It's the end of the school year, and for fifth and eighth graders, big changes are coming in the fall as they head to a new school and a new level of education.

These changes can be exciting, daunting, and for some, maybe even a little scary.

Coming up next on the debut episode of Learning Curve, you'll hear from students describing what they're looking forward to next year and what has them worried.

And we'll talk to a couple of experts on how the students can level up with confidence.

Welcome to learning curve.

I'm Christian Garman.

So glad to have you with us for our very first episode.

The name of the show Learning Curve says it all.

Each month we'll be looking at some aspect of learning, no doubt mostly dealing with students from pre-K through college, but not exclusively so.

If learning is involved, it's fair game and we all know learning doesn't stop after college.

Because this first show comes right at the end of the school year, we've chosen transitions as topic one, moving from fifth to sixth grade and eighth to ninth grade marks significant turning points in a student's academic and social life.

Entering middle and high school brings increased academic rigor.

New social dynamics, and greater independence.

Before we have a discussion with a couple of experts on what students in this position will be dealing with next year, we thought it important to hear from the students themselves.

Students in Mr. Boer's fifth grade class at NB Cook Elementary School are enjoying their last few days in this class.

This grade and of course, this school.

In the fall, they'll be taking a big leap transitioning from elementary to middle school.

They're really, really excited about having a new a new school to start in, a brand new school.

Even though they might be familiar with it, their sibling or their cousin might have gone there.

Something totally different, because they've been here for a must have been here for a while.

Mr. Bohr notes they're excited about changing classes, meeting new people, having new friends, possibly riding the bus, among many other things.

Of course, as with most of us, change can bring them some anxiety to.

I hope that the people stay the same like the T not exactly the same, but like people don't like become like mean or bullies or anything.

Just like because middle school people say that sometimes people change because they feel like they don't fit in.

While Kalani also pointed out many things, she's excited about middle school, things like playing basketball and being a member of the winter guard team.

Her honesty here as it relates to bullying highlights what is no doubt a concern for many students heading to the next level, and something we'll be talking about in just a few moments on this month's show at Workman Middle School, friends Harmony Epps and Alexandra Lopez, our eighth graders, also facing a transition the move to high school.

Harmony is on her way to West Florida High, while Alexandra will be a Wildcat at Washington.

Moving up to high school brings a new sense of freedom and opportunity, but it comes with a few concerns, too.

What I'm mostly concerned about with the big group of friends is like, if there's going to be any bad apples in the bunch and talking about people and all that, I don't want to do all of that.

So I rather have like maybe a group of like 4 or 5 friends and then a group of a broader group of friends that I don't share.

What my personal things about.

I just don't know how I'm gonna adapt to high school, since I've already know of my ways in middle school instead of high school.

So I know that the the hallways are usually crowded and stuff like that.

I'm just really scared just just transitioning during transitioning and stuff.

They may share a couple of concerns around the social setting of high school, but they definitely got some things they're looking forward to, to the amount of people that's going to be there.

I'm excited about making new friends and learning new things.

I really love ROTC.

I really want to be a CEO, and when I grow up and the most part I really love about ROTC is when we do Drillings when we do PCE.

Back at in cook, we spoke to another fifth grader, Gunner Knight.

He's also heading to Brown Barge Middle School in the fall.

Gunner has siblings there already and several friends going in August, so he's feeling good about the move and is clearly excited about the options that middle school will present.

I heard this club that was diving, swimming, this game called Dungeons and Dragons, I think interest me.

This Japanese club, band, orchestra, Spanish.

And those are some of the clubs in Palm Beach.

Whether it's middle school or high school, the transition is a significant milestone, clearly met with excitement, but also its share of challenges.

As we've just heard, it will be vital for parents, guardians and the students themselves to understand the many resources available to them to succeed.

And that's where our conversation begins.

With that.

Now let me introduce my two guests.

Holly Bussey is a counseling specialist with Escambia County Public Schools, and Lindsay Whitley is a school counselor at Jim C Bailey Middle School.

Ladies, thank you both for coming on the first episode of Learning Curve.

It's very exciting.

Glad to have you here.

Thank you.

Thank you both experts in your field.

And let me start the conversation by saying, Holly, I know you'll be talking more about students that are leaving eighth grade coming into high school.

And Lindsay, you'll be focusing more on students leaving elementary and coming into middle.

That said, though I know you both have plenty to say on all of this, so we'll just have this as a nice, robust conversation.

So coming out of the story, we just saw some kids told us some things are excited about, told us some things they're nervous about.

Small sample size.

It was for students.

You all have dealt with many more than that.

So.

So, Holly, why don't I start with you?

When you think about incoming freshmen, what do you see?

What have you seen in your career as some of the most significant anxieties that they're dealing with at the beginning?

At the very beginning, I would say it's really some smaller things like, who will I sit with at lunch?

And will my classes be super hard?

And will I fit in?

And, you know, who will I make friends with?

Because they're coming from middle school, which is usually their friends in the neighborhood, and now they're moving into a larger environment where they're kids from lots of different neighborhoods that are coming in.

So it's sometimes those very simple, concerns and anxieties that they have.

Lindsay, how about for for students coming into sixth grade?

Similar, different I see very similar.

But also they've gone from an elementary school with maybe, you know, 20, 25 kids in a classroom where they've spent all day with that student, those same students, and now they're going into, you know, a huge school.

Do they transition, from each period?

So now they're in the hallways with all these other students.

So they get, I think, a little nervous of getting to class on time because they have they don't have that teacher walking with them everywhere, whereas now they have to get their own selves to class.

So that's a big anxiety, I think, for a lot of the incoming sixth graders.

Well, and interestingly, that doesn't surprise me.

What surprised me a little is that when I was speaking to the eighth graders at Workman, they both mentioned that the idea of am I going to have enough time in between classes to make it?

Because I guess it's just such a bigger location.

I maybe only have four minutes or whatever the number is, right?

So what occurred to me because again, as I've told you, all I have, I have children, one of whom is in high school.

I remember her worrying about those things, and what it turned into was sort of it reversed itself because you quickly find out, oh, these aren't that big a deal, and you get some early wins.

Yes.

So what are some of the early wins that I think parents, guardians or hopefully some students are watching they can look for, they don't know.

Okay, I can do this right?

I would say definitely.

What you just mentioned is that very quickly they learned that things that were really concerning to them turned out not to be, such as getting from, classroom to classroom, be in enough time.

They usually end up finding someone that maybe they've crossed paths with in, in the past, maybe at a football game or a basketball game or whatever.

That they are, that they're now seeing in the lunchroom, for example.

So those are small wins that it's important for them to, I think at the end of each day to kind of look and and reflect a little bit on, okay, today, what was what were some good things about today?

Did I have, you know, did did I make a new friend?

Was I able to say hello to somebody, you know, in the hallway or little things like that that can can be considered?

I got this, that that builds that confidence.

So.

And we definitely, as adults on campus, let the students have a little extra time the first few, few days to make sure that they're, you know, it's not like you're going to be late, you know, if you're late the first day.

Right?

We're all still trying to find work.

Teachers rooms are because, the teachers will move over the summer.

So we'll, you know, we help them out for that.

So I think just focusing on that and, you know, like, we're all new, like every year, even the people that have been in school, there's new people and new things.

So just, you know, giving grace to the students to be like, hey, we'll make it.

We're going to make it through and have that conversation with them.

Such an important thing to point out because I, you know, we we were all kids and you don't ever think of it from the adult point of view.

You don't get that.

Like, they really want me to succeed.

Like we're not thinking about it that way, right?

So it's so important point.

I was like, yeah, don't worry.

You're not getting a tardy.

You're not getting kicked out of school.

We gave you several days to figure it all out.

We're all in this together.

That alone, I think, goes a long way.

Well, how about conversely?

So we just talked about some things that maybe they are nervous about that they can turn into quick wins.

Do either of you see anything that maybe they didn't see coming that they thought would be no big deal, like, oh, this got tough quick, is there any kind of red flag that maybe is not on their radar yet?

I will say, I think for me, like a lot of them come in, you know, from that one for, for middle school with that one teacher.

So now they have seven different teachers.

They don't, I think, sometimes realize that each teacher has different expectations, different, ways to turn in homework and different ways to complete their work.

So they sometimes over, you know, over estimate like, oh, I've got this.

And they're like, oh, I didn't do my work.

And so because that teacher is not there to hand them all day long, hey, turn your work and turn your work in because I only see them for those 45 minutes.

That's a that's a great one.

You know, it's like Miss Wilson's always love me.

I'll be like, wait a minute.

Now it's Mr. Wilson, Mr. Johnson, it's like, oh, boy, anything comes to your mind, Holly.

It's really it's it's very similar.

The big difference, I think, is in high school, because even in middle school, the teachers are still really kind of hand-holding, and they're still working with the students.

Because when you're in middle school, my thing is learn time management, learn, learn those study skills.

Because when you get into high school, the the work does increase, the workload does increase.

And so it is something that maybe what worked in middle school, like you said, Mr. Wilson loves me.

And you know, even if I turn something in late, it's going to be fine.

But now I'm with Mr. Jones, and Mr. Jones is very, you know, very tough.

And he wants when when he says an assignment is due, it is due.

And so it's learning to navigate and manage.

How do I how do I get that assignment done in time.

Well, we've all had a mr. Jones.

Yes.

Sandy.

Okay.

So that leads right into what I wanted to talk about next, which was the academic rigors that change when you level up.

So so let's start with going from from elementary to middle school.

I mean, one thing obviously, like you've already pointed out, the idea of not sitting in one room, but now moving all day with different subjects.

What about the actual work itself, I'm sure.

Look, I wasn't a fifth grader thinking, how hard is the schoolwork going to be?

Because I just, I wish I would have been a better student that way, but I didn't think of it that way.

I know a lot of students are very worried about that.

How big of a jump is it?

I think it is a pretty big jump.

They also, it's just I think it's just a lot of work because it's gone from that, you know, that one teacher now you have the seven different teachers.

It's a lot more work.

But I think that the open communication, making sure you're communicating with the teacher, if you are struggling with something and if the parents don't understand something to make sure they're kind of communicating as well.

They have, you know, we have focus, we have canvas, then, you know, because so they're always the teachers are able to communicate, well with the parents as well to get it, you know.

Yeah.

And I think that, something you just said slipped my mind.

Yeah, I've been there, done that.

And getting more and more the go allowed and, Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am.

But, that's the that's the other thing that, you know, I was going to say is having that, that communication.

But I do think the rigor does increase when we go from elementary to middle and then again from middle to high.

Now, even in middle school, students can start taking high school level questions.

And so then when you get into high school, you have some of that experience under your belt if you've done that.

But then we move into AP classes, or we maybe have some dual enrollment classes that students start taking, which are college level classes.

So again, that that rigor the expectations are more so.

Well, okay.

So I mean I'm glad that you both were like yeah, it's harder.

It's it's not the same.

It does get harder.

So that said, what are some best practices that students who are just coming into this into this harder level.

What can they do so that earlier?

Because I know the hardest part is when you get behind it feels like insurmountable.

You know, it's so how do you early on attack it to where you don't put yourself in that?

I'm behind position.

You have got to be organized or learn to be organized very quickly.

I, you know, I always would tell the students, have a planner, have a notebook where you're writing down your homework, use a calendar, whatever's going to work for you, make sure that you are writing down everything that needs to happen that you that the expectations are in terms of, well, this assignment is due on Friday, and then chunking it down into smaller portions.

So if I've got to read 20 pages in history, not my favorite subject, then I'm going to I'm going to look at it and say, okay, I'm I cannot wait until Thursday night to read those 20 pages.

I need to chunk it into five pages a night or four pages a night, whatever the case might be, so that I can get through it.

So those are just a couple of, things and reviewing your notes nightly.

It's just critical that you stay on top of it.

But those are a couple of things that come to mind.

I tell a lot of, of my kiddos each day, each night, sit down like the designated time and go through your day.

Go through each period, be like, okay, what did we do was, you know, a lot of teachers in middle school don't send homework home late, you know, because kids are busy.

But if they don't finish their classwork, it's homework.

So to make sure, like if you did, you finish that assignment today in class.

If you didn't, then that's your that's your homework.

Make sure you get it done.

So each day, each night going through your class, each period and writing down like, you know, if you have a class, you know, you don't have anything done.

Okay, check that off.

But then, you know, and then checking your focus and your canvas and making sure all your assignments are completed.

Because like you said, once you start getting behind, it just snowballs.

And then it's very hard to get out of that hole.

It starts to feel insurmountable.

And know I love that system of a little bit every night.

Because if you do it that way, it doesn't become this, oh man, on Thursday.

Thursday is going to be a nightmare.

By the time Thursday comes along, you're like, actually, I don't have to do that much.

Yeah, I've kind of been prepping for this.

So it's hard.

It's easy for us to sit here and say it.

It's hard to actually find the discipline to do it, but it can be done unless, I mean, sometimes you'll just have a teacher who just gives you amount of homework.

I mean, that happens too, but it can be done to where if I can just put 20 to 25 minutes a night into this, I'm going to stay above water and maybe even really set myself up and a good place.

It can be that little.

Yeah.

Yes it can.

In fact, I had a student, this is a few years ago, but I had a student that was really struggling with staying on top of things.

And I said, you know, if you don't have homework, bring your notes home, review your notes.

Five minutes, ten minutes.

It doesn't have to be a long amount of time.

And I said, read them out loud.

That's what I found by by reading something out loud.

I'm looking at it.

You know, I'm looking.

So I'm using my eyes, my visual.

I'm auditory.

I'm all of these different learning pathways to get that information from my short term memory into my long term memory, where I can then recall it when it's time for a test or something else.

And so it was funny because she did it and I said, you know, she came back.

She says, I'm doing so much better on everything.

And I said, great, can you be my poster child?

That's I wish every student you know would actually listen to me and do some of these things.

So it works.

And such a satisfying moment.

I know that was for you, you know, certainly for her.

But but also for you.

So we spent the last few minutes talking about the academic rigor.

And of course, we know that's that's as important as it gets.

But that's not the only thing going on.

I what I've loved to see with, with my two girls, one of whom is currently a middle one's in high, is the opportunity.

There are clubs, there's so many things to do and at times it almost seems like there's there's too much.

So we know how important it is to get involved.

Let me ask you this for Lindsay.

I'll start with you.

For sixth graders coming in, how do they how do their parents, how are their guardians, make sure that they are aware of what exists, that they're not missing opportunities, that they don't find out a week later like, oh, that thing's already closed.

So to about two years ago, I sat down with my administration and I said, I want to do an expo for incoming sixth graders.

So we have in the springtime, a expo for and we invite all the incoming fifth graders or sixth graders that are fifth grade.

And we have all the clubs, all the sports, all the academics and all in one place.

And the parents can go around and talk to all the teachers, talk to the, the sponsors, the clubs and find all that out.

And that way then they can they'll know you know, when tryouts are, when we have, you know, when the clubs meet and all that stuff so they can find out about that before we also, our administration is really good about posting on like, Facebook when we have upcoming tri, tryouts.

So it's very important for parents just to get connected some way, either through their, their, classroom outlets or through the the administration's Facebook page.

Very good.

So so, yeah, Bailey sounds like Bailey's got it really figured out of Bailey middle.

So so let me ask for I know not every school has an expo, you know what I mean?

But.

But is it Holly?

I'll ask you.

Is it fair to say that most schools in the area are active, say, on either their website or on social like?

Are those resources?

For the most part, I know there's always a category that parents can trust, right?

I think yes, but I also think each of the schools are going to have parent nights.

They're going to have orientation nights.

Some of the schools will do it in the summertime.

Some of the schools that's right before school starts.

And then of course, we always have our open houses.

My encouragement to parents is that they participate, that they come.

And I know for some families it's difficult because they're working all day.

Some of them work in the evenings, but if they can send some one that is, in that child's life to be able to come and make that connection with the school, they can just learn so much that way, you know, in person, one on one is is such a good way to.

So we've been talking about these students coming in.

We're talking about all these great ways they can succeed, you know, have a plan, do a little work every night, all these great things.

But as we know, certainly not every student's going to do that.

Certainly, especially those who are making these transitions and feeling maybe a little overwhelmed.

So let's talk about warning signs.

And, Lindsay, why don't I start with you for incoming sixth graders, two weeks in, four weeks in two months.

And whatever the number, how do you how do teachers, how do their friends know something's not going well here?

How can I help?

We, we definitely look at academics.

That is one thing we'll look at.

I pull, reports to look if kids are failing, core classes, if they're failing, you know, any of their, their academics, behavior referrals.

We have a team that gets together twice a month and talks about any students that might be on the radar.

We, you know, teachers are very open.

Like, hey, we've noticed a little Johnny's looking, you know, coming in, not looking, right.

And then also student, I mean, they will put in requests to us, to counselors to be like, hey, my friend just seems off or I've noticed something going on and they're very open to to talk about what's going on.

Holly.

Anything else?

Okay.

It's really very, very similar.

I will say that the district as a whole, we meet with each of these schools, elementary, middle and high to, to look at the data.

And, you know, students are not just data.

Right.

Or they aren't shouldn't say just they are not data.

There's a there's a child behind each of those numbers.

But we do look at that to determine how can we better address the needs that our children are having.

And the parents, the students, the teachers, they're all able to request assistance through the school counselors, through our focus system, so that they can get that assistance when they when they need it, when they want it.

And, I would agree, students are some of the best, really the best advocates for their friends.

We we do a lot of, of explaining about mental health.

And we do a lot of, you know, what's resiliency.

So, so they are aware that if if they're friends a little off and they know who they can go to, you know, for the most part.

Well, okay, so with a couple minutes left here, you led right into something else I wanted to ask.

And that's the idea of sort of normalizing going to a counselor.

Maybe that's not even a thing.

Maybe it's already pretty normal.

So, so, so, Lindsay, you tell me, is is does that stigma exist of.

Oh, I don't I don't need help.

I don't want to go talk.

I'm fine or do you find kids are more willing to look for that sort of help?

I think.

I mean, students are willing, if you know, to come and talk to to anyone.

Some.

And then there are of course, some kids that are just, you know, maybe their families have given them that stigma, like, you know, you can't I think making sure that the adults on campus are just open and in the hallways and, you know, we'll talk to kids that is, you know, a great thing making your your environment warm and exciting and a place that they want to be.

That's right.

And that's overall we have you have the schools.

That's a big that's a big I don't want to say it's a big opportunity for schools the way that they, you know, set up that climate in that culture.

And I think our schools do, a very good job, you know, overall of trying to make, you know, families and kids feel welcome.

At least that's, you know, that's our hope.

And that's what we try to do.

And as counselors in particular, as school counselors in particular, we're out there.

We are visible.

We, the kids see us.

So it's it's it's getting them to be comfortable.

It's collaborating with our parents, letting them know, hey, we're kind of all in this together.

So, like, if you, if you could give one piece of advice to an incoming freshman who's feeling a lot of the stresses that we've been talking about here, I'm positive that there are some, parents and, guardians watching right now.

What would be that?

That one thing that you want the student to know, that you want the parents or the guardians to know?

Wow.

I would say this.

It's going to sound kind of funny, but I would say breathe.

Just stop and breathe for a minute because it.

When in the moment, when it seems like it's it's the end of the world.

Oh my gosh.

I have just said something that, you know, has hurt my friends feeling or whatever the case might be.

I just walked into the wrong classroom, you know, and oh my gosh, the world is going to end.

It's not just stop and breathe and realize that it's really tomorrow's going to be better.

It's going to be okay.

I remember the first time I ever heard this too shall Pass.

Yeah, I got that every three hours.

I have a new reason to.

That's right, that's right.

Lindsay, how about you?

Last, last word.

Communication.

Making sure your communicate.

The students are communicating to their teachers, to their parents.

The parents are communicating to the schools, and the teachers are communicating.

I think communication is key.

We can't fix problems and help with problems if we don't know if they're there.

And, you know, we can't wait until, you know, the end of the fourth quarter and the kids failed all year.

And the parents are like, well, you know, I haven't I didn't know.

And so we want to, you know, make sure we're communicating and keeping an open line communication.

It's such good advice from both of you.

I so appreciate that.

Both.

You're willing to come on to this, this first episode.

And we know that there are lots and lots of people watching this in this position.

And I'm sure the last 20 minutes has, has gone a long way.

So so thank you both very much.

You're welcome.

Glad to be here.

Holly Bussey, school counseling specialist from Escambia County Public Schools.

And Lindsey Whitley, school counselor from Genesee Bailey Middle.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Well, that will do it for the first episode of Learning Curve.

So glad you took the time to watch.

Thank you for that.

If you have an idea for an upcoming episode, we'd love to hear from you!

Reach out to us on the Qri Facebook page and tell us what you love to see for our executive producer, Jill Hubbs.

I'm Christian Garman.

We'll see you next month.