Successful Student Transition: issues and implications mRLC October 2013 A seminar with Ruth Sutton

What are we good at in middle and high schools, and what do our students need to make successful transitions? Working in a small group: What do you see as the positive aspects of learning and teaching in the ‘other’ phase of schooling? What do you see as the most positive aspects of learning and teaching in the phase you work in? As students move through their middle years of schooling, what are the skills and attributes that help them most? What are the main challenges to learning during these years, as you see them?

In a ‘mixed’ group of teachers from different schools/Divisions… Share your thoughts on these questions with your colleagues What do agree, or disagree, about? What’s been interesting, or surprising, in your reactions to these questions? Are there any groups of children who seem to be particularly vulnerable? Why?

What does international research tell us? M.Galton, J.Gray and J.Ruddock, Homerton College, Cambridge, England (1999) ‘The Impact of Transfer and Transition on Pupils’ Attitudes to Learning and their Progress’

Research has indicated that there is definitely a problem 40% of students ‘fail to make expected progress’ during the first year of secondary school Some groups of students are particularly vulnerable, including those with poor language skills, low self-efficacy, and ‘bright’ boys Students in the first year in the new building can experience confusion, distraction and boredom in the classroom The social pressures on this age group are acute

The ‘Five Bridges’ of Transition 1.The ‘management’/bureaucratic bridge 2.The social bridge 3.The curriculum content bridge 4.The curriculum methodology bridge 5.The ‘learning to learn’ bridge

Here’s the catch… The first three of these are the most common and the easiest to manage. They are NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT for successful transition THEREFORE…The last two are especially worthy of our attention The last two are harder to manage, less common, and make the most positive difference

‘Bridges’ may be the wrong image: the two most important transition strategies are built on the platform of the other three

Bridge 1: the Management Bridge Successful transition needs active collaboration about ‘systems’ among families of schools, to ensure that information about students’ learning is gathered and transferred from school to school, in a useful form and at a useful time. Collaborative structures: these could start with collaborative projects to oil the wheels of teachers’ successful work together. Agreement about such things will be needed from school (and Division?) leaders.

Bridge 2: the Social Bridge Strategies to make students feel more secure and comfortable in the new learning environment Aim to overcome the ‘intimidation’ that could inhibit learning in some students If students are socially confident but not engaged or challenged in the classroom, what kind of difficulties might this present?

Bridge 3 : the Curriculum Content Bridge Provincial curriculums specify what students are expected to learn at various stages. Are all teachers aware of what students have been taught in the previous stage, or are heading towards in the next stage? The challenge is to see curriculum and learning as long- term and cyclical, rather than in ‘horizontal’ slices called ‘grade levels’ How might teachers find out more about curriculum content before or beyond their current phase?

Bridge 4 : The Curriculum Methodology Bridge This concerns not what students are taught but HOW they are taught Differences in teaching methods can significantly affect students’ learning Elementary, junior high and senior high teaching methods are affected by different timeframes, expectations and training. They are not ‘better’ or ‘worse’, just different Understanding different teaching methods is hard without seeing them in action

Bridge 5: the ‘Learning to Learn’ Bridge The more the students see themselves as learners, the better they handle changes in the learning environment Students need support and coaching to understand themselves as learners, and to feel confident about making progress ‘Learning to learn’ needs to be part of what all teachers encourage and expect, right through to senior high

Transition strategies are getting better… ….In ‘mixed’ groups What are you already doing to support the first three ‘bridges’ – systems and structures (eg. records etc); Helping with the ‘social’ transition Understanding the curriculum content before and after the current phase of schooling What more/else could do that would help these bridges, within feasible bounds of cost and manageability?

The things that matter most… We need to focus on the intentional development of students’ ‘efficacy’ (learning confidence), resilience, and independence, before during and after each transition

Links to motivation: the work of Carol Dweck This researcher’s focus is the psychology of learning and motivation. Worth reading two of her books: 1.Self Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality and Development (1999) ISBN (paper) 2. Mindset: the new psychology of success (2006) ISBN (paper)

Dweck’s work is founded on fundamental question Do you believe that intelligence is something you are born with and which cannot be increased through work and effort? (Fixed intelligence: fixed mindset Or do you believe that you can add to the intelligence you have inherited, by effort and learning new things? (Incremental intelligence: growth mindset)

Dweck’s Theories of Intelligence The ‘fixed intelligence’ mindset believes that effort is undesirable and ineffective The ‘incremental intelligence’ mindset believes that effort is a trustworthy ally

Another fundamental question Faced with failure, do you tend to lose interest and give up? Or do you try again, learning from the early setbacks and persevering towards a better outcome?

Dweck’s analysis of reactions to failure 1.Helpless reaction: doubt, anxiety, confusion, avoidance, surrender 2.Mastery-oriented reaction: no blame, determination, resourcefulness, confidence, even relish – ‘Mistakes are our friend’

And another question Do you measure success relative to what other people have done? Or do you measure success against what you were able to achieve before?

Dweck’s categories of Achievement Goals Performance goals: providing validation and avoiding failure. Focus on relative success – ‘How do I compare to others?’ Learning goals: desire to learn new skills. Focus on progress – ‘How do I compare to my own previous performance?’

Can we make a difference? Student theories about intelligence can be influenced by what we tell themStudent theories about intelligence can be influenced by what we tell them Do we ever talk to our students about this? We do heaps of sex education: how about brain education? How do we foster a ‘growth mindset’ in our pupils, by design and systematically?

Intrinsic motivation: the key features for teachers and schools as well as students Self efficacy Feedback for Self Awareness Locus of control - As close to self as possible Motivation Achievement

Links to Assessment for Learning Involving the learner is the distinctive characteristic of Assessment for Learning The focus on Assessment for Learning both before and after transfer supports students’ and adaptation to a new learning environment Students need to review learning strategies as well as learning outcomes

The HOW of teaching, and developing ‘learning to learn’.. What do we already do, as part of our existing programme? What more could we do? What are the practical implications of developing these strategies? How can we help parents and communities to support their children effectively?

For you, yourself, whatever your teaching or leadership assignment What more might you do in your own room to help your students develop the qualities and skills that will help them with transitions? Make a note of some specific next steps. Have a learning conversation with someone else

Planning ahead…. In your own school or ‘family’ of schools.. Given your starting point, what specific steps might you take this year? What could your school division do to help? What could mRLC do to help? What issues would like to pick up in two further PD sessions this year?

Ruth Sutton, October Website: Sutton et al. ‘Successful Student Transition’ Portage and Main, 2011, new edition 2013