Transitioning from ES to MS

[Anonymous]

I taught in MS - the 6th grade team is always very focused on helping kids transition smoothly, make friends, learn routines, etc. Kids tend to worry about getting lost or being late for class. If possible, have your child participate in a summer camp at the building so they have an opportunity to walk around it when it's not full of kids. Or at least have them attend one of the 6th grade orientation days in the summer. Locks and lockers are one of the biggest 6th grade worries - buy a lock and have your child practice unlocking it. If the school's lockers are somewhat big and it looks like a kid could get in it - have your child ask during orientation to see if they can fit. Our school had big lockers, and kids always tried them out when I did 6th grade orientation. It may seem silly to an adult, but kids really liked knowing if they fit or not.

[Anonymous]

MANAGING TIME is a big issue. Remembering your locker combination is another one. Most ES have at most 3 teachers, in MS they have 7 with differing grading practices/philosophies which can be a challenge for some kids. Also if your child is taking a class which is on the HS transcript, pay attention to that course for sure