“It’s a huge transition. They come in at 14 and they leave as adults.”
Ninth Grade-Our Last Chance
I learned from experience that a successful ninth grade experience predicted future high school success. Conversely, I learned that when students struggled in ninth grade, they rarely graduated.
According to a recent report from the National High School Center, “the freshman year of high school is the “make or break” year that determines whether a student will graduate. Course performance and attendance during freshman year are among the “most powerful predictors” of student success, according to Developing Early Warning Systems to Identify Potential High School Dropouts.
Previous research has indicated that the biggest risk factor for failing ninth grade is a student’s absenteeism during the first 30 days of high school.
In addition, in 2005, the Consortium on Chicago School Research released the “on-track indicator” that combined two correlated risk factors that helped predict with a high degree of accuracy whether a student will drop out: course credits earned and course grades during freshman year.”
Ninth grade has been referred to as a “make or break” year and a “rite of passage.” Regardless of what we call ninth grade, it should be a focus of our efforts to improve student performance and increase graduation rates.
According to this report, ninth graders must face the following:
Overwhelmed – Most new ninth graders are unprepared for the sheer size of the of the high school compared to their middle school.
Bottom of the Food Chain – Another shock! Last year they were on top.
Navigating a larger campus
Changing classes
Facing more difficult course work – Their increase in difficulty of their new textbooks is even greater than the jump from high school to college.
Fitting in among older students – Many of the students are legally adults.
Hazing – “Fear of being tormented by older, bigger students” on “Freshman Friday.”
“Fear of Abuse” – Fear of abuse goes beyond Freshman Friday. “Kids I see are really afraid of the gangs in school.” “Some … have changed schools because of this fear.”
“Strict teachers” – “Get on your teacher’s good side. A lot of high school teachers are a lot more strict. You don’t want to be on their bad side the first week of school.”
Questions
Do you know your at-risk ninth graders?
Are you going to wait for new ninth graders to emerge with problems, or are you going to get out in front of them?
My Tweet
9th Grade: “Nerve-wracking rite of passage” on 1st day of high school. sacbee.com http://t.co/vOlR7lN