The Effect of Classroom Structure and Practice on Transition to Middle School

The passage from elementary school to middle school, along with physical, social, and emotional changes associated with adolescence, often results in personal and social, organizational, and academic declines. The classroom structure of elementary school varies between a team teaching setting and a self-contained setting, and each instructional environment has the potential to impact all areas of development for each student. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fifth grade classroom setting (team teaching vs. self-contained) and sixth grade student behavior. The gender and the socio-economic status of transitioning students also served as variables of the study. A secondary purpose of the study was to examine middle school students' perceptions of their transition from elementary school to middle school based on elementary classroom structure. Results from this study indicated that males, socio-economically disadvantaged students, and students from a self-contained elementary classroom experienced significantly higher levels of discipline referrals during the transition to middle school. Using the Student Transition Questionnaire (Akos, 2002), there were no statistically significant differences found between the self-contained and team teaching classroom structures on the social and personal, organizational, and academic constructs of middle school transition. The findings from this study suggest that elementary classroom structure may impact each student's transition experience into middle school. Suggestions regarding the implementation of effective transition strategies are provided along with recommendations concerning future research on the relationship between elementary classroom structure and middle school transition.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education in Education Administration (Ed.D.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Schexnaildre, Eric Paul

Contributors dc:contributor

• Linda M. Arthur
• Paul M. Brinson, Jr.

• ETD
• Student perceptions
• Elementary classroom structure
• Middle school transition
• Team teaching classroom structure
• Discipline referrals
• Middle schools
• Junior high schools
• Elementary schools

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/403

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1403