From the Middle: Recognizing Rising 8th Graders
By Diane McMillan
Associate Director
High schools are not the only ones who have to deal with “graduation” issues. Middle schools are also under pressure to have some sort of “ending” ceremony or process for 8th graders who are on their way to high school. There is debate in the middle level educator community about what kind of transition activities are appropriate for 8th grade students.
One camp prefers the formal 8th grade graduation approach, with all the pomp and circumstance of the high school graduation. They argue that this type of ceremony motivates their students to excel in middle school, and honors the accomplishments of students during the middle years. They argue (though sometimes not openly) that with high dropout rates, for some students, this may be their only chance to experience a graduation ceremony.
The other camp, while believing that some type of transition process is appropriate, believes the formal 8th grade graduation ceremony may send a false message – that students are at the end of their educational journey, and not beginning the home stretch of high school. They also argue that students have nothing to look forward to at the end of the senior year and that 8th grade graduation dilutes the “specialness” of high school graduation.
Here are some suggestions for transitions activities from the MiddleTalk listserv. One problem that middle educators struggle with is what to call the experience, especially if it is distinct from high school graduation exercises.
Other name suggestions rather than “graduation”:
• Promotion
• Celebration
• Transitions
• Culmination
• Commencement
• Dedication
• Convocation
• Departure
• Advancement
• Elevation
• Tribute
• Salute
• Stepping up
• Moving up
Suggestions for 8th Grade Transition
• An 8th grade picnic on the day before the last day of school. The 8th grade students get their report cards and are told that they "may" stay home on the last day.
• Dinner dance put on by the parents and sign yearbooks
• All-day off campus retreat
• Potluck dinner for parents and graduates
• Recognition assembly with tributes to each 8th grader read by adviser. Students get a framed copy of the tribute and the class photo
• Individual presentations of reflective portfolios. Afterwards, R.O.P.E. (Rite of Passage Experience) pin and certificate
• Field trips
• Recognition assemblies
• Activities Day
• An 8th grade Field Day with team events
• During the school day dance
Here’s a neat idea to get all kids writing and generate content for 8th grade transition activities:
“The (Your Middle School Name Here) Poem" is a poem put together of students' responses to a series of prompts: (This could be done as part of a portfolio, in advisory, or individually and presented at recognition assemblies, portfolio presentations, formal ceremonies, etc.)
Students write the poem in response to the following prompts:
- When I first came to (name of your school), I…
- But now, I…
- In September, we…
- But now in May (June), we…
- This year, I learned….
- My favorite part of the day was…
- Next year, I can't wait…
- I will always remember….
With the school website, school newsletters, blogs, podcasts, powerpoint presentations, school assemblies, there are so many way to get the students' work published. I've named just a few that come to mind.
By the way, since our state has moved to the Michigan Merit Curriculum, which has at its philosophical core that all students in the 21st Century will need “education beyond high school”, look for some educators in the coming years to question the relevance of a formal high school graduation ceremony!
Question: What activities does your middle level school sponsor for 8th grade students to mark the ending of middle school? Add an answer to this story by clicking the orange "add new comment" button below.
