Author | Michael Powell |
Moving up from middle school can be a difficult transition if you aren’t sure what to expect. I know how that feels because I am in 8th grade and am moving up to high school next year. I interviewed several people around Scholar’s Guild, so we all will know what to expect.
As far as moving up, I think many people have worries and are nervous, but there is nothing to be worried about going to high school. Mrs. Bryson says, "Eighth graders, right now, really need to think about what areas they are weak in so they can improve before going to high school. They need to consider their time management so every week is not so stressful." She also says that it is a good idea to have Mrs. Walker's expertise and guidance while transitioning.
Mrs. Yount, who is a high school teacher at Scholars Guild, says that when 8th graders move up, "the workload is more and more challenging, but if you applied yourself in middle school that you should be fine." She says that it is, “appropriate that high school is more difficult, but it shouldn’t be so hard that it is unattainable.”
Mrs. Yount states that, "The stress I felt in teaching middle school was making sure the students are prepared for high school. The stress I feel while teaching high school is helping kids going over the new hurdle of challenges and helping them accomplish that, but at the same time being mindful that their grades matter.”
Mrs. Walker, our transcript counselor at SGA says her advice to middle schoolers moving up is to, “do all the work and turn it in on time.” As far as transcripts go, she explained how 9th graders, “need to have all the basic classes, but as you get older, you can focus a little more on the things that you want to do.”
So now that we have heard from the adults and more professional side of things, how do the kids feel going up?
Paul Fedele, who is a 9th grader at SGA, says that moving up was a pretty big deal for him. He stated that, “I was strictly homeschooled throughout middle school, and so when I started my freshman year at SGA, it was a pretty big step up. Not to mention I started my first job within two weeks of starting my freshman year, so that added additional amounts of time consumption.” He also said that he didn’t care much, but that it was exciting to move up. “It’s high school, girls, prom, varsity sports, driving, etc.!"
Sara Kate Walker says that she feels high school will be more challenging but that, "I feel like I do better when stuff is harder because I want to try harder." She says that she feels, "pretty good going into high school. I'm excited about the classes that I’m taking next year, and I think they will be a great experience."
Griffin Evans, who is in 8th grade at SGA, says that “high school has to be better than middle school.” He also said that his biggest worry with moving up is that “I won’t like all the teachers and that the classes will be harder.”
Another 8th grader at SGA, Margret Klinect, says that high school will be more difficult than middle school. “High school will be more rigorous. We will be held more accountable for our work than we were in middle school.”
Elaine Hunter, who is a high school student at SGA, says that "the workload is harder and there is a lot more work and less social life. The classes that were hardest for me were Geometry and Chemistry.”
Anna Boivin says that she is mostly worried about, “Just having to think about what I want to do when I get older and having to make big decisions. Because if I make one bad decision, it could turn my life upside down.”
Another aspect of a high school student’s life would be a new job. I asked Connor Metzdorf, who is in 9th grade, what he thinks about high school students having jobs and he said, “I don’t have a job and I don’t want one. When you are older like a junior or a senior, you might be ready for a job but probably not before that.”
Whether it is in school or getting your first job, moving up to high school is a big deal to everyone in some way. The advice that teachers gave is simple but very crucial: Get your work done and turn it in on time! As Mrs. Bryson said, it is best for 8th graders to focus on the areas where they are weak, so when they get to high school where the grades matter, you are well prepared. Change is stressful, but if we follow the advice that teachers give us, the warnings from older students, and get better in our weak areas, we should have a smooth transition into high school.