February 22, 2005
Concordia University, Montreal
Recent Research
and Background
Reading
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Providing Critical Supports for Successful Learning
C. Transitions
Transitions as Barriers
Respondents in the study including parents, students, teachers, and school administrators expressed
concern about required transitions to other schools identifying these times as potential trouble
spots that posed risks for failure and leaving school. Within the scope of this study the transitions
encountered included both transfers to secondary schools and to post-secondary facilities.
In the set of study schools transitions from elementary or elementary/junior secondary schools to
continue secondary education seemed to be most traumatic.[7] Alert Bay, Chalo, Elijah Smith and
Gift Lake noted that required transitions to secondary schools marked points where students
dropped out. In consequence, both Alert Bay and Chalo had developed alternative programs to
assist the students unable to make the transition. As destination schools, Merritt and Southeast
had developed extensive support systems including First Nations Support workers and counsellors
to ease the shock of transitions for their students. The secondary schools, including Merritt, Peguis,
Reindeer Lake, and Southeast, exhibit concern and have developed supports to assist their students
in making successful transitions to post-secondary education. Nevertheless, these transition points
continue to be punctuated by an increased number of students leaving school.
The negative effects to student achievement of major transitions, particularly those that involve
relocation, boarding, or long travel times to attend new high schools have been well documented
in Royal Commissions. Gathering Strength's recommendations (3.5.11, p.473) include making high
school programs available in every Aboriginal community. While only two of the schools in this
study, Reindeer Lake and Peguis, had "seamless" or uninterrupted delivery of education to high
school graduation, this seems to offer considerable advantages to students and result in a reduction
in the drop-out rate.
7. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) rates a change in school at 20 Life Change Units; however, other
associated changes can quickly increase the total stress involved.
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