Author: Ju Eun Song ('25)
Photographer: Mischka Suwandi ('24)
Photo Courtesy of Glenn Saputra
Students in BAIS who have gone through the transition from elementary to middle school know the feeling of being both nervous and excited to finally go upstairs. For fifth graders, becoming a middle-schooler is like a puzzle to be solved. The current sixth graders, class of 2028, informed the BAIS Times their thoughts and experiences they have had so far in middle school during COVID-19.
With a new school schedule, the sixth graders are experiencing a big change from being in elementary to being in middle school. Students might find the new-found freedom exciting, while also having to adapt to a more rigorous workload.
The things they have waited for since elementary school aren’t a dream anymore. One of the most common things the fifth graders look forward to as they transition to middle school is having their own locker and being closer to the library.
Ezra Cantrall (‘28) said, “ I like that I can be closer to the library, now I don’t need to walk across the school to get there. I am also excited for the lockers assigned to us.”
Photos Courtesy of Ezra Cantrall & Sarah Shin
There are more classes to choose from and more flexibility, however, teachers expect more from their students in middle school. Sarah Shin (‘28) said, “Middle school is fun so far. I like the new teachers and new subjects, but I miss that we had fewer assignments when we were in elementary.” The sixth graders are now responsible for their own learning, including completing assignments on time and meeting classroom expectations.
In addition to the common struggles of transitioning to middle school life, current sixth graders had to go through a harder time as they transitioned during COVID-19.
“Sometimes I get overwhelmed with homework. I struggle when I am stuck in a problem,” Shin said, “Online school makes it harder for me to ask questions because sometimes there is miscommunication between the students and the teacher.”
One of the disadvantages of online learning is miscommunication between teachers and students. It is harder for the teachers to help students online, so the half-day schedule gives teachers a chance to work more efficiently with their students offline.
Ms. LaMertha, the sixth grade homeroom teacher, said, “ I look forward to Week B when I have the 6th graders in my English class. Being in person helps the learning process go more smoothly and quickly. I can more easily see if students are struggling or if they are succeeding when we are in person.”
With every transition a student experiences in their school life, whether during COVID-19 or not, having a growth mindset is essential. A student with a growth mindset will not give up and will continue trying despite the hard challenges they might face.
Ms. LaMertha said that, “ Everything in grade 6 is new .... There's a lot to learn and adjust to in the move from grade 5 to grade 6, so grade 6 students need to give themselves the time to learn and realize that this grade 6 transition has never killed anyone at BAIS, just talk to the upperclassmen :).”
Adapting to a new school life will have its challenges, especially with online school. It is important for the sixth graders to give themselves time to adapt to secondary school, and talking to the upperclassmen who went through the same transition will help.
The transition is hard and confusing for every sixth grader. There are some new benefits being a secondary student, and there are some new responsibilities, but everything becomes easier and fun as time progresses.
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