How to Navigate the Challenges of Fifth Grade and Be Successful
Fifth grade is a year of transition for most students. Leaving the more nurturing elementary environment, the young adolescents find themselves in a world of transitions. Navigating these transitions will be much easier with 5 mindful tips for fifth grade students and their parents. But, first it’s important to understand the transitions.
Academic transitions
Academic transitions often involve adapting from self-contained classroom instruction to being accountable for multiple teachers and having to multitask in ways not required in the elementary grades. In many classes, students are expected to keep up with materials and master content more independently than during the elementary years. They are dealing with higher volumes of homework, more long-term projects and their first experiences with mid-term and final exams. Tests and quizzes are more frequent and content is harder and much more challenging.
Procedural transitions
Procedural transitions involve changing rooms for more classes, getting to/from their classes on their own and on time, managing time wisely, using a locker, organizing and keeping up with materials for multiple classes, being responsible for classwork and homework from multiple teachers, and understanding the teachers’ expectations. They have left the cocoon of structure and security more commonly associated with elementary school and must now learn self-advocacy and independent learning.
Social transitions
Socializing is becoming a strong ingredient and positive aspect of middle school. Social transitions can have a great impact on the academic achievement of many young adolescents as they are adapting to middle school. Formerly ‘the seniors” of the elementary school, they now find themselves the youngest. They are trying to build new relationships and maintain old ones. And, students are not only concerned about relationships with their peers but also anxious about relationships with their teachers. Plus, sometimes they worry about interactions with older children whose needs and interests may be very different.
Decision Time
By the end of the first marking period, students will have completed over one-fourth of their school year. It is a critical time to assess whether fifth graders have the academic skills in place to do well now and going forward. Because the effects of social and procedural transitions can impact students’ academic performance and happiness, it is crucial to decide if the current school is the best learning environment.
5 Tips that lay the foundation for success this year and beyond
1. Establish and maintain strong academic skills to support academic transitions:
• Identify weak reading and math skills
• Work with the teacher to strengthen these skills
• Seek the outside support of an independent tutor if necessary
2. Make sure that strong academic support skills are in place to support academic and procedural transitions:
• Organization skills
• Study skills
• Notebook building skills
• Time management skills
• Seek the outside support of an independent tutor if necessary
3. Assess whether your student’s needs are being met:
• Seek support from the teacher that strengthen the student’s learning
• Request challenge work for the quick learner to keep the student engaged
4. Determine whether your student would benefit from structured intervention:
• Discuss with the teacher whether your child would benefit from a 504 Accommodation or IEP.
• Consult with the school psychologist or seek an independent evaluation if necessary
5. Consider changing schools:
• Sixth grade can be a common and natural entry point to another schools. Do consider if :
a. Your student is talented in a certain content area (i.e. math, art) and seeks greater immersion and challenge offered by another school.
b. Your student seeks to study a subject area not offered at the current school.
c. Your child has been identified with learning differences and would benefit from a private or alternative school.
d. Academics and athletics are important and you seek a program for the scholar athlete.
e. Your financial circumstances have changed and you can support a private education or they have worsened and you need to weigh alternatives.
f. You are not satisfied overall with the current school
g. Your child’s academic, social, emotional, or physical need(s) overall are not being met.
h. If your child is unhappy or not flourishing at the current school and the issue(s) cannot resolved, it’s time to find a new school.
• Consult with an educational consultant to help identify the best fit school.