A new Study Skills class was introduced this year to assist incoming 6th graders make a successful transition to TCS Middle School.

This semester long course, taught by Carolina Polo and Maria Adelaida Villa, teaches new 6th graders the essential skills they need in order to be successful in Middle School. It was introduced this year by Middle School principal, Juan David Lopez.

“We believe every student can learn, but the most important thing is to give them the opportunity to believe they can do it,” Carolina Polo said.

The course’s goal is to help students adapt to the Middle School environment. Studies have shown that on average children’s grades drop drastically during the first year of  Middle School, since they lose focus and motivation due to the major environmental change they go through.

A study done by The American Psychological Association suggests that, compared to elementary schools, middle schools are more controlling. Likewise, they can provide fewer cognitive challenges and focus too much on competition and comparing students’ ability.

The course content covers a variety of areas, extending from the school’s platforms usage, to counseling, Character Counts, and sexual education. It also covers math, language and organizational skills.

“This class teaches us how to be good students and teaches us the responsibility to do our homework. They also teach us how to make an effort to get a good grade and be successful,” Sebastian Ríos, 6th grader, said.

Most 6th graders believe this addition is very helpful in their transition to Middle School. They are prepared for tests, homework and an increase in overall workload.

“They help us prepare to each teacher’s methods. But the most important thing is the preparation for tests and classes,” Maria Jose Londño, 6th grader, said.

However, some students see disadvantages to the course and feel it can be repetitive.

“The class teaches the methods teachers will use so we can learn how to work with these methods. But sometimes they teach us the same thing over and over,” Emiliana Villegas, 6th grader, said.

This is the first time a class like this has been offered in school, and the ultimate goal is to better prepare new 6th graders for success in middle school. Ideally, the skills taught in the this class will help prepare students for the challenges of high school as well. 

“Juan David decided to implement it because he saw the importance of these skills,” Carolina Polo said.