Welcome to Middle School

The transition from elementary to middle school can be difficult and confusing, but with support, and a positive mindset, it can be a very positive and enjoyable experience! The shift of responsibility can be difficult at first, but if you stay positive and reach out for help, it can be fun and interesting to have more independence. Although in Seisen, where day-to-day school life remains essentially the same, you have more responsibility and more choice in your learning.

In middle school, your academic success is up to you. Before, your teachers and parents would take responsibility for your education. However, in middle school, more of it is up to you. You need to complete and keep track of assignments and deadlines, school news is reported to you more than your parents, and teachers will communicate with you before reaching out to your parents on any problems that you may have.

To gain a better understanding of what to expect and how we can prepare, we interviewed Ms. Sato, the Principal of Seisen Middle school

We started by asking Ms. Sato what general advice she has for a rising sixth grader. She told us to make sure that you “enjoy, every day” to try to learn something new that you are interested in, especially since students have options that they did not have in elementary school. These include  seasonal sports, academic events (Brain Bowl, Math field day, KPASS speech contest, etc.), music/performance contests (KPASS dance, KPASS piano, etc.) and more. She said that they should try to be involved with these because middle school is a chance to try new things and learn what you like before high school, where making commitments to clubs and teams can be much more arduous. Ms. Sato also advised us to not be scared and explore our interests. With the new opportunities that middle schoolers have, there are more opportunities to learn new skills and explore things that we are interested in. It is important to take those chances and learn new skills. Additionally, Ms. Sato told us that sixth graders often make mistakes with their time management. In middle school, every class is separate. You get different homework and assignments from every class, you need different materials, and you have different teachers, each with different expectations. Having good time management is crucial, as you need to balance out your work to complete everything you have to in time, and track your assignments from every class. Ms. Sato also shared that in sixth grade, it is important to not be afraid of this new change that they are faced with because they will be taught a lot in 6th grade and it is important to have/maintain a positive mindset, and to be ready to take risks.

Along with lots of Academic changes, Middle school can bring issues of other kinds. Students may now experience more conflicts with their friends and with teachers. Ms. Sato advised us that although it can be hard, conflict is ultimately good, and that students should feel comfortable reaching out and asking others, especially adults for help. To develop a good relationship with teachers, they should try to make conversation with their teachers. Teachers are always open to conversations and debates, as long as they remain respectful.

In conclusion, although the transition from elementary and middle school can seem challenging, with support from your teacher, family, and friends, it can be a very enjoyable experience, and an opportunity to grow and learn more about yourself!