Getting a Grip on Middle School

Gr 5–6—Each program includes a workbook with individual and group activities and five to six short chapters that would be ideal for use during the last semester of elementary school and during the first weeks of middle school as part of one-on-one counseling or in-class advisory/homeroom time. They feature middle school children talking about the transition from elementary to middle school and about their concerns, hopes, and goals. Getting a Grip helps children verbalize fears and expectations about issues as wide-ranging as using lockers, finding classrooms, meeting new people, becoming more independent, and fitting in. Students who have already spent a year in middle school describe the best parts of becoming a middle schooler. Social Scene deals mostly with meeting new people, fitting in, and finding someone to sit with at lunch. It also addresses pressure, both self-imposed and from peers, to be popular or to join particular groups. Problems Solved offers advice for those who have yet to enter middle school, including who to go to for advice and how to deal with time management and homework. A diverse group of attractive and well-spoken preteens speak from the heart, providing assurance to incoming students.