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School transitions (e.g., from elementary school to middle school and from middle school to high school) are times of great change for most youth and are often associated with declines in motivation, confidence, and school grades. Little research on these critical transitions has focused on African American students, whose adjustment is further complicated by their growing awareness of racial discrimination and race stereotypes. In spite of these challenges, many African American youth do well in school. The goal of this longitudinal project is to identify the factors that lead to success in middle school and high school for Black youth. We are particularly interested in the influences of parents' attitudes and beliefs about achievement, ways in which parents talk to their children about stereotypes and discrimination, and how parents foster healthy adjustment and academic success in African American youth.
Approximately 500 youth and their parents and teachers have participated in the study. Our initial sample was recruited when children were in fifth grade. Follow-up assessments occur in Grades 7, 10, and 12.
Middle schools differ from elementary school in many ways. For example, in middle school:
- Students are in larger buildings with more students.
- Daily schedules are different; students have more teachers and move from class to class throughout the day.
- Middle school teachers expect more from their students and the students have more individual responsibility.
- The amount of homework increases.
- Students may have more than one test a day.
- Students may receive less one-on-one attention from teachers.
- Adolescents have an increased desire for autonomy and control. They want to be able to make their own decisions.
- Relationships with other students begin to change, and most youth shift from less time spent with parents to more time and attention on peers.
- Youth undergo physical and social changes associated with puberty, becoming more interested in romantic relationships.
We asked parents to tell us about the academic, social, and structural challenges their children faced during the transition from elementary to middle school.
Of these three types of challenges, parents reported that academic challenges were the most difficult. For example, they reported that children had difficulty adjusting to increased amounts of homework, more difficult classes, and needed to plan for long-term assignments.
Structural challenges were the second most difficult. Parents felt that children had moderate amounts of difficulty adjusting to greater levels of responsibility, going to a larger school with more students, and managing the expectations of several teachers instead of just one.
Children had the least difficulty adjusting to the social challenges of middle school. According to parents, making friends and getting along with peers was no more difficult for their children in middle school than in elementary school.
For more information about this project, contact Dr. Beth Kurtz-Costes at bkc@unc.edu.
- Make sure your child starts the school day well-rested and with a healthy breakfast.
- Establish a regular "quiet time" every day to work on homework. If middle schoolers do not have homework, they should spend that time working on a long-term project, reviewing for a future test, or reading for pleasure. It is helpful if parents also spend this quiet time working on their own quiet activities (e.g., reading the paper, paying bills), as it is important to be a good role model for your children.
- Designate a special place in your home for your child to work on homework. This place should be free of distractions, with a comfortable place to sit, plenty of room to work, and with good lighting. Necessary materials such as pencils or a dictionary should be easily accessible. Organization is key.
- Teach your child time management and organizational skills. Encourage your child to use a homework assignment book or calendar to record due dates for all assignments and to check off when work is completed. Your child can use the calendar to list what items should be taken to school each day so as not to arrive at school without a critical assignment. Many middle school teachers assign large projects that should be carried out over a period of several weeks. Help your child to plan ahead and establish a schedule so that the project is completed little by little rather than done hurriedly the night before the project is due.
- Discuss your child's homework with him or her. Ask questions and show interest. If a child appears to be struggling, be supportive. If the child becomes extremely frustrated, suggest a short break (perhaps with a snack) and then come back and work on a couple of example problems.
- If your child is having problems at school or consistently doesn't understand homework assignments, arrange to meet with your child's teacher to discuss ways to address the problem. In some situations, advice from other parents might be helpful. Your child will learn from your behavior that tackling problems head-on is better than ignoring them.
- Remember to praise your child for extra effort and a job well done.
See FamilyEducation.com and NEA.org for these and other suggestions
What Works Clearinghouse
Knowledge Works
National Education Association
Black Parents and Their Children's Education: Suggestions for Parents
Beth Kurtz-Costes, Principal Investigator
Stephanie Rowley, Principal Investigator
Lionel Howard, Co-Investigator
Elizabeth Adams
Kristine Copping
Tanee Hudgens
Olivenne Skinner
Akilah Swinton
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant # 0819079. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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