California Department of Education
Taking Center Stage – Act II

Feature Article

Supporting Parents and Caregivers
During Times of Transition

When considering transition from elementary to middle and middle to high school, educators naturally focus their attention on their students and what they can do to support students entering these different environments. Educators also focus on how they can support their own understanding of effective transition. They question what they should know about early adolescent development, what they should know about effective early adolescent pedagogy, and how they should actively engage students in different learning environments. While this attention is critical to effectively supporting student transition, the group that also requires our attention is parents and caregivers of our students. Parents and caregivers have a multitude of questions about this time period that sometimes are unintentionally overlooked. Please consider a few ways educators can work with “partners” to effectively support them as their students transition between grade spans.

Leaving Elementary School and Preparing for the Middle Grades
Leaving elementary school and moving into the middle grades years is a huge shift for students. Parents naturally worry during this transition because oftentimes they do not know what to expect or how to support their child through the process. They have heard “stories” about the middle grades (or remember their own experiences!) and most of them are not flattering. Dispelling myths and providing security through active and ongoing conversations is one way educators can support parents and caregivers. Additional recommendations to contain these myths include:

  • Acknowledge their anxiety and discuss their worries. Assure parents and caregivers that their child will not be lost in the “system,” but that the system will actively engage students in this new learning environment. Provide as many details as possible about this new “system’s” place of learning.
  • Be as transparent as possible. Discuss the similarities and differences between elementary and middle school. Invite parents to remain involved even though their child may want “distance.” Reassure parents about school and district policies (e.g., on bullying, instruction, and homework) and your stance on zero tolerance.
  • Communicate often. Encourage team building among teachers, parents, and the student—the “golden triangle” of education. Ensure parents understand that attendance, behavior, grades, math, and English-language arts grades are the four key indicators for school drop out (Balfanz, 2009) and that your school and district has a support system in place to ameliorate these indicators.

Leaving Middle School and Preparing for High School
Leaving middle school and moving into the next phase of development—namely the high school years—is another huge shift for parents. Oftentimes parents and caregivers are experiencing changes in their own relationships with their child, so navigating a whole new system with all of its additional challenges can be daunting and overwhelming. Shifting their child’s transition into young adulthood and ensuring they are college and career ready brings a whole new set of reality checks to most parents and caregivers. Supporting them through these times has its rewards. A few recommendations on how to effectively support this transition include:

  • Become partners. Acknowledge the change in students’ relationships with teachers and other adults. Discuss the importance of this shift as students grow into young adulthood. Partner with parents and caregivers from day one regarding the benefits of high school success and emphasize how those successes lead to success in college, career, and beyond.
  • Communicate the system effectively. Provide parents with all options included in the system and how each of the options operates. Continually update parents on changes within the system. Do not assume they fully understand during the first, second, or third time communication is made.
  • Prepare them for their child’s future. Talk with them about their child’s 10-year plan and the decisions that need to be made along the way to insure the plan is successful. Reassure parents and caregivers that counselors and others are available to them and their child to discuss these plans and to answer needed questions.

Recognizing the importance of a systematic transition plan that covers grade spans is essential for the success of our students. Many districts have these in place, although more districts need to implement them. The more we recognize the importance of parents’ and caregivers’ roles in supporting their child’s grade span transition, the more successful students will be during this process. Change is difficult—no question—but the effects can be minimized when everyone is included in the discussions.

A new professional learning activity on Recommendation 6—Transitions has been created for you. The Taking Center Stage—Act II (TCSII) team has developed ways to understand your school’s and district’s own transition plans and their relationship to student success. We encourage you to have conversations about transition plans being implemented around the state and about how your school may embrace them as your own. Such practices include: AVID, Transitions as Part of Community Building, and Essential Elements of Effective Middle Grades Transition Programs.

TCSII is featuring additional information about transitions:

TCSII Home Page

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