Ten to Teen: Transition Is a Process, Not an Event

By Chris Toy and Jill SpencerPrincipal, March/April 2011 Transitioning from one situation to the next is a potential stressor—one that without proper preparation could damage future success in a new position. This is true for adults and for children, alike. What we have learned from decades of hands-on experience welcoming new students to schools is that optimal success in transitioning elementary students to middle school depends on a process that focuses on the needs of incoming students as they prepare to move from a familiar to an unfamiliar setting.