other new things.

Staying involved. Parents may be unsure about how to remain involved with the larger school, but most middle schools have a number of ways that parents can stay connected, including attending Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings and events; helping out with field trips or school projects; or simply by attending school events such as sports, concerts, or plays.

PN:
Are there other ways that parents can help?

TK:
Perhaps the most important way that parents can ease the middle school transition is by maintaining good communication with their preadolescent. Parents should not wait for the child to come and talk to them. They can initiate conversations during meal times, car rides, or at other times when it appears that the child is open to discussing what happened during the day. Parents should be especially alert if it appears that their child is having new or persistent behavior problems such as whining, sourness, or excessive anger. Physical problems such as a sore stomach, headaches, or fatigue can also be a sign that something is wrong at school. Other indicators might be poor grades, incomplete homework, and frequent shifting of friendships.

PN:
What should parents do if they see their child having difficulty?

TK:
If they suspect that their child might be having difficulty, the parents should talk with the child as a first step. If their discussions seem to be unsuccessful [in changing the situation], then parents may want to suggest that their child talk with the school counselor, or parents may call the counselor on the student's behalf. Once the counselor is aware of the parents' concerns, she or he can talk with the student's team of teachers to get a better understanding of how the child is doing in his or her coursework. The counselor can also observe some of the child's social interactions in the cafeteria or halls.

PN:
What are typical things that would be difficult for a middle school child?

TK:
Some of the problems that impact a student's successful transition to middle school are social in nature. The preadolescent is highly sensitive to his or her peer group and fitting in with the "right friends." School counselors often try to help students who are having difficulty adjusting socially by organizing smaller girls' groups or boys' groups. These groups meet weekly to discuss some of the issues or concerns that the students are facing as well as some socially appropriate coping strategies. Not all students want to be "social butterflies," and some may feel quite comfortable being by themselves or in small groups. The important thing is helping the student find his or her own social comfort level. Other activities in which students can be encouraged to participate include band, orchestra, chorus, various sports, yearbook, or drama. Most middle schools have a variety of exploratory activities appropriate for students who are introverts or extroverts. Once students feel connected, they are much more likely to have a successful middle school experience.

Editor's Note. Other middle-level education practices that may help a young teen's successful transition are noted by the National Middle School Association on their services and resources page (http://www.nmsa.org/) [2]. Those practices include the following:

Interdisciplinary teaming. Two to five teachers work together to teach all core subjects to the same students. Because the teachers share the same students and a planning period, they are better able to collaborate for thematic units and be responsive to students' and parents' concerns.

Advisory programs. Similar to the older "home room" concept, in which one teacher would meet daily with a group of 20 or fewer students, the advisor expands the concept to develop a close, trusting relationship between his or her students and another adult in the building. In some middle schools, students have the same advisor throughout their middle school experience.

Varied instruction. Teachers offer instruction that integrates real-life issues with students' experiences, including active problem solving, collaboration, multi-aged grouping, and community members such as seniors or preschool children. Teaching is often "hands-on" and adapted to individual differences.

When parents work with the school to prepare the student, help their student become involved in activities, and work with the school staff if they feel their child is having difficulty, the transition from elementary to middle school can become more manageable for most students.

For More Information

National Middle School Association
4151 Executive Parkway, Suite 300
Westerville, OH 43081
Telephone: 1-800-528-NMSA (6672)
Email: info@NMSA.org

Additional Reading

Goldberg-Freeman, Carol. (1996). Living with a work in progress: A parents' guide to surviving adolescence. Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association. (ERIC Document No. ED418784)

Greydanus, Donald E. (1991). Caring for your adolescent: Ages 12 to 21: The complete and authoritative guide. New York: Bantam. (ERIC Document No. ED387249)

Steinberg, Laurence, & Levine, Ann. (1981). You and your adolescent: A parent's guide for ages 10-20. New York: HarperPerennial. (ERIC Document No. ED408108)

Sources

[1] Mizelle, Nancy B., & Mullins, Emmett. (1997). Transition into and out of middle school. In What current research says to the middle level practitioner (pp. 303-313). Columbus, OH: National Middle School Association. (ERIC Document No. ED427847)

[2] NMSA Research Summary #4: Exemplary middle schools (No date). Available: http://www.nmsa.org/services/ressum4.htm [NPIN editor's note (7-23-02): this url has changed: http://www.nmsa.org/research/ressum4.htm]