Society makes it very hard for 5th graders to make the transition to middle school. Many students struggle as they prepare for middle school with difficulty in setting clear goals, organizing their time, study habits, and peer relationships. In a perfect world, all students would receive the academic and social support necessary to thrive but this usually is not the case. Also, a student thought and ideas should be always a part of the discussion. Many times I would hear students say, “The teacher is out to get me, or “I got lucky this time around. ” When these thoughts fester and students are not given support or an outlet their social speech can become internalized. Middle schoolers need help and support and according to Very Well Family here are a couple of warning signs that teachers can look out for:

• Students struggle with taking notes, organizing materials, and listening to the teacher

• Struggles with reading, interpreting, identifying themes, and presenting over-arching concepts.

• Struggles in writing complete ideas and thoughts, stories are unfinished or not fully developed

• Students struggle with Charts, Graphs, and Maps

• Struggles to recall Multiplication facts, decimals, word problems, fractions, and long division

• Studnet has trouble making and maintaining friendships, while struggling to deal with peer pressure, to the point of avoiding other students.

How has school Changed?

It was more common for a school to be separated into two groups primary school and secondary school in the early nineteen hundreds. Primary school was only from first grade to eighth grade, while the secondary school had students from 9th to 12th grade. Education was not like it is today. Most Americans attended school for a few years, and very few made it to secondary school. In the past hundred years, primary and secondary schools have become three schools. The vast majority of students now attend elementary school, a middle school that is 6th to 8th grade, and high school, 9th grade to 12th grade (The 1900s Education: Overview).

Bullying is linked to Self-Esteem

Many studies that try to tackle school bullying and its origin find that sixth grade is when it’s at its peak. Over 20% of students report being bullied at least once a week in 6th grade. Several studies concluded that 6th grade is the worst grade when it comes to peer pressure social stigma 6th grade is also the origin of most bullying. If it is left unchecked, a sixth-grader who is bullied develops negative emotions about themselves that will last until the end of high school. Also, a school bully who has never had their bullying addressed will continue to be a bully until the end of high school (Lombardo & Cara, 2016).  It is proven that bullying in sixth grade is directly linked to where's self-esteem, a drop in-class participation, and failing grades. If something is not done, a bullied child is likely to drop out in high school and never complete their education.

What can be done to support this group?

Teachers, other staff, and administrative staff can create programming, or support incoming students by welcoming their 6th while supporting their growth by acclimating them prior to their arrival;

• Develop and send a survey to 5th graders to identify their strengths and ideas of what they would be interested in based on their interests. (if the other category is music-start a new club)

• Intramurals classes based on incoming student wants and needs

• Bullying prevention program (Peer mentoring program) (Leadership Programs)

• Student Activity Club (Band, Chorus, Social Lives)

• Academic Support Spaces for tutoring

• One day field trip to middle school from 5th grade (mixing students from 5th and 6th, partner them up and creating a mentorship program.

• Open house mixer with 6th-grade students, intermixing them with others making it an intestinal collaborative effort.

Whether you are proving support to your new 6th graders or acclimating them to the school, it takes work and effort on the part of the administration. Listening to students’ wants and needs will change year to year and club offerings may change depending on student demand. Schools have to be flexible, get ready to develop new services, set aside funding for new opportunities, and design spaces for a positive social atmosphere.

 References:

Lombardo & Cara. (2016). The Psychology of Bullying (And Why Sixth Grade is the Worst). Retrieved from https://madisonessentials.com/.

Morin, A. (2020, September 17). When Fifth Graders Show Signs of Trouble. Retrieved November 06, 2020, from https://www.verywellfamily.com/signs-of-trouble-in-fifth-grade-620947

Nurturing the Middle School Mathematical Mind {Infographic} - e-Learning Infographics. (2015, February 13). Retrieved November 06, 2020, from https://elearninginfographics.com/nurturing-middle-school-mathematicial-mind-infographic/

The 1900s Education: Overview . U*X*L American Decades. Retrieved October 16, 2020, from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/culture-magazines/1900s-education-overview.