Abstract
Young adolescents entering high school look forward to having more choices and making different friends, however, they are also concerned about being picked on and teased by older students. They worry about having harder work, making lower grades, and getting lost in a larger, unfamiliar school. This paper discusses how educators can ease students' transition into high school by providing challenging and supportive school environments and by designing transition programs, for example Lions-Quest Program, that address the needs of students and their parents and that facilitate communication between elementary schools and high school educators.
Starting Ground
Karri Ann was fed up. The grade 8 student was behind on all her assignments, her home life was falling apart and she wanted to quit school. She knew that without Grade 8 and a high school education she was unlikely to get a good job, but she wanted to quit school anyway and get a job. "I couldn't see myself doing anything big with my life," she says(G. Crotta Personal Journal, October 2002).
Karri Ann's situation is not uncommon for at-risk students. According to a Statistics Canada report, about 15 percent of 20-year-olds in 2000 did not have a high-school diploma and were not working towards one. This means that over 50,000 young adults had failed to get a basic education. Where did this interest in school get lost?
Karri Ann might have joined their ranks but she was lucky. In 1999 a "Choices Into Action" program was established within the Grand Erie District School Board that would allow students to explore a career by completing a hundred hours of work experience in a semester. Karri Ann decided to try it and asked for a placement in a school. Luck would have it that she would be placed in my school and my class. After working as a teacher's aide every morning she discovered that she enjoyed dealing with people and children and was having a better out look on life and society. She also learned that to pursue a career of this sort she needed improved English and Math skills.
So, while still attending Simcoe Composite School, Karri Ann enrolled in night school to make up for the courses she had failed in Grade 11. After graduating she plans to attend college in the direction of a Youth and Child Worker. "Without this co-op program, I wouldn't be able to graduate and have had the opportunities I have now," she says ( G. Crotta, Personal Journal, April 2003).
This is how I started my quest in action research in trying to look for what I believed to be important as an educator, "How can I support an easier transition for my at-risk students into high school" (G. Crotta Personal Journal, September 2002).
Philosophy
Four years ago, while analysing my special education classroom Grade 7/8's, I discovered that 2 to 3 percent of the students were accounting for over 30 percent of the behavioural referrals and suspensions. I began to search for programs to address the needs of these students and eventually I discovered a social skills program called Lions-Quest. Lions-Quest research shows us graphically that when a school creates a respectful learning community, that emphasizes life skills instruction and focuses on a safe and healthy approach to life (external and internal conditions), we can expect two major outcomes for young people :
1. positive social behaviours of self discipline, responsibility, good judgement, and respect for others and
2. commitment and bonding to family, school, peers and community (Lions-Quest 2001).
It teaches at-risk students how to correct their self-defeating behaviours and supports research that social emotion is more important than the Intelligence Quotient (IQ). As educators, we know that at_risk students, particularly those in Grade 7/8, are more likely to succeed if one caring adult in the school environment connects with them. We needed a program like this for our at-risk children heading into high school. I decided to pilot the Lions-Quest Program myself since I was taking on the challenge of a new Grade 7/8 classroom at West Lynn Public School. The intermediate division (7/8) was new to this school and was going to be a challenge for everyone.
Lions-Quest Curriculum
Responsibility Acceptance
Students learn to take responsibility for all actions and consequences--good or bad--with statements like, "I failed the test because I...,"; "I received a behavioural referral because I...,"; and "I earned an 'A' on the test because I. . . ."
Assertiveness
Many students, rather than acting out aggressively, won't attend school, participate, or ask for help. Students learn that they are in charge of their learning and success and must be actively involved.
Anger management
Students don't realize that anger and aggression causes them to lose what they want most--to appear smart, to appear strong, and to have control of their feelings. They are taught positive and constructive ways to express anger.
Academic skills
Students are taught study skills, strategies for preparing for and taking tests, strategies for completing homework, and organization skills.
Life skills
Not all students automatically know the meaning or the importance of such qualities as integrity, initiative, flexibility, perseverance, a sense of humour, common sense, and patience. One student commented that, "I never knew that kids who get 'A's' had to study."
Goal-setting
Students evaluate themselves and then set goals for behaviour, attendance, and grades.
Mind set for achievement
At-risk students often have low self-esteem. They learn to have a positive attitude by considering such statements as "I deserve to be successful,"; "I am an individual with my own learning style,"; "I am responsible for my own education,"; and "I can make tomorrow's assignment easier with preparation."
Stepping Stones Collections
Elementary school students want to know what high school is going to be like, and they and their parents need to know about and understand high school programs and procedures. In particular, parents need to be actively involved in the decisions their eighth-graders are asked to make about classes they will take in ninth grade and understand the long-term effects of the course decisions.
Some of the things I set up so that students could learn about high school included: visiting the high school in the spring, to "shadow" a high school student; attending a presentation by a high school student or panel of students; visiting the high school in the fall for schedule information; attending a fall orientation; and discussing high school regulations and procedures with eighth-graders. In addition to face-to-face activities, another source of information is the Internet. Kids Talk was set up so that students could e-mail questions and concerns to myself and the Learning Resource Teacher, Liana Thompson. These questions would be answered in a non face-to-face format and if neither of us could answer the question we would forward it to our local high school principal. Students were also to visit the high school Web page that would provide students information on different high school activities and clubs and offer them an opportunity to get answers to any questions they may have from the 'experts'.
The importance of parents being involved in their young adolescent students' transition from elementary to high school can hardly be overestimated.
"When parents are involved in their student's transition to high school, they tend to stay involved in their child's school experiences and when parents are involved in their child's high school experiences, students have higher achievement, are better adjusted, and are less likely to drop out of school. This is what my experiences have been as an administrator in both the secondary and elementary setting... The program placed into this classroom addressed these needs and more" (Kleven, 2003).
Parent involvement in the transition process to high school was encouraged through a variety of activities. Parents were invited to participate in a conference with their child and the high school counselor to discuss course work and schedules. Parents visited the high school with their child in the spring or in the fall. In planning activities for parents, high school educators will want to remember that parents of students who are already in high school are an excellent resource for other parents and may also help to encourage new parents to be more involved in school activities. At the elementary school level, teachers and administrators informed parents about transition activities and encouraged them to participate. Perhaps more importantly, I tried to work to keep parents involved in their child's education and school activities during the 7/8 years so that their child was comfortable "coming to school" and confident that their involvement would makes a difference in their child's academic success.
Ensuring the Success of My Modified Lions-Quest
Three factors helped my program to succeed.
Parent Support.
Once students are introduced to the program, I explain the program to their parents, including their responsibilities for holding their children accountable, for making sure they attend school, and for communicating with the school. Parents are required to sign a permission form agreeing to these responsibilities in order for their children to be allowed into the program.
The principal as teacher for some of the sessions.
Students say that having the principal teach them makes all the difference. "At first I was scared," said one student, when he found out that the principal would be his teacher. "I always had to see him with my office referrals, so I thought he would be really mean. But I quickly saw how much he cared about all of us. He made us believe that we could make A's and B's and that we could control our behaviours." (Student Reflection, April 2003.)
Two-part program.
During the first part of the program, the students learn to trust the school community and how to change their behaviours. The second part is devoted to preparing the students for the transition to high school.
Returning to the Trenches
In the fall of 2002, teachers helped me identify children who were at-risk. Criteria for selection included frequent behavioural referrals, failing grades, aggressiveness or passiveness, poor attendance and most importantly poor social learning skills.
Beginning in October of 2002, the Grade 8's and Grade 7's met with me for one elective class period each cycle. In that period, they were taught skills needed to be successful in school, such as accepting responsibility, anger management, and study skills. These skills are often taken for granted, but many at-risk students have never learned them. As one student commented, "Once I learned how to study, I started to like school."
I set high expectations and gave them more, not less, responsibility. "[Mr. Crotta] always expected the best from all of us," said one student. "He never let us use the word 'can't'"(Student Correspondence, January 2003).
These students answered to me for most behavioural and academic concerns. My team teacher reported any of the students' behaviours and academic progress to me on a weekly basis, and I contacted parents at least once a week to inform them of the work their child should be completing at home--and to praise the child's successes. I also tried to teach the parents not to be "enablers," those who inadvertently help their children continue harmful behaviours. For example, Hailey and James used to fake being sick so they could miss school. If they didn't show up, I called their parents and made them bring them to school or I would pick them up. According to James, "[Mr. Crottal] got my Mom to never let me stay at home unless she saw me puke."
The Start of Change
I knew my program was successful by talking, and seeing the students, parents, other teachers and my administrator talking about the positive effects of the program. The first group of students will move on to high school and the Grade 7 students will continue in the program which I hope to implement division wide. During the few months the program was implemented, the students' behavioural referrals decreased by 85 percent and grade marks increased.
Students also developed confidence and self-esteem: the students participated in a tour visit of the local high school and have been in contact via e-mail with the high school principal describing any anxieties they might have so that it can be ironed out before high school starts.
Parents of the students grew to trust the administration, and would call the principal or I with any questions about school. No longer afraid or embarrassed to pick up a report card or letter in person, many began to attend parent-teacher conferences for the first time.
When parents are involved in their student's transition to high school, they tend to stay involved in their child's school experiences and when parents are involved in their child's high school experiences, students have higher achievement, are better adjusted, and are less likely to drop out of school. This is what my experiences have been as a administrator in both the secondary and elementary setting...The modified Lions-Quest program delivered in this classroom addressed the students/parent's needs and more. (Kleven, 2003)
Although teaching the class takes an hour out of my schedule each cycle, the time is worth it, considering the long_term benefits. Reducing their behavioural referrals by 85 percent actually freed up some time for my administrator. Teaching the "toughest" students in the building has also earned respect from the staff.
The most important benefit, however, has been the achievement of the students. The former "trouble makers" and "failures" now leave Grade 8 successful, confident, and prepared for high school--and for the rest of their lives.
Conclusion:
According to Mac Iver (1990), a high school transition program includes a variety of activities that:
1. provide students and parents with information about the new school,
2. provide students with social support during the transition, and
3. bring elementary and secondary personnel together to learn about one another's curriculum and requirements.
The number one thing that I have noticed is that the social emotional support was by far the most important. Students need social and learning skills first to be successful. Without the social emotional learning skills students will not be ready to do the academics and head downhill. I feel that the Lions-Quest program is one of the best programs that made all three of the connections connect in, "How I can support an easier transition for my at risk students into high school". I plan on using this program next year in a whole classroom setting to see the difference it will make with the transition.
References
Benson, P. 1997. All kids are our kids. San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass Inc.
Byrd, B. 1997. Bala Avenue Community School Follow-up Study. Toronto, ON.
Laird, M., M Syropoulos, and S Black. 1996. What works in violence prevention: Findings from an evaluation study of Lions-Quest Working Toward Peace in Detroit schools. Newark, OH: Quest International.
Linver, M. R., & Silverberg, S. B. (1997). Maternal predictors of early adolescent achievement-related outcomes: Adolescent gender as moderator. Journal of Early Adolescence, 17(3), 294-318.
Lions-Quest: Skills for Growing, (1990) Anapolis, MD: Quest International.
Mac Iver, D. J. (1990). Meeting the needs of young adolescents: Advisory groups, interdisciplinary teaching teams, and school transition programs. Phi Delta Kappan, 71(6), 458-464. EJ 402 385.
T. Kleven, Personal Communication, March, 2003.
