I have had the pleasure of teaching 8th
grade students for the majority of my teaching career. One of my goals as a
teacher is to prepare my 8th graders for high school and beyond. I
use several scenarios from experience about what my students are in store for
in high school daily. Although I give multiple scenarios and speeches
throughout the year, there are some students who don’t have a clue of the
changes that will occur in high school. On Thursday, I got a chance along with
my fellow 8th grade co-workers to take students on a high school
tour. Most of the students from my current school feed into this high school.
Students got a preview of high school by first getting an introduction to high
school life. The counselors along with the principal first introduced them by
giving a snapshot of high school expectations. They noted items like having a
grade point average and the significance of it, block classes, credits, etc.
Several students were surprised. However, it was when some of the high school students
started talking about their high school experience compared to middle school
that got their attention. Many of them stated some of the same things that
teachers currently tell students that make some since now. Additionally, many
of the upperclassmen noted what they would have done differently as freshmen to
improve their current g.p.a.’s. There is something about students hearing from
other students vs. teachers that gets their attention at times.
The high school tour itself was also an eye opener
for students. Many students noted how big the school was and how they will get
lost. As tour guides took the group of students certain areas throughout the
building, students started seeing that life in high school will change. Although
students have more freedom as they noted, they will be more independent and not
get babied. When it comes to parent/teacher conferences, many will be with a
teacher vs. a team of teachers. Furthermore, parents will let go a little and
allow for growth. The high school tour was a great experience for my students.
Students now know that there will be a transition from middle school to high
school.
I feel the same way as I prepare 4th and 5th graders for middle school. The preparation is similar but preparing them for high school is much more of a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI focus a lot on time management and organization. Students in elementary school often get away with being unorganized and slow to transition. Most teachers and administrators give them the benefit of the doubt. Middle school teachers do not. I often talk to my kids about being tardy to class. When we transition from class to class, we line up in the hall and wait for the classes to switch. In middle school, they do not help in this process.
Also, so many of my students forget their things either at home, on the playground, in the gym, at lunch. Wherever, they leave things all the time. Also, their parents bring them things to the office only to disrupt the class with a call from the office. I wish we could get a report from some of these kids as they transition to the next level. I always think about those kids who just couldn't get it together with time management and organization.
This is always a fun part of the year!!
Yes, I agree! I am experiencing this at my house now. My child constantly asked me over the last couple of years "why so you harp on grades so much?" I explained to her several times that your grades gets you or will not get you in places. Her grades were not terrible, but were carelessly done. It was not until her class had a discussion about future grades and one of her favorite teachers talked about her nephew. Her nephew was very smart. School and good grades came easy to him without studying a lot. His plans since middle school was to go to Georgia Tech. In his freshman year in high school, he continued with his nonchalant approach to studying and did horrible his 9th grade year! He did so terrible that even though he improved his performance 10th, 11th and 12th grade years, that he still did not have the grades required to get into Georgia Tech. Of course he was devastated, but he was determined. He is now in a two-year college with plans to transfer into Georgia Tech. That story really hit my daughter! She finally understood! To students, information is more credible from peer sources.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the change for my daughter next year and am ready to respond to all that comes with it. I teach high school and even though it is different with your own kids, kids are usually the same. Meaning that after teaching so long, the behaviors of students are cyclic, the bodies just change. That transition is a big one, but it can be a great one!
I sometimes think that parents have a tougher time transitioning to high school than their students do. I see many high school parents still treating their students as middle schoolers, and I don't think that it's beneficial to the student or the parent. I think it is immensely valuable to have older students talk to younger ones to warn and prepare them for things from a peer's point of view. I almost think that it would be helpful for the parents of upcoming high school students to attend a Q& A session with parents of current high school students. That way the older parents could help clear up common misperceptions and help prepare them for what is to come.
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