The Impact on Academic Achievement of the Elementary to Middle School Transition

The Impact on Academic Achievement of the Elementary to Middle School Transition PDF Author: Kara Gober
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The transition to middle school can be a difficult time socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. These difficulties often impact students' academic success during this time. Transition programs can help students during this transition by offering a bridge into the next stage of their school life. The central question to this study is: In what ways can student voice improve educational transition programs? As identified in the literature, districts and schools have varying levels of transition programs. Some have robust programs that meet students' needs while others have no programs at all. A exploratory sequential mixed methods design was utilized for this study. A student survey with both open and closed ended questions was used and two teacher interviews were conducted. The qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed and coded to identify themes and compare to previous literature. Results showed that the majority of students had some level of worry regarding the transition to middle school. The worries most frequently identified related to logistical concerns such as: getting lost, understanding the schedule, knowing the classes and who teaches them. The study concluded that transition programs would benefit from included key information regarding logistical needs.

The Impact on Academic Achievement of the Elementary to Middle School Transition

The Impact on Academic Achievement of the Elementary to Middle School Transition PDF Author: Kara Gober
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The transition to middle school can be a difficult time socially, emotionally, physically, and academically. These difficulties often impact students' academic success during this time. Transition programs can help students during this transition by offering a bridge into the next stage of their school life. The central question to this study is: In what ways can student voice improve educational transition programs? As identified in the literature, districts and schools have varying levels of transition programs. Some have robust programs that meet students' needs while others have no programs at all. A exploratory sequential mixed methods design was utilized for this study. A student survey with both open and closed ended questions was used and two teacher interviews were conducted. The qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed and coded to identify themes and compare to previous literature. Results showed that the majority of students had some level of worry regarding the transition to middle school. The worries most frequently identified related to logistical concerns such as: getting lost, understanding the schedule, knowing the classes and who teaches them. The study concluded that transition programs would benefit from included key information regarding logistical needs.

Promoting a Successful Transition to Middle School

Promoting a Successful Transition to Middle School PDF Author: Patrick Akos
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317919157
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 102

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Book Description
With detailed examples of best practices from middle schools across the country, this book features research-based strategies and suggestions for transition programs. It covers the roles of school principals, counselors, classroom teachers, and the central office.

The Effect of Elementary and Middle School Grade Span and Transition on Student Achievement and Graduation

The Effect of Elementary and Middle School Grade Span and Transition on Student Achievement and Graduation PDF Author: Jeana Conley
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 120

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Book Description
Social factors surrounding critical transition periods, school and class size, and grade configuration at the elementary level greatly impact current and future student performance. The expectation is that all of these factors are standard among schools, but in reality, every school is different; therefore, the potential for inconsistent quality of learning exists. This causal-comparative study explored the difference etween school size, grade span configuration, and transitions associated with a district’s seven elementary feeder schools in a small county in rural Western North Carolina. Differences in student performance, in both reading and math, at the elementary, middle, and high school level, as well as graduation rates, were examined for ties to the identified feeder school. The elements of teacher quality, teacher turnover, and principal turnover were explored as potential variables in student performance. An ex-post facto statistical analysis utilizing t-tests provided an exploration of feeder school characteristics and which feeder schools are more likely to produce successful academic achievement and graduation from high school. The data analysis revealed no statistically significant difference among students who experienced fewer transitions in their school career in regard to reading performance. However, the students who attended a Pre-K through grade eight school had higher mean scores in math than the students who attended a Pre-K through grade five school. Although no statistically significant difference was found between the school configuration and successful graduation, it was noted that students who did not attend any elementary school in the district had a much higher dropout rate.

The Middle School Transition in Private Schools

The Middle School Transition in Private Schools PDF Author: Eileen Irby Atkinson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Middle school students
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
Students transitioning into the middle school often experience difficulty adjusting to their new environment. During this transition, declines in academic motivation, academic achievement, and connectedness have been noted. Most research on this transition has taken place in public school settings. This research investigated the impact of the middle school transition in a private school setting. This study examined students' perceptions of the middle school transition as it related to the connectedness students perceived to their new school, those individuals whom students perceived as most helpful during their transition, academic motivation and achievement following the transition, and perceived helpfulness of transition activities conducted by the school. In addition, the study examined significant differences of the transition experience based on gender and race. Five hundred and two private middle school students in 35 private schools in Virginia completed a paper and pencil survey in which they responded to 47 questions regarding their transition into middle school. It was found that students generally felt connected to middle school, and the number of extracurricular activities in which a student participated did not appear to correlate significantly with connectedness. Most new middle school students did not perceive their transition experience as difficult. Middle school teachers, parents and friends appeared to be the most helpful to students during their transition. As compared to elementary school, newly transitioned middle school students were more academically motivated, and academic achievement showed a slight improvement in middle school. Students reported that visits made to the middle school as an elementary student were most helpful to their transition, and that the summer orientation and tour were also found to be helpful. Males perceived parents, middle school teachers and elementary school counselors as more helpful to their transition than did females, who considered friends most helpful. Parents were perceived as most helpful to the transition by Asian students. Caucasians reported higher academic achievement in middle school than African American students, and African American students perceived their academic achievement as higher than that of Hispanic students. African American students, more than any of the other groups represented, believed that the information given to the middle school by the elementary school was very helpful to their transition. Native American students, and students identifying their race as "Other" felt that the assignment of an older middle school buddy was more helpful to the transition than did Caucasian or Hispanic students. In terms of the relative contribution of the variables to the prediction of ease of transition, the number of transition activities has the greatest influence, followed by level of support from others, perception of connectedness to middle school, and middle school academic performance.

How Does Transition from Elementary to Middle School Affect the Racial Achievement Gap?

How Does Transition from Elementary to Middle School Affect the Racial Achievement Gap? PDF Author: Gudrun Vanlaar
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 10

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Book Description
Most research on the middle school transition focuses on developmental and psychological changes around the age of the transition, and investigates or discusses the impact of such changes on academic performance, motivation and behavior in schools. In addition to intrapersonal developmental changes that middle-school students experience, they also experience significant changes in school context and school experiences. What has been less studied however, is whether and how the transition from elementary to middle school may affect the racial achievement gaps. In other words, it is not known yet whether the change in school contexts affects students from different racial and socioeconomic backgrounds in different ways, possibly affecting the black-white or Hispanic-white achievement gaps. This paper addresses this question. On the whole, it is unclear whether the transition to middle school may exacerbate achievement gaps or narrow them. This paper attempts to provide initial evidence on this question. Preliminary findings suggest that the transition to middle school has, on average a significant effect on racial achievement gaps. Further analyses will need to be conducted to rule out alternative explanations for the findings, to explore potential mediators and mechanisms of the findings, and examine the extent to which these negative effects of the middle school transition persist over subsequent years. Tables and figures are appended.

Focus on the Wonder Years

Focus on the Wonder Years PDF Author: Jaana Juvonen
Publisher: Rand Corporation
ISBN: 0833036157
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 181

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Book Description
Young teens undergo multiple changes that seem to set them apart from other students. But do middle schools actually meet their special needs? The authors describe some of the challenges and offer ways to tackle them, such as reassessing the organization of grades K-12; specifically assisting the students most in need; finding ways to prevent disciplinary problems; and helping parents understand how they can help their children learn at home.

The Impact of an Elementary to Middle School Transition Program on Attendance, Achievement, and Behaviors of Students with Special Needs

The Impact of an Elementary to Middle School Transition Program on Attendance, Achievement, and Behaviors of Students with Special Needs PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Children with disabilities
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description


Making the Transition [electronic Resource] : the Impact of Moving from Elementary to Secondary School on Adolescents' Academic Achievement and Psychological Adjustment

Making the Transition [electronic Resource] : the Impact of Moving from Elementary to Secondary School on Adolescents' Academic Achievement and Psychological Adjustment PDF Author: Lipps, Garth
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780662395331
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 27

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Book Description


Transition Activities and Their Effects on Middle School Students

Transition Activities and Their Effects on Middle School Students PDF Author: Vicki VanLaere
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 80

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Book Description
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness that transitional activities have on student achievement and attendance when students moved from elementary school to middle school. The data were gathered from two school districts that are demographically similar. Data included average daily attendance rates, Terra Nova Achievement Scores from social studies in grades five, six, and seven, as well as math in grades five, six, and seven. There were 187 students in the Treatment Group and 147 in the Control Group for a total of 334 students. Comparison of means for demographic equivalency of the groups (t-test) and a MANCOVA with repeated measures analysis of seventh grade Math and Social Studies test scores were run. The results indicated no significant differences in rates of attendance from students transitioning from elementary to middle school whether they have experienced transitional activities or not. In addition, there were no significant differences in Terra Nova Social Studies or Math Achievement Test scores between students transitioning from elementary to middle school whether they have experienced a comprehensive transition program or not (F= .003, p= .960 for seventh grade Math, F= .947, p= .331 for seventh grade Social Studies). There was a drop in both attendance and achievement test scores for both the control and treatment groups. While this study determined there is no reason to believe the interventions made any difference in the overall attendance and achievement test scores, the literature and other studies have shown positive results. Programs of this sort need further study and analysis to gather additional data on transitional activities and their effectiveness on students entering middle school.

Family Engagement Across the Transition from Elementary to Middle School

Family Engagement Across the Transition from Elementary to Middle School PDF Author: Melissa Anne Baker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
Bringing families and schools together has long been acknowledged as a factor that has a positive correlation with a young adolescent's academic achievement (Brough & Irvin, 2001; Epstein, 1990; Sheldon, 2016). At the same time, families become less engaged with schools during the middle grades. The purpose of this study was to explore parent perspectives of family engagement across their child's school transition from fifth grade in an elementary school to sixth grade in a middle school. In particular, this study sought to answer two specific research questions: (1) What are parent perspectives regarding the supports of family engagement across the school transition from elementary school to middle school? (2) What are parent perspectives of barriers to family engagement across the school transition from elementary school to middle school? Through a multi-case study design, four parent participants of sixth grade middle school students in Northeast Georgia, during the 2016-2017 school year, described their experiences. Parent perspectives were first investigated separately using within-case analysis to gain insight into their family engagement experiences with one middle school and what experiences they believed served as supports and barriers to their engaging with the middle school. Participants' perspectives were next investigated in a cross-case analysis to determine what similarities and differences of supports and barriers to family engagement across the school transition from elementary to middle school existed. Three overall themes surrounding the supports and barriers to family engagement across the school transition from elementary school to middle school emerged: (1) communication; (2) school climate, programming, and events; and (3) prior experiences. This study makes practical contributions for both research and practice in the field of school transitions and family engagement. Parent participants overwhelmingly believed elementary and middle schools involved in school transition should focus on clear, consistent, concise communication between families and schools. According to participants, schools should reach out to parents for assistance and advice to improve family engagement across the transition from elementary to middle school.