Research findings and ongoing studies provide middle level professionals with information to help them continue to develop their understanding about the significant developmental changes that take place during...

Recognize These Students? Bryce stopped doing his homework in ninth grade. His backpack was a disaster, and he could never find the planner his homeroom teacher distributed in August. It was now mid-October. Earlier...

Moving away from home to attend college was the first time a transition from one school to another was a remarkable, memorable event. While I can recall school transitions during childhood and young adolescent years,...

Middle school can be an exciting and terrifying time for students transitioning from elementary to middle school. By definition, transition means the change from one place, state of being, or condition to another...

One of the highlights of my first year at West Rowan Middle School was helping organize a collaborative opportunity between our sixth grade teachers and the fifth grade teachers at our feeder schools. This was the...

Every fall, right before the start of school, students from preschool through college attend some sort of school orientation. Orientations provide an overview of what to expect in a new school, including all the...

"What if my child doesn’t know anyone?" "What if he gets lost?" "Who will help her open her locker?" These comments are typical of anxious parents whose child is preparing to transition into middle school. At...

As Brandon walked into the counselor suite he seemed a bit nervous. He had been a freshman at Bellaire High School for nine weeks, and he was still finding his way. His pants were stained and his t-shirt and light...

Students’ middle school experience plays a key role in their success in high school and beyond—we know that. But less well-known is how an innovative strategy called vertical teaming can help young...

The transition to or from middle school can be smooth for some, but those of us who serve in a middle school know just how stressful these moves can be for a large percentage of our students. Students worry about...