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An investigation of students' perceptions and fears before and after transitioning to middle school

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An investigation of students' perceptions and fears before and after transitioning to middle school

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Content AN INVESTIGATION OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND
FEARS OF VIOLENCE BEFORE AND AFTER
TRANSITIONING TO MIDDLE SCHOOL

by

Wendy-Lee N. Bsela

_____________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

August 2008

Copyright 2008 Wendy-Lee N. Bsela

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to my Creator for guiding me through the process of accomplishing
my divine purpose as an educator. Also, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and
gratitude to all of the following people who made the completion of this dissertation
possible:
My husband, Michel: thank you for your love and support during this chapter in
my life. I love you.
My mother, Pamela Lee Persad: your joy of learning, unconditional love for me,
as well as your faith and prayers have guided me and kept me focused for the duration of
my doctoral program.
My father, Lennox A. Persad: thank you for instilling a good work ethic in me
and for believing in me.
My family: especially my little sister, Daniele Moore, your love, support, trust
and faith in me allowed me to work successfully through this process.
Finally, my editor Dr. Bobbie Beckman: your friendship, guidance and technical
support assisted me with the completion of this dissertation.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................. ii
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES..................................................................... iii
ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................... vii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...................................................................... 1
Introduction............................................................................................... 1
School Violence in Community Context ..................................... 5
School Climate............................................................................. 9
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................. 12
Research Questions................................................................................... 16
Framework for Research Questions.......................................................... 16
Instrument................................................................................................. 17
Significance of the Study.......................................................................... 17
Limitations of the Study............................................................................ 18
Delimitations of the Study ........................................................................ 18
Organization of the Dissertation ............................................................... 19

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.......................................................... 20
Theoretical Framework for Violence in Middle Schools……………….. 22
Prevalence of Middle School Violence…………………………………. 26
Impact of Violence on Middle School Students………………………… 28
Theoretical Framework of School Climate and Violence in Elementary
and Middle Schools................................................................................... 30
School Climate and Middle School Violence........................................... 31
Theoretical Framework for Transitioning from Elementary to
Middle Schools......................................................................................... 33
Developmental versus Contextual Shift.................................................... 34
Developmental Transitions versus Environmental-Contextual Transitions 35
Research on Transitioning from Elementary to Middle School…………. 36
Research on Students’ Self-Perceptions and Transition to Middle School 38
Summary…………………………………………………………………. 40
Theoretical Framework of Students’ Perceptions of Violence in the
Elementary and Middle School Context................................................... 41
Research on Students’ Perceptions of Violence in the Elementary
School and Middle School of Contexts .................................................... 44
Results from a Pilot Study on Students’ Perceptions…………… 46
Gaps in the Literature................................................................................ 47
Closing the Gaps in the Literature ............................................................ 48

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CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY..................................................................... 50
Introduction............................................................................................... 50
Quantitative Versus Qualitative Research Design.................................... 51
Sites........................................................................................................... 52
Middle School Site........................................................................ 53
Figure 1: Ethnic and Racial Composition of the Paradise Unified
School District .......................................................................................... 54
Sample....................................................................................................... 54
Access and Sample Selection…………………………………………… 55
Interviews and Focus Groups…………………………………………… 58
Instrumentation…………………………………………………………. 59
Data Analysis…………………………………………………………… 61
Summary………………………………………………………………... 64

CHAPTER 4: THE FINDINGS......................................................................... 65
Purpose of the Study ................................................................................. 65
Study Participants..................................................................................... 65
Students......................................................................................... 66
Staff............................................................................................... 67
Data Analysis and Interpretation of the Findings……………………….. 67
Research Question One…………………………………………. 68
Summary: Research Question One...…………………………… 85
Research Question Two…………………………………………. 86
Summary: Research Question Two...…………………………… 94
Incidental Findings: Student Recommendations for a Safer Middle
School……………………………………………………………………. 95
Summary of the Findings........................................................................... 96

CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY ................................................................................ 99
Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………. 99
Discussion of the Findings ..................................................................... 100
Research Question One..………………………………………… 100
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Gender………………... 100
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Intruders on Campus… 102
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Size………………........ 104
Fifth Graders’ Strategies for Coping with the Middle School
Transition………………………………………………………… 105
Research Question Two…………………………………………. 105
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Gender………………… 106
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Size….………………… 108
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Intruders on Campus….. 109
Sixth Graders’ Strategies for Coping with the Middle School
Transition………………………………………………………… 109
Implications for Practice………………………………………………… 110

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Meeting Students’ Needs: Fifth and Sixth Graders…………………….. 110
Responses from Educational Personnel…………………………………. 111
Paradise Middle School Transition Program……………………………. 113
A Successful Middle School Transition Program………………………. 115
Future Research…………………………………………………………. 116
Summary………………………………………………………………… 117

REFERENCES.................................................................................................... 119

APPENDICES....................................................................................................... 135
Appendix A: Focus Group Protocol – Fifth Grade................................... 135
Appendix B: Focus Group Protocol – Sixth Grade .................................. 137
Appendix C: Interview Protocol ............................................................... 141
Appendix D: University IRB Forms…………………………………….. 143
Informed Consent for Non-Medical Research…………………... 143
Informed Consent for Non-Medical Parental Permission……….. 147
Informed Consent for Non-Medical for Youth (Ages 12-17)……. 151

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender,
Elementary Students, Grade Five……………………………… 69

Table 2: Fears about Intruders on Campus, Grades Five and Six………. 76

Table 3: Attitudes toward the Physical Surroundings of Middle School,
Grades Five and Six…………………………………………… 78

Table 4 Strategies Used to Cope with Student Fears, Grades Five
and Six………………………………………………………… 81

Table 5: Educator Awareness of Transitioning Students’ Fears
and Apprehensions, Elementary and Middle School………….. 82

Table 6: Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender,
Middle School Students, Grade Six…………………………… 87

Table 7: Student Recommendations for a Safer Middle School,
by Gender, Grade Six…………………………………………. 96

Table 8: Summary of the Findings……………………………………… 97

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ABSTRACT
This qualitative case study explored the extent to which fifth graders experienced
fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether or not this fear was related
to school violence. The study was limited to the expectations of present elementary and
middle school students before and after they transitioned from Grade five to middle
school. Of particular interest was the identification of possible sources for the students’
apprehensions, along with the strategies they used to cope with their feelings of fear.
Two research questions formed the foundation of this study: (1) To what extent
do exiting fifth grade students feel apprehensive about violence at their new middle
school as they transition to that school? (2) Once they are sixth grade students, to what
extent does their experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions
they had as transitioning fifth graders?
Focus groups were conducted in two Title I elementary schools, using one focus
group each of boys/girls in 5th grade with a total of four focus groups, each with five to
eight students, with 20-32 students in all. Also, one feeder middle school participated in
focus groups containing equal numbers of boys/girls with a total of 20-32 student
participants. Interviews were conducted with four 5th grade teachers, one administrator
from each of the two elementary schools, as well as one administrator from the feeder
middle school.
Key findings emerged for question one: (a) Fear about violence in their current
elementary school equaled or exceeded students’ fears about middle school, (b)
Elementary students were most concerned about incidents involving strangers on campus,

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and (c) The primary response to anticipating middle school for these fifth graders was
one of excitement, not fear. Key findings emerged for question two: (a) Sixth grade
middle students witnessed broader types of violence than the fifth graders at the
elementary schools. Sixth grade students suggested solutions to improve school discipline
plans, school safety, as well as the need for stronger student – teacher partnerships.

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CHAPTER ONE
Introduction

In 2006 more than 48 million young people, about 90% of school-age children
in America, were enrolled in grades K through 12 in U.S. public schools (NCES,
2005-2006). This is because formal education has been mandatory throughout the
United States since 1918. Generations of American parents have entrusted their
children, on a daily basis, to public elementary, middle, and high schools (NCES,
2008).
Professional codes of ethics indicate that educators recognize the trust placed
in them by children and their families. Principle One, Article Four of the Code of
Ethics of the Education Profession (NEA Representative Assembly, 1975) states that,
“In fulfillment of the obligation to the student, the educator…Shall make reasonable
effort to protect the student from conditions harmful to learning or to health and
safety.” On a national level, concern for school safety was demonstrated by the 1984
establishment of the National School Safety Center (NSSC). Its mission is to serve “as
an advocate for safe, secure and peaceful schools worldwide and as a catalyst for the
prevention of school crime and violence.” The NSSC has listed potential threats to
student safety, including:
Civil Unrest/ Demonstrations/Rioting, Bomb Threats/Explosions,
Intruders/Unauthorized Visitors, Hostage Takings, Sniper Attacks,
Extortion, Assault/Battery/Rape, Weapons Possessions, Drug
Abuse/Trafficking, Gang-Related Violence/Drive-by Shootings,
Kidnappings/Abductions, Child Abuse/Neglect/Molestation,
Life-Threatening Illness, Accidental Injury or Death, Intentional
Injury or Death, Utility Failures, Chemical Spills, Automobile

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Accidents, Natural Disasters: Earthquake, Flood, Tornado, Fire,
Hurricane, Tsunami, Mass Transit Disasters: Falling Aircraft/Train
Derailment/Bus Accidents.

The list of disasters to which students could be exposed is alarming, but not
without basis in history. News of violence in U.S. schools has been broadcast for more
than 80 years, as the following examples tell: thirty-seven children and two teachers
killed on May 18, 1927 in the bombing of the Bath Michigan Consolidated School
(Ellsworth, 1927; Gaddo, 2007); ninety-five fatalities in 1958 in a school fire set by a
Chicago fourth grader (Ebaugh, 2008); six people killed in a Houston elementary
school in 1959 when “a man trying to enroll his son …detonated a suitcase filled with
dynamite.”; two killed and nine injured in 1979 when a 16 year old girl fired a rifle
into a San Diego school playground (Pesca, 2005). American schools have been the
scene of serious violence for at least eight decades, and reports of deadly episodes
have not been lacking, yet they continue to shock and disturb. As one parent expressed
it:
If someone were to say to me, "Send your children, the one thing that
you love more than anything, to a place where they may be harassed,
bullied, shoved, hit, stabbed or even shot. I would say…not in a million
years.” (McGuire, 2006).

In other words, unless the school environment is safe, it is unreasonable to require
that children attend.
It may be impossible to create an absolutely safe environment (NSSC, 2005),
however, schools should be places of relative safety for children (NEA, 1975). As a
result of this sentiment, when violence, particularly deadly violence, occurs on a

3

school campus, it becomes newsworthy. For example, viewers were horrified by
reports from Littleton, Colorado in 1999, when two students opened fire on their
classmates at Columbine High School, killing 12 students and a teacher. Less than a
year later, networks broadcast the story of a Michigan first grader, a six-year old killed
by another six year old who had brought a handgun to school. While the image of
school as a dangerous and potentially lethal environment has been fueled by national
news coverage, the accuracy of that picture is questionable (Austin, 2003).
According to the NSSC Review of School Safety Research (2006), the rates of
“serious violent victimization…were lower at school than away from school” for
every year from 1992 to 2004. The Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National
Report reported the rate of juvenile violent crime arrests had consistently decreased
since 1994, falling to a level not seen since at least the 1970s. These reports concur
with a study by Hyman and Perone (1998) who concluded that school is the safest
public setting experienced by children and adolescents, and in 2005 the National
School Safety Center stated:
Schools are still among the safest places for our young people to be.
Students are 99 times more likely to be victimized in the community -
on the streets, at the mall, at movie theaters, in fast food restaurants and
other public places - rather than at school.

Research indicates, then, that school is a relatively safe environment for young
people. There are, however, characteristics that can place a student at risk for
committing or experiencing campus violence. These variables include student
perceptions of violence, student fears, their acts of aggression, academic failure,

4

delinquency and the student’s own perception about his/her potential for victimization
(Bernstein, 2000, Ross, 1996). It was based on such research that this investigation
chose to explore fifth grade students’ fears and perceptions of school violence upon
transitioning to sixth grade, and to explore the degree to which student perceptions
related to school violence.
This present investigation is significant because it stands in contrast to studies
employing an epidemiological model used by public health and criminology
institutions. For much of the research collected, the epidemiological model has
provided information about the incidence, distribution, and control of school violence
(Furlong & Morrison, 2000). The drawback of this approach is that most of what is
presently known and can be inferred from existing school violence databases is based
largely on responses concerning single variables with untested properties (Furlong &
Morrison, 2000). The earlier databases, however, have identified characteristics with
strong relationships to school violence.
A more contextual approach has since been developed, in which victims and
perpetrators are asked about their specific experiences with violent acts. Researchers
have begun to study school violence by employing this method of inquiry as a way of
understanding patterns of aggressive behavior and of victimization. School violence is
now viewed as a “multifaceted construct” that includes criminal acts, as well as
aggression in schools (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). This study used a contextual
approach, which allowed the researcher to explore the significance of students’
perceptions and fears about school violence.

5

School Violence in Community Context
Since their inception, American schools have been expected to contribute to
the growth of democracy (Lee, 1961). They have been the epicenter of issues such as
integration (Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 1954; Public Law 94-
142, 1975) and immigration (Wieder, 1985; National Immigrant Solidarity Network,
May 2006). American schools have adjusted to the effects of revolution, civil war,
world wars, preparations for nuclear war, protests against war, riots, hurricanes and
political assassinations (Sass, 2008; Helton, 2008); they have responded over time to
changes in systems of transportation, communication, illumination and funding
(Helton, 2008).
Although schools in general have been shown to be relatively safe for students
(NSSC, 2006), some are located in communities with a high incidence of violence.
Researchers have proposed, for example, that in urban communities which endorse
subculture norms, children and adolescents often select violence as their principal
means for solving conflicts (Devine, 1995; Wolfgang & Ferracuti, 1967).
The 1995 NCVS school crime supplement (Kaufman et al., 1998), however,
found no difference in overall victimization prevalence (violent and property
combined) in schools located in central city (14.7%), suburban (14.6%), and non-
metropolitan (14.3%) locales. This data showed that crime victimization was typically
higher at specific locations within all varieties of community: urban, suburban and
rural (Rennison, 1999). This indicates that school crime and violence are not problems

6

specific to urban environments, but plague rural and suburban communities as well
(Stephens, 1994).
Although the research found no significant difference in rates of violence by
area (urban, suburban or rural), it did however, reveal differences among
neighborhoods within areas (Rennison, 1999). Statistics also showed that central urban
areas contained larger student populations with more students per classroom. While
these factors did not affect the frequency of violence within a school, larger student
populations increased the statistical likelihood that an individual student would
witness a violent incident occurring at his/her school (Furlong & Morrison, 2000).
While schools and communities have worked together to shelter schools from
problems in surrounding neighborhoods, such prevention has not been foolproof
((Hellan and Beaton, 1986; Furlong & Morrison, 2000; NSSC, 2006). Andrew
Keogh’s politically motivated bombing of the Bath, Michigan Consolidated School
was an early example of this (Ellsworth, 1927). The danger presented by campus
intruders was again highlighted by the 1988 case of Laurie Dann, a babysitter who had
worked in Winnetka, Illinois near Hubbard Woods Elementary School. Thirty years
old, medically neglected and psychotic, Dann walked into the school’s second grade
classroom:
“…lined the children up against a wall and said: 'Kids, I'm going to
teach you something about guns today,' before opening fire.” (The
Awareness Center, 2006).

7

One child died, five were critically wounded and “…many Chicago area schools--and
parents--never were the same.” (Rossi, 1988, as quoted by The Awareness Center,
2006).
There is no question that campus security procedures have changed since the
tragedies in Bath and Winnetka. Following school shootings in the 1990s, perceived
deficiencies in school security were considered a matter of public health (NSSC, 2006)
and contingency planning for disaster was elevated to a national security issue
following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (NSSC, 2005). Control of
campus access, identification of campus visitors and volunteers, and emergency
preparedness drills including lockdown and shelter-in-place procedures i.e. “the
opposite of facility evacuations, or fire drills” (Henderson, 2004) have become
standard (NSSC, 2005).
Despite such procedures unauthorized individuals (and authorized individuals
with ill intent), have entered high school campuses undetected (Dedman, 2006). In
addition, research findings have suggested that guns are brought to school by a
relatively small group of adolescent age students who are also likely to carry guns and
other weapons in community settings (Furlong & Morrison, 2000, Bureau of Justice
Statistics, 2006). This is in spite of stringent security measures such as metal detectors,
the presence of police officers, and the use of video cameras and threat assessment
software (Dedman, 2006).
High schools are typically much larger in area with a larger student population
than elementary and middle schools. Astor, Pitner, and Duncan (1996) discussed the

8

undefined spaces on school grounds, such as hallways, restrooms and other
unsupervised locations. Astor (1998) illustrated his point with a quote from a student:
“You wanna see a fight, all you need to do is go to the boys and
girls bathrooms after the bell rings [between classes]. I just
saw a bad one just before you came to get me. One guy got
punched while he was going [to the bathroom]. We've got
fights there every day, all the time, and no one does nothing
about it.” (Astor, 1998, p. 209)

As the student made clear, undefined spaces are prone to occurrences of violent
behavior because no professional educator (teacher, administrator, support personnel)
claims responsibility for that area as part of his or her assigned duties (Astor et al,
1996; Astor, 1998).
Middle school crimes, in contrast, tend to be influenced by other factors in the
school environment, especially by the ratio of students to teachers (Hellan & Beaton,
1986). An investigation by Bates, Chung and Chase (1997) found that students who
had distrusting attitudes and felt disconnected from their teachers were more likely to
be victims of school violence. Middle school is a place where violence combines with
the transitions of adolescence to become a significant factor in school culture
(Bernstein, 2002). Juvonen et al (2004) observed the detrimental effect on middle
school students of “standing out and not fitting in.” (p. 49). They concluded that it is
the stigma associated with grade retention in middle school, and not academic
deficiencies, that drives student disengagement and alienation, and that places them at
far greater risk for leaving school before high school graduation.

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School Climate
The ethos of a school, also known as its school climate refers to its personality,
its environment and its spirit, which is as important as its particular practices and
structures (Lipsitz and West 2006). It has been described by Wren (1999) as the
“hidden curriculum”, in that it develops informally and through a lack of conscious
planning. How well a student fits in at school is often a function of how well he or she
has internalized “a specific program of social norms” (Wren, 1999, p.1). The student’s
sense of connectedness and support in the school environment have been observed by
Juvonen et al (2004) as being especially critical for students with “early signs of
academic or social-emotional problems”, for those who are economically
disadvantaged and for students “who experience substantial changes in their school
environment during the transition to middle school.”(p. 49).
Former U. S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley noted that student
perceptions of school climate play an important role in the cognitive, social, and
emotional development among students of any grade (Riley, 1993). He believed that
violent acts create an environment where children cannot learn, teachers cannot teach
and parents (like Ms. McGuire, quoted above) are reluctant to send their children to
school. He also highlighted learning difficulties, characteristic of the grieving process
that students may encounter if one of their classmates is killed at school or on the way
there (Riley, 1993).
Bloom (1978) proposed that "transitional life events" such as starting a new
job or entering a new school are unique in their nature and processes. Such events

10

entail substantial changes in the new environment or circumstance in which
individuals must endure. Middle school represents a number of transitions and
changes for students, changes that require adaptation, for example, in roles and
behavior (Wren 1993; Juvonen et al, 2004). It is during such periods that students
require a more nurturing and supportive environment, and a school climate that
encourages them to trust, connect with and confide in their teachers (Juvonen et al,
2004; Dedman, 2006). These are also characteristic of school climates which have
been shown to be effective in the prevention of school violence (NSSC, 2006;
Dedman, 2006).
Of the sixth grade student population, those in their first year of middle school,
is usually comprised of students from two, three or more local elementary schools.
This means that all the sixth graders are meeting new classmates, as well as meeting
new teachers (Bernstein, 2002). Students also transition from having one elementary
teacher at the beginning and end of the day, as well as another math or social studies
teacher, to having as many as seven different middle school teachers in a single day
(Bernstein, 2003).
Along with encountering several new teachers, sixth grade students must adapt
to a physical environmental different from that of their elementary school. Middle
schools have wider hallways, larger classrooms and more spacious buildings. They
also have larger class sizes and older students (seventh, eighth and ninth graders) who
are larger in stature. A typical lunchtime in middle school can be a noisy, highly social
environment and the basic rules for appropriate social behavior may be difficult to

11

enforce. Thus, middle school is a place where students must learn a more complex set
of social skills (Wren, 1999; Juvonen et al, 2004; Bernstein, 2002).
For these reasons, the transition between Grade 5 and Grade 6 creates a natural
turning point or “rite of passage” (Juvonen et al., 2004). This transition, however, can
present difficulties for children who are experiencing issues associated with the
physical, social, emotional and psychological development of adolescence (Gunnar &
Collins, 1988). As Juvonen et al (2004) observed it can be traumatic for a student who
does not quite fit in. The transition to middle school is a difficult time for Grade 5
students who must leave the protective arms of parents and the security provided by
their elementary school teachers, to enter a school whose climate may lack those
nurturing qualities (Midgley, Feldlaufer & Eccles, 1988).
Transitioning middle school students may enter with uncertainty and fear
(Juvonen et al., 2004). Descriptions of their experience and their perceptions are
scarce in educational research. We know that students’ beliefs and perceptions about
school violence are related to the probability that they will become victims or
perpetrators of violence at school (Bernstein, 2000; Ross, 1996) Educators seeking
solutions to issues of school safety need the insight that such investigations would
provide. The present study explored the ways in which fifth grade students attempted
to reconcile their apprehensions and how those apprehensions were evaluated once
they had begun sixth grade at the new middle school.
There is an increasing focus by researchers on the influence of students'
thoughts, beliefs and feelings as they learn organizational skills (Bernstein, 2002).

12

Such a focus assumes that students are active information processors, affecting
classroom events as much as the events affect them (Pintrich, Cross, Kozma, &
McKeachie,1986). While students are adjusting on a daily basis at the beginning of the
school year, they are also bringing their excitement, fears, and concerns into the
classroom setting (Bernstein, 2002). This study explored the notion that, in their
transition to middle school, fifth grade students’ perceptions of fear and feelings of
apprehension may be as powerful for them as their actual experience with school
violence,.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore whether fifth graders
experience apprehension and fear as they entered sixth grade, and whether this fear
was related to school violence. The study was limited to the expectations of middle
school students before and after their transition from Grade 5 into their middle school
environment. Of particular interest were:
1) The identification of possible sources for these apprehensions, such as the
fear of navigating the new physical environment, of encountering stern educators, of
teasing, of not “fitting in, or of encountering physical violence, e.g. fights, and
2) The transition experience itself, as described by the students, and
3) The strategies used to cope with the feelings of fear.
In addition, the study’s purpose was to conduct research into an area of students’
perceptions which may affect belief systems and behavior (Bernstein, 2002; Ross,
1996). This is an approach in contrast to epidemiological methods which simply

13

provide statistical data on incidents of violent acts (Cornell & Loper, 1998; Rosenblatt
& Furlong, 1997).
Researchers interested in learning the impact of violence on a school campus
have found it effective to ask students to describe their level of concern about their
personal safety (Furlong and Morrison, 2000). They have questioned students as to
whether they engage in behaviors that limit their exposure to the dangers they
perceived (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). In the present study such topics were
discussed with focus groups made up of fifth and sixth grade students. Its purpose was
to identify the impact of violence at school on students’ perceptions, beliefs and
apprehensions and to consider the various coping mechanisms they utilized. Students
also revealed which particular individuals they believed had helped them make a
relatively successful transition to middle school (Bernstein, 2002).
Thus, the overarching theme the research project considered was the fear that
students experienced as a result of their beliefs or perceptions about the level of
violence at their new school. In addition, this study investigated how students coped
with the fear they experienced, and how they evaluated whether their fears had been
warranted. For those who believe that students are active learners, complex beings
whose internal states can affect classroom events (Pintrich, et al., 1986), it is
imperative to explore the issue of school violence from the students’ perspective.
The concept of students’ apprehensions and perceptions of school violence
presents a different perspective from the traditional theoretical frameworks of school
violence. In the past, such research was concerned with youth who committed

14

violence and the violence on school campuses was viewed as a law enforcement issue
(Furlong & Morrison, 2000). Past research also investigated the factors that promoted
the development of antisocial behavior in children (Gottfredson & Gottfredson, 1985;
Patterson, DeBaryshe, & Ramsey, 1989). This study differs in that it explored school
violence as it is perceived, anticipated and feared by students as they approach and
complete a transition from a familiar educational environment into one which is
relatively unknown to them.
This study considered the following themes: (a) the foundation of school
violence (Epp & Watkinson, 1997; Furlong & Morrison, 2000); (b) school climate
(Anderson, 1982; Ben-Avie, Emmons, & Haynes, 1997; Hoy & Hannum, 1997;
Hyman & Snook, 2000); (c) the contextual elementary and middle school climates
(Benbenishty, Astor, Zeira, & Vinokur (2002); (d) the transition from elementary to
middle school as a developmental shift (Sameroff & McDonough, 1994); and (e)
student perceptions versus the reality of middle school low-level violence (Astor,
1994/1998; Benbenishty, Astor, Zeira, & Vinokur (2002); Cartland, Ruch-Ross, &
Henry (2003).
The average frequency of violent acts experienced by transitioning students at
their new middle school may be higher than at their previous school. According to
Dinkes, Cataldi, Kena & Baum (2006), the Indicators of School Crime and Safety:
2006 (NCES 2007) students age 12-18 were victims of about 1.4 million nonfatal
crimes at school: 863,000 thefts and 583,000 violent crimes (simple assault and
serious violent crimes). Of the violent crimes, there were 107,000 serious violent

15

crimes, which included rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault). Some of
the indicators from the report documented that student safety had improved.
This suggests that a number of children and adolescents fear potentially dangerous
school climates in U. S. public schools.
This study investigated 11- to 14-year old middle school students. It is clear
from the research of Juvonen et al. (2004) that incoming sixth grade students require
strict guidance, assistance and the means to cope successfully with a milestone
transition. This is true for those who experience apprehensions and fears of an unsafe
school climate. Students who must think about avoiding harm at school have to divert
energy to personal safety. This is energy that should be expended on learning
(Chandler, Nolin, & Davies,1995).
Improving students' safety at school is vital to enable American youth to
redirect their efforts and concerns towards school work and student activities
(Chandler, Nolin, & Davies, 1995). If new middle school students are entering the
sixth grade feeling apprehensive and fearful about the violence they may encounter,
then it is critical that their fears be addressed by parents, teachers and administrators
(Bernstein, 2002). It is important that connections between students and teachers be
strengthened at the middle school level, and that every student has access to a trusted
adult within the school environment (Juvonen et al. 2004; Dedman, 2006).
While national databases have addressed the nature of threats to student safety
(Chandler, Nolin, & Davies, 1995), the present study has explored the presence (or
absence) of students’ fears about personal safety. It also investigated the origin of their

16

fear and the ways in which they managed it once sixth grade began. Understanding
student apprehensions is crucial if educators are to connect with and engage
potentially alienated students (Juvonen et al, 2004). It is also imperative for the
prevention of school violence that educators develop an insight into students’
perceptions about their own safety at school (Pintrich, et al., 1986; Dedman, 2006;
Bernstein, 2002; Ross, 1996).
Research Questions
In order to investigate school violence in elementary schools and middle
schools, particularly related to transitioning from elementary school to middle school,
the following research questions formed the foundation of this study:
1. To what extent do exiting fifth grade students feel apprehensive about
violence at their new middle school as they transition to that school?
2. Once they are sixth grade students, to what extent does their
experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions they had as
transitioning fifth graders?
Framework for Research Questions
The following variables were used to examine their relationship with the
research questions: (a) gender, (b) ethnicity-race, (c) school type, (d) violence type, (e)
transitioning activities, as well as (f) parent perceptions and teacher perceptions of
school violence.

17

Instrument
The research instrument consisted of a series of focus group questions
addressed to students in two elementary schools and one middle school. Focus groups
were conducted in two Title I elementary schools, using one focus group each of
boys/girls in 5th grade with a total of four focus groups, each with five to eight
students, with 20-32 students in all. Students at one feeder middle school also
participated in focus groups containing equal numbers of boys/girls with a total of 20-
32 students interviewed. Interviews were conducted with four 5th grade teachers, one
administrator from each of the two elementary schools, as well as one administrator
from the feeder middle school.
The interview questions that were posed to the middle school administrator
dealt with: (a) what issues may arise among new sixth graders; and (b) what role the
elementary schools could take to assist the middle school with to ensure a successful
transition. The goal was to investigate students’ perceptions regarding the presence,
frequency, types of, as well as apprehensions about, and experiences with, school
violence in their elementary and a middle school setting.
Significance of the Study
There are few existing studies that examine apprehensions about school
violence among students in Grade 5 and their transition to Grade 6 in a middle school.
This descriptive case study contributes to the currently available professional literature
on school violence. This study also investigated the extent to which fifth grade
students were fearful of entering

sixth grade. Specifically, this study was concerned

18

with exiting fifth grade, as well as new sixth grade students ranging in age from 12- to
14-years-old.
This research project explored the ways in which students overcome these
emerging fears and apprehensions. In turn, the results of this study made it clear that
improved transitional programs are necessary to assist future fifth graders and to help
them transition smoothly and successfully into middle school. It is hoped that this
work will provide teachers and administrators with needed information for the creation
of more effective transitional programs.
Limitations of the Study
Data collection for this study occurred in two Title I elementary schools and
one feeder middle school among students, teachers and administrators during the
second quarter of the academic year in June 2007. Generalization of the results of this
investigation to students and educators in other settings, i.e. more affluent
neighborhoods, may be of limited value.
Delimitations of the Study
This qualitative case study consisted of focus groups, drawing a convenience
sample of 40-64 students from two Title I elementary and one middle school, along
with administrators and teachers. Since the students were not randomly selected, the
findings of this study and the recommendations for practice arising from them cannot
be generalized to middle school students in other schools in other school districts.

19

Organization of the Dissertation
Chapter One provides a rationale for exploring student experiences and
perceptions about school violence. It specifically considers the need for understanding
perceptions held by sixth grade students before and after their transition (as fifth
graders) from elementary school to sixth grade, their first year of middle school.
Chapter Two summarizes the literature related to school violence in elementary and
middle schools. The transition from elementary school to middle school is also
discussed within the context of student perceptions of school violence. Chapter Three
describes the research design, including the instrumentation, data collection, and data
analysis methods employed. Chapter Four presents the findings and an analysis and
interpretation of the data collected. Chapter Five summarizes the findings, presents
conclusions and implications, and offers recommendations for future research.

20

CHAPTER TWO
Literature Review
Human beings undergo various experiences throughout their lives when they
transition - “rites of passage” (Juvonen et al., 2004), and as they grow, develop, age,
and seek to acquire new knowledge. Children in elementary schools transition when
enrolling in a middle school or junior high school; adolescents experience a similar
transition when they leave junior high schools to enroll in high schools. Specifically,
the elementary to middle school transition creates difficulties for many children as
they experience hardships related to the pubertal changes, which sometimes affect the
physical, social, emotional, and psychological development of adolescents (Gunnar &
Collins, 1988).
Ping Liu (2003) compared the transition of students in Grade 5 (elementary
school) to Grade 6 (middle school) in the United States with the transition of students
of similar age in the People's Republic of China. His study focused on three factors:
(a) pubertal change, (b) cognitive maturation, and (c) school environment relative to
American and Chinese cultural norms in relation to students’ motivation and
performance. He found that while Chinese students may be equally affected by
pubertal change and cognitive maturation, they experienced little change in school
organization or environment when they transition from elementary to middle school.
This was not the case among students in the United States. Midgley, Feldlaufer
and Eccles (1988), suggested that the organization of U.S. elementary and middle
schools is very different. For example, in the 1980’s, middle schools in the U.S.

21

decided to focus on three practices: interdisciplinary team teaching, flexible
scheduling, and advisory programs in an effort to address the needs of students who
transition to and from middle school (Feldlaufer & Eccles, 1988). The nature of this
transition from elementary to middle school has been identified as a factor that affects
students' motivation and performance in the United States.
Today’s youth in the United States seem to believe the notion of the “wonder
years.” The “wonder years” refers to an American cultural television phenomenon
from 1988 to 1993 that described the challenges that

sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students faced as they matured in middle school (Juvonen et al., 2004, p. 1). In this
case, the media brought to light the many daily challenges and changes that middle
school age youth must face in their lives.
According to The New York Times article, “Joel Klein's First Day of School”
(2002), “There is no denying that the sixth, seventh, and eighth graders present a
unique set of challenges to students and teachers, from emerging hormones to
widespread aggressiveness and regressing academic performances” (Juvonen et al.,
2004, p. 1). This article also referred to middle schools as “the Bermuda triangle of
public education” (Juvonen et al., (2004, p. 1), because middle school was a place
where students could become lost among the sea of many students.
This chapter will review the following topics: (a) the foundation of school
violence; (b) school climate in elementary schools and middle schools; (c) student
transition from elementary school to middle school; (d) student perceptions regarding
violence in elementary and middle schools; and (e) the gaps in the professional

22

literature in regard to these topics. Overall, the hope is to provide a foundation for
teachers and administrators to develop transition programs that will promote safer
schools.
Theoretical Framework for Violence in Middle Schools
The first issue to address when discussing violence is its definition. Furlong
and Morrison (2000) pointed out that ambiguity exists whenever researchers have
attempted to examine (a) developmental correlates of delinquent behavior (Resnick et
al. 1997), (b) crime on school campuses (Chandler, Chapman, Rand, & Taylor, 1998),
(c) victimization (Furlong, Chung, Bates, & Morrison 1995; Gottfredson &
Gottfredson,1985); or (d) school disciplinary practices (Baer, 1998). The increase in
awareness that children’s exposure to school violence may lead to immediate and
long-term negative effects. Therefore, researchers have been encouraged to define and
describe clearly selected types of school violence (Astor, Vargas, Pitner, & Meyer,
1999).
Current research on school violence often uses surveys to identify and explore
a broad scope of intentional or reckless behaviors; e.g., physical harm, psychological
harm, and property damage (Zeira, Astor &, Benbenishty, 2002). Different types of
school violence that occur vary in severity and frequency such as (a) bullying, verbal
threats and intimidation (Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Olweus, 1993); (b) a threat of or
possession of weapons (Pittel, 1998); (c) corporal punishment (Youssef, Attia, &
Kamel, 1998); and (d) fighting (Astor, Meyer, & Behre, 1999; Boulton, 1993; Schafer
& Smith, 1996).

23

Other more severe acts of violence may include the following: murder (Dwyer,
Osher, & Warger, 1998); gang violence (Kodluboy, 1997; Parks, 1995; Williams &
Van Dorn, 1999), hate crimes (Berrill, 1990); vandalism (Goldstein, 1996); dating
violence (Artz, 1998; Burcky, Reuterman, & Kopsky, 1988; Cano, Avery-Leaf,
Cascardi, & O'Leary, 1998; Molidor & Tolman, 1998) and sexual harassment (Fineran
& Bennett, 1998; Stein, 1995).
Furlong and Morrison (2000, p.71) concluded that school violence is a “multi-
dimensional construct” that encompasses the perpetration of violence, violence
victimization, antisocial behavior, criminal behavior, perceptions of fear, worry, and
discipline related to school climate. Researchers Furlong and Morrison (2000, p. 71),
have also pointed out the importance of distinguishing between "school violence" and
"violence in the schools."
School may be regarded as either a physical location for violence within the
community or a system that causes or exacerbates problems that individuals
experience within the situation. Thus, school violence can occur when students or
intruders bring onto school campuses violence stemming from situations outside of the
school setting (Furlong and Morrison, 2000), versus when violent acts are sparked at
school as a result of too much social power (Bernstein, 2002).
Recently, researchers Astor, Vargas, Pitner, and Meyer (1999) have identified
potentially harmful, long-term effects of school violence and have recommended that
researchers define school violence, along with certain types of school violence. As
previously mentioned, certain types of school violence vary in frequency and severity.

24

Acts that include bullying and verbal threats (Batsche & Knoff, 1994), corporal
punishment (Youssef, Attia, & Kamel, 1998), and (d) fighting (Boulton, 1993; Schafer
& Smith, 1996) must be clearly defined.
Educational researchers increasingly realize the political aspects of school
violence and of the public (and perhaps unfounded) perception that schools have
become somewhat dangerous, and that some schools provide the nation’s youth with a
substandard education (Dear et al., 1995). Researchers have affirmed that these
descriptions were inconsistent with various educators’ daily experiences at school and
these statements were interpreted as attacks on the school system itself (Dear et al.,
1995).
Regardless of politics or public perception, the literature suggests that serious
acts of school violence persist and that middle school students run the highest risk of
receiving less damaging physical violence, known as “low-level” violence (Juvonen,
et al., 2004; Demaray, & Malecki, 2003). Young (2002) reported that in 2001, 14% of
students in Grade 6 were bullied versus 2% of students in Grade 12. School violence
statistics confirm that middle school environments are less than optimal workplaces
for both students and teachers. Thus, school safety has been one of the main
challenges for the American middle school (Juvonen et al., 2004; Demaray, &
Malecki, 2003).
According to Nansel et al. (2001), almost one-third of children and teens in
America report that they have experienced bullying, either as a target or as a
perpetrator. Bullying is defined as a specific type of aggression in which the behavior

25

is intended to harm or disturb (Bernstein, 2002). The behavior may occur repeatedly
over time and there is an imbalance of power, which constitutes a more powerful
individual or group attacking a less powerful individual (Bernstein, 2002). The
behavior may be physical, including pushing and hitting, or verbal, such as name-
calling, spreading rumors, shunning, or ridiculing. This aggressive behavior may
adversely affect the victim and it may also have a negative effect on the bully (Nansel
et al., 2001; Bernstein, 2002).
Although the media often broadcast sensationalized stories of violence that
have occurred in middle schools and high schools, Brooks, Schiraldi, and Ziedenberg
(2000), Donohue, Schiraldi, and Ziedenberg (1998), and Kachur et al. (1996) found
infrequent acts of serious school violence among adolescents. They found that the
incidence of violence increased with student age, and varied by the community, as
well as by the type of school (Hellan & Beaton, 1986). Also, violent acts were more
prevalent in high schools than in middle schools and likewise, the incidence of
violence in middle schools was greater than acts occurring in elementary schools.
Changing societal norms have also resulted in an increase in school violence
(Devine, 1995), particularly in urban areas where violence commonly occurs
(Wolfgang & Ferracuti, 1967). Researchers have called for informing and discussing
school safety and have urged that school security become the central mission of
schools along with professional standards and evaluation criteria (Trump, 1997).

26

Prevalence of Middle School Violence
The average frequency of violent acts experienced by transitioning students at
their new middle school may be higher than at their previous school. According to
Dinkes, Cataldi, Kena & Baum (2006), the Indicators of School Crime and Safety:
2006 (NCES 2007) students ages 12-18 were victims of about 1.4 million nonfatal
crimes at school - 863,000 thefts and 583,000 violent crimes (simple assault and
serious violent crimes). Of the violent crimes, there were 107,000 serious violent
crimes, which included rape, sex assault, robbery, and aggravated assault). Some of
the indicators from the report documented that student safety had improved. This
suggests that a number of children and adolescents are exposed to a potentially
dangerous school climate in U. S. public schools.
Although profiling of potentially violent students is problematic (Cornell et al.
2004), forensic psychologists McGee and Debernardo (1999) have promoted the idea
that school shooters are awkward adolescents who have histories of social isolation
and victimization by bullies. One explanation for these terrible events after the
multiple school shootings in the late 1990s, was that these youth had been victimized
to the point of extreme violence (Furlong, Greif & Morrison, 2003). Later research
(Fein et al., 2002; O'Toole, 2000; Vossekuil, Fein, Reddy, Borum, & Modzeleski,
2002) has affirmed this limited relationship, but it has also reinforced the perception
that at least some school shooters were victims of bullying who acted to avenge long-
term peer abuse.

27

Although victimization by bullying cannot be used to accurately predict school
shootings (Reddy et al., 2001), one potentially positive response to the recognition of
this phenomenon is that it changed student perceptions of bullying as a somewhat
innocent rite of youth passage. Bullying is now seen as one set of behaviors that might
have deadly consequences (Furlong, Greif & Morrison, 2003).
Research studies have shown that the majority of students in middle schools
were aware of beating threats, often administered to a student celebrating a birthday.
This threatening behavior falls into the category of “bullying” behaviors, which has
become the most common form of violence among middle schools students (Demaray
& Malecki, 2003). Gottfredson et al. (2000) reported that as many as 20% of middle
school students had been threatened with a beating. Another form of bullying includes
teasing at school, which has become a major problem and may occur frequently, as a
result of imbalances in social power (Bernstein, 2002).
Research from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
(Carolina Population Center, 1997) found that more than 9% of male students in
Grade 8 and approximately 6% of students in Grade 7 had taken a weapon to school
during the previous 30 days. These results could be related to the “wonder years”
phenomenon, which refers to the challenges that sixth, seventh and eighth grade
students face difficult situations in middle school (Juvonen et al., 2004, p. 1). In-depth
studies of students in Grades 9–12 found feelings of vulnerability occurred because
students did not look after one another (Bernstein, 2002). The resulting social

28

alienation increased the risk of bringing a weapon from home onto school property
(Bernstein, 2002).
Kingery, Coggeshall, and Alford (1998) affirmed the need for collecting data
from students in primary schools regarding school violence because it would be
worthwhile having a comprehensive database of research on incidents of school
violence for all grade levels. Perhaps, the following question could be answered: If
school violence spreads, infiltrates and thrives in elementary school settings, then, will
school violence be more likely to occur in middle schools? Effects of high school
violence have already influenced student perception of middle schools. The subject of
school violence and school safety warrants further investigation (Hoffman, 1996), at
multiple grade and age levels.
Impact of Violence on Middle School Students
According to Furlong and Morrison (2000), one important approach that may
reveal the impact of violence on a school campus is asking students to describe their
level of worry or concern about their personal safety. Students also must be questioned
about whether or not they engage in behaviors to limit their exposure to these
perceived dangers. This study targeted such topics, in order to further explore the
possible impact of violence at school, as it affected students’ perceptions and
behavioral patterns.
Gottfredson and Gottfredson (1985), and Patterson, DeBaryshe, and Ramsey
(1989) investigated the development of antisocial behavior in children as well as its
effects. As a result of the increasing incidence of violence-related injuries and

29

homicides among adolescents, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, the California
Department of Education (1989), Callahan, Rivera, and Farrow (1993), Hausman,
Spivak, and Prothrow-Stith (1995), and Rivera (1995), public health researchers,
sought to decrease physical injuries, particularly.
Students who are victims of violent acts at school can develop troubled
relationships with classmates and experience loneliness, as well as anxiety and
depression (Bernstein, 2002). School violence may even inhibit student development
and learning, as well as be harmful to the school's climate (Furlong and Morrison,
2000). As a result of emerging fears, some children and adolescent victims may suffer
from psychosomatic complaints, such as recurring headaches and stomachaches. As
previously cited, this causes victims to miss school because the physical ailments
provide an excuse to stay at home, away from the bullies (Bernstein, 2002).
Some victims often have low self-esteem because they feel powerless
(Bernstein, 2002) and some victims can even benefit from counseling as a result of
their emotional suffering (Bernstein, 2002). If they do not get counseling that would
teach them how to deal effectively with bullies, they may develop a “victim mentality”
throughout their lives (Bernstein, 2002, p. 32).
Victims can become passive in relationships as a result and as adults, may
easily be controlled by others. They may not solve problems effectively, and may
begin to blame life's problems on others (Ross, 1996). This in turn may lead to
additional victimization or future acts of aggression such as: substance abuse, stealing,
date rape, failing grades – academic failure and delinquency during adolescence or

30

young adulthood (Bernstein, 2002). It is unknown, however, how the knowledge and
potential fear of real threats of violence affects transition into middle school or how
sixth grade students cope with these academic, social, and psychological influences
during their first year in middle school.
Theoretical Framework of School Climate and Violence in Elementary
and Middle Schools
According to Cushin, Horne, and Barrie (2003), Anderson (1982) and Hoy and
Hannum (1997), school climate lacks a universal definition. The idea of school
climate per se originated in organizations and businesses, as well as in school
improvement and effectiveness research. Most definitions of school climate include
multiple aspects of the environment that affect learning and discipline (Hyman &
Snook, 2000). The definition advanced by Ben-Avie, Emmons, and Haynes (1997),
includes the quality and consistency of interpersonal interactions within the school
community that influence children's cognitive, social, and psychological development.
After a comprehensive literature review of school climate, Anderson (1982)
identified four key points that describe school climate: (a) schools have unique
climates; (b) differences among schools are complex and influenced by unique,
specific characteristics such as student populations; (c) school climate affects student
outcomes in academic performance, behavior, values, and school satisfaction; and (d)
further research on school climate will help us understand student behavior. Within the
context of school climate, student behavior is perceived as part of the specific school’s

31

social processes that include norms, expectations, evaluations, and relationships
(Anderson, 1982; Hoy & Hannum, 1997).
Researchers have argued that the scientific way to assess school climate is to
develop a questionnaire that is answered anonymously by students, staff,
administrators, and even parents, which in turn will encourage effective changes in
school climate (Hyman & Snook, 2001). Brophy (1998) and Hyman and Snook (2001)
concluded that students who attend schools with positive climates more often enjoy
school, exhibit positive demeanors, and increase their self-esteem.
Hyman and Snook (2001) also concluded that positive school climates promote
academic achievement and suppress student violence. In fact, school climate may
influence the development of academic, social, and emotional growth among students.
Lipsitz and West (2006) also asserted that high-performing schools are places where
adults and children live, grow and learn well. These schools promote a positive school
climate which in turn creates a sense of purpose about children's intellectual, ethical,
social, and physical development.
School Climate and Middle School Violence
Generally, U. S. public schools remain relatively safe environments for
teachers, staff members, and students (Buell, 2001; Furlong & Morrison, 1994, 2000;
Garbarino, 1992). In some communities where accepted norms and behaviors result in
violence, certain negative forces including too much social power among youth
(Bernstein, 2002) have succeeded in controlling school climates (Devine, 1995).
Specifically, in urban neighborhoods within which, subculture norms and values

32

thrive, the use of violence as a means for solving conflicts occurs regularly (Devine,
1995; Wolfgang & Ferracuti, 1967). Current data previously cited shows that crime
victimization is typically found to be higher in urban than suburban and rural locations
(Rennison, 1999).
One key component of school climate is relationships among students. This
factor is defined according to the social rules that govern the prompting, rewarding,
punishing, or eliminating unacceptable student behavior (Cushing, 2000). This
defining process can be used as the standard for comparing student social climates
among schools. Disaggregating data from student responses, as well as identifying
emerging peer student patterns could provide a blueprint of the types and frequencies
of problem behaviors, as well as identify peer-delivered consequences that exist within
each school (Cushing & Barrie, 2000).
After conducting an in-depth study of 10 public schools in the United States,
Ben-Avie, Emmons, and Haynes (1997), and Pink (1982) found that school climate
affected student behavior, which sometimes led to acts of violence. They reported the
following findings: (a) school climate was significantly related to student behavior; (b)
schools with positive student behavior and safer school climates were headed by a
strong principal who was a committed leader and available to students; (c) school rules
were clear, fair, and consistently enforced; (d) students expressed pride in their
schools; (e) communities supported schools; and (g) a strong academic programs
existed to ensure that students were successful.

33

Current research also suggests that school environments, especially student-
teacher ratios, influence the incidence of crimes occurring in middle schools
(Demaray, & Malecki, 2003; Hellan & Beaton,1986). Of course, schools cannot
eliminate negative community influences entirely, but they can identify potentially
dangerous school climates. Cushing (2000) affirmed that schools can create and
maintain a strong wall of protection between themselves and community influences.
In many communities, incidents of violence occur regularly in some middle
schools. The norms in certain middle schools include relatively low-level aggression
and antisocial behaviors such as teasing, fighting, name calling, ridiculing,
threatening, and other forms of intimidation and harassment (Heaviside, Rowand,
Williams, & Farris, 1998; Bernstein, 2002). Teachers in these schools limit their work
to completing teaching responsibilities and withdraw responsibility for the actions and
events that occur outside their classrooms (Devine, 1995). By default, the school’s
security staff oversees student conduct, copes with student misbehavior, and resolves
student conflicts. Devine (1995) concluded that the culture of violence has invaded
classrooms and that teachers have declined responsibility for coping with student
misbehavior.
Theoretical Framework for Transitioning From Elementary to Middle Schools
Many changes occur throughout a middle school student’s development
(Bernstein, 2002). Changes occur within a school context and during transitioning
from elementary school to middle school and from junior high school to high school.
The transition for students aged 12–14 years, however, has not received extensive

34

investigation. Researchers Astor, Benbenishty and Zeira (2003), proposed that school
climate and peer group, as well as the student’s age and gender interact with the
school’s environment - based on the school’s size, physical structure, staff, and
policies (Eccles & Midgley, 1989; Eccles, Midgley, & Wigfield, 1993). The
combination of these factors may work to influence a student's behavior and
perceptions of the school environment.
Developmental versus Contextual Shift
There is also the question of a developmental and contextual shift which seems
analogous in many aspects to the transition that children aged 5–7 years undergo.
Sameroff and McDonough (1994) suggested that this 5-7 years transition was a
prerequisite to better assist children in a successful transition into elementary school.
Ongoing debates continue regarding the extent to which social development
and school context contribute to a child’s cognitive development. According to
Sameroff and McDonough (1994), many psychologists and social scientists agree that
a child's relationships are powerful factors that shape behavior, and influence the
social-emotional domain. It has been argued that if a child’s development is a function
of participation in cultural activities, schools must be reconstructed as a social
experience that extends beyond instruction in core subjects (e.g., reading, writing, and
arithmetic). Activities at school may influence not only what children learn, but how
children view themselves as students and individuals (Sameroff & McDonough,
1994).

35

Developmental Transitions versus Environmental-Contextual Transitions

Some researchers have concluded that there is a conceptual disconnect
between the developmental stage and the environment-context regarding the middle
school transition. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1989) identified
the perils faced by adolescents in middle schools. The Council concluded that the
middle grades—junior high schools, intermediate schools, or middle schools—may
constitute the most powerful force to recapture millions of youth adrift in today’s
society. This report noted the failure to unite the goals of the educational institution
with the curricula of middle grade schools and the failure to address intellectual,
emotional, and interpersonal needs of adolescents (The Carnegie Council on
Adolescent Development,1989).
The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development (1989) identified five
general goals for educating adolescents successfully. These constituted wholesome
pupil behavior, an idea proposed a half-century ago by Gruhn and Douglass (1956).
The report also identified specific characteristics of a model 15-year-old student
graduating from middle school. The student would be: (a) intellectually reflective, (b)
ready to pursue a lifetime of work, (c) a good citizen, (d) caring and ethical, and (e)
physically healthy. The council also offered a number of recommendations for
improving the quality of education in middle grades.
It was proposed by the Council that policy makers separate large middle
schools into smaller communities of students and teach a core of common knowledge
to all students. First, the system as a whole must ensure the inclusion and success of

36

all students. Second, teachers and administrators must be empowered to become more
effective. Third, the use of health and fitness programs could be implemented to
promote academic performance in a holistic form. Fourth, families could be
encouraged to participate in the education of their adolescents. Finally, school-
community partnerships could further promote the success of adolescent education
(The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development,1989).
Many of these recommendations corresponded to measures of school reform
initiated during the 1950s. Gruhn and Douglass (1956), however, had previously
proposed that educational opportunities vary based upon a student's background,
interests, and aptitude (Brough, 1995). Overall, the Carnegie council endorsed the
instruction of a core of common knowledge to promote the successful education of all
adolescents.
Research on Transitioning from Elementary School to Middle School
Generally, middle school is viewed as a transitional period, which focuses on
the developmental needs of students, as they move from the primary to the secondary
school context. Some students complete the transition from elementary to middle
school more easily than other students. There are those who encounter a myriad of
academic, social, and emotional setbacks (Bernstein, 2002).
Most studies of school violence, school transition, and student perceptions
have focused on transitioning from middle school to high school. Specifically,
researchers have examined drop-out rates, student delinquency, the extent of violence,
and overall academic performance. Seidman, Allen, Aber, Mitchell, and Feinman

37

(1994) hypothesized that students face double jeopardy by transitioning from
elementary school to middle school and again transitioning from middle school to high
school. They suggested that the number of school-to-school transitions may affect
dropout rates in high school (Seidman, Allen, Aber, Mitchell, & Feinman,1994).
At this time, one must consider that 10- to 14-year-olds are experiencing
physical, emotional and intellectual changes at a rapid rate, which require flexible
learning modalities that maintain a balance between structure and choice (Bernstein,
2002). Students must also maintain good relationships with parents and teachers in
order to promote good communication and involvement (Ecker, 2002), as they survive
the middle school experience.
Transition to a middle school environment must be inclusive, welcoming, and
supportive. This may have a positive effect on, but may not predict changes in the
academic achievement of low socioeconomic African American youth. These
environmental factors alone may not be sufficient to support students' achievement
during the middle school transition (Ecker, 2000). Gutman and Midgley (2000)
studied the achievement of poor African American youth and suggested the
combination of both family and school involvement may make the greatest difference
in the achievement as they transition from elementary to middle school.
According to the researcher, many parents and fifth graders who visited the
middle school in this study have noted feeling anxious before and after the three hour
visit to the middle school site. Specifically, fifth graders and their parents have noted
that they felt somewhat unsatisfied and confused with the new information presented

38

during the transition visit. This new information about the middle school included
school safety, school improvement, registration, block scheduling, school rules and a
range of other questions related to transitioning to middle school.
Bernstein (2002) recognized the need to educate parents about their child’s
adjustment from elementary to middle school. At the age of 11, students begin sixth
grade, which was traditionally in elementary school but now many children attend

sixth grade at a middle school. They enter full of apprehension, and face many
changes in their daily lives within the school context. Once students are in middle
school, the strongest force against peer pressure can come from the parents, who need
to have continuous discussions with their children about the change and pressure they
are experiencing and how they can manage it (Bernstein, 2002).
Research on Students’ Self-Perceptions and Transition to Middle School
Newman and Schwager (1992) found that student beliefs, interpretations, and
their perceptions of school can affect personal achievement; that is, how students view
themselves in the context of the classroom. These perceptions were associated with
student interest, persistence, task engagement, and task performance.
Researchers have noted declines in student self-perception and self-esteem as
students transition from elementary to intermediate-level (middle) schools (Seidman,
Allen, Abet, Mitchell, & Feinman, 1994; Wigfield, Eccles, Mac Iver, Reuman, &
Midgley, 1991). It is noteworthy that Seidman, Allen, Abet, Mitchell and Feinman
(1994), also found the decline in self-perception to be independent of age, grade level,
and ability level. Few researchers have investigated the perceptions of students in

39

Grade 5 as it relates to transitioning into middle school, and there seems to be no
research that specifically examines fear of violence while transitioning from
elementary school to middle school.
Liu (2003) realized the need to investigate motivation and academic
achievement. Alspaugh (1998) and Midgley, Anderman, and Hicks (1995), also noted
that the goals in elementary schools were more task-oriented, but the goals of middle
schools were focused more on performance. Feldlaufer, Midgley, and Eccles (1988)
pointed out that middle school teachers instruct students for shorter time periods,
which alters the student-teacher dynamics that formerly existed in elementary school
(Bernstein, 2002).
This new student-teacher relationship constitutes a change from small-group
and individual instruction provided in elementary schools to whole-class instruction in
middle schools. Seidman, Allen, Abet, Mitchell, and Feinman (1994) found declines
in student self-perception and self-esteem, which could be attributed to transitioning
from elementary schools to intermediate schools. These researchers also found that the
decline in self-perception lacked any significant relationship to age, grade, or student
ability (Seidman, Allen, Abet, Mitchell, & Feinman, 1994).
According to Alspaugh and Harting (1995), there is sufficient data to link a
decline in student achievement with the transition from self-contained classrooms in
elementary schools to the structure of middle schools. This loss in achievement
occurred for reading, mathematics, science, and social studies among students
transitioning in Grades 5–8 (Alspaugh & Harting,1995). What is most alarming is that

40

student performance did not recover for many students during the year following
transition. It was not determined whether the type of school organization or the
number of students in a particular school was related to the decline.
Alexander and George (1981) proposed a new philosophy of how middle
schools should work. They suggested that the concept of a bridging or transitional
school was not enough. Middle school age children have their unique needs and
characteristics, which cannot be explained by either the impact of the elementary or to
the impending demands of high school. They argued that an effective middle school
must seek to build upon the earlier childhood education, while preparing for secondary
education. The middle school must also be directly concerned with problems and
interests of its ten to fourteen year old students. Finally, it should not be seen as a
middle education institution preparing for higher education but should rather be
treated as a dynamic force that seeks to promote education (Alexander & George,
1981).
Summary
Studies investigating student perceptions of school violence and of school
transition have usually sought to identify school violence in high schools and the
prevalence of school violence among students in high schools and, less frequently, in
middle schools. Researchers (e.g., Seidman, Allen, Aber, Mitchell, & Feinman, 1994)
have also identified the potential for school violence related to transitioning from
elementary schools to middle schools and related to transitioning from middle schools
to high schools.

41

Research on cognitive, social, emotional factors and developmental changes in
the school environment has been linked to transitioning from elementary school to
middle school (Chandler, Nolin, & Davies, 1995). What has yet to be explored is the
presence (or absence) of students’ apprehensions about their safety as they face going
to a new school, which is the focus of this study. The study also investigated the origin
of the students’ fear and how students manage their fear once sixth grade begins.
Theoretical Framework of Students’ Perceptions of Violence in Elementary and
Middle School Context
Students start out at the age of eleven or twelve, in sixth grade, which used to
be in an elementary school setting (Bernstein, 2002). These students enter sixth grade
full of apprehension, encountering enormous change in their daily school lives and
they must face a new and unknown school climate at their new middle school
(Bernstein, 2002). At this point, sixth grade students begin to develop perceptions of
how safe their school grounds are based on observations, experiences and a host of
other variables.
Researchers studying students' classroom behaviors have focused increasingly
on the influence of students' thoughts, beliefs and feelings about themselves, other
persons and events. According to Pintrich, Cross, Kozma, & McKeachie (1986), this
focus on student perceptions assumes that students are active information processors
who affect classroom events, as much as they are affected by the actual events. This
study investigated the notion that fifth grade students’ perceptions of fear and feelings

42

of apprehension may be as powerful as their actual experiences with school violence
as they transition to middle school.
Stephens (1998) argued that an increasing number of students perceive their
school environment as being unsafe. Students and teachers are equally horrified by
what appears to be a proliferation of violent crimes committed against them or those
they know (Boyce, 2000). Recently, tens of thousands of students in Los Angeles
public schools were absent on May 5, 2005, having heard rumors of impending gang
violence (Rubin and Shields, 2005).
In the article titled, “Attendance plummets at city schools” Rubin and Shields
(2005) reported in the Los Angeles Times that principals and teachers at many
campuses in the Los Angeles Unified School District were relieved to find the school
day progress without any major incidents. However, an increased number of absences
would have cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars in state funding.
‘I'm devastated that a rumor can cause such fear,’ said Randy Cornfield,
assistant principal at Hamilton High School. ‘I was telling parents it would be
safer to have their kids in school than out on the street or at the mall.’
According to Benbenishty, Astor, Zeira, and Vinokur (2002), “many students
and staff regularly witness and experience incidents of non-lethal violence in schools.”
(p.71). Violence in this context may include threats, verbal abuse, fights, bullying or
sexual harassment. Earlier and more intensive investigation of non-lethal or low-level
violence may constitute the first step toward decreasing violence and its effects on
victims and perpetrators (Goldstein,1999).

43

Social workers have examined research findings about short-term and
long-term effects of school violence involving victims and their perpetrators (Astor,
Pitner, & Duncan, 1996). More pressing however, is the need to examine student
perceptions, apprehensions and potential fear of violence. There is a need to
investigate the frequency of violence, and the severity of violent incidents so as to see
the relationship between perceived violence and actual school violence.
The results of a large-scale study conducted in Israel suggested that students
who report their perceptions of school violence may reveal how safe students feel in
their schools. The international researchers also proposed that students' concerns about
safety could affect many aspects of their educational process. This may include the
following: school attendance rates, academic performance, and the development of
close relationships at school (Astor, Benbishty & Zeira, 2003).
According to Astor, Benbishty and Zeira (2003) in Israel, one-third of the
elementary and middle school students, and one-quarter of the Arab and Jewish
students in high school surveyed, reported that “violence is a big or a very big
problem” at their school. This large-scale research effort was gathered from a social
work perspective in the hopes of better understanding the social-ecological dynamics
of school violence in different cultural settings in Israeli society.
Much like the earlier findings of Furlong and Morrison (2000), Astor,
Benbenishty and Zeira (2003) believed that students' reports of violent acts may allow
researchers to identify factors that contribute to unsafe school environments (Elliott,

44

Hamburg, & Williams, 1998). Astor, Benbenishty and Zeira (2003) also stressed the
importance of having social workers at schools to listen to students’ concerns and
address their perceptions of a problem, despite the fact that most students report low-
level forms of school violence. The hope is to improve educational team responses,
along with policy and intervention levels for all forms of school violence as a way to
promote safer schools.
Research on Student Perceptions of Violence in Elementary and
Middle School Contexts
There is little research on transitioning students from Grade 5 who move to
Grade 6, with regards to their perceptions of school violence in elementary schools or
in middle schools. However, researchers such as, Kitsantas, Ware & Martinez-Arias
(2004), have studied perceptions about school safety, community safety, school
environment, substance abuse, and school safety among students in Grades 6–8. They
reported that actions taken by schools were identified as the weakest predictor of
school safety and substance abuse (Kitsantas, Ware & Martinez-Arias, 2004).
Student perceptions of school safety and substance abuse appear to be related
to their neighborhood, community safety, and school climate (Kitsantas, Ware &
Martinez-Arias, 2004). It was found that adolescents often viewed school safety
relative to their perceptions of safety within communities, which provides support for
the notion that changes in community experiences may affect their well-being (Elliott,
Hamburg, & Williams, 1998).

45

Researchers also found that students who observed, or were exposed to risky
and dangerous behaviors at school experienced a sense of fear, as they believed that
violence was a problem at their school (Olweus, 1993; Astor, 1998; Benbenishty,
Astor, Vinokur & Zeira, 2002). Benbenishty and Astor (2005) described the specifics
thus:
Students who see peers bringing guns to school, drinking and using
drugs on school grounds, fighting repeatedly, and harassing other
students may feel threatened and conclude that the school has a major
violence problem (p.97).
Hartup (1978) investigated the influence of friends, but it remains unknown how or
whether this influence affected classroom performance. Similarly, Berndt and Keefe
(1992) reported that junior high school students thought that their parents influenced
them more than friends did.
Astor, Benbenishty, Vinokur and Zeira (2002), proposed that students’ fear of
school violence and judgments about the prevalence and severity of the violence may
appear to be similar "subjective" assessments. Benbenishty and Astor (2005) noted
that factors which contribute to a physically safe and secure school environment (e.g.
the installation of video cameras and metal detectors, and the presence of security
guards at school), could actually detract from students’ judgment of their school as a
safe environment. They distinguished “the school-based variables contributing to
feeling safe” from “those contributing to judgments about the schools’ violence
problem.” (Benbenishty & Astor, 2005, p.95).

46

However, the issues must be separated in that avoiding school because of a
fear of violence may result primarily from an emotional and personal domain. In
addition, students’ fear of school violence and their avoidance of school may directly
affect their psychological well-being (Bernstein, 2002). Victims who missed more
school because the physical ailments gave them an excuse to stay home, away from
the bullies often developed a “victim mentality” that made them powerless (Bernstein,
2002).
When these students missed school, there appeared to be a negative effect on
their academic involvement and achievement (Mcevoy & Welker, 2000). Furthermore,
there appears to be a strong correlation between antisocial behavior and academic
failure among students (Mcevoy & Welker, 2000). Researchers have also argued that
students’ beliefs and judgments of their school’s overall violence problem may arise
from a cognitive-information process. As a result of this cognitive-information
process, students may be reluctant to identify with their school (Astor, Benbenishty,
Vinokur & Zeira, 2002).
Results from a Pilot Study on Students’ Perceptions
In November 2005, the researcher conducted a pilot study to determine student
perceptions of school violence in an award winning school in the Paradise Unified
School District. Ten students who transitioned from Grade 5 to Grade 6 completed a
questionnaire related to perceptions of school violence. Survey items addressed
student perceptions regarding school violence in their current elementary school and

47

perceptions related to school violence in their designated middle school. Seven of ten
students surveyed postponed expressing any perception toward school violence at their
new middle school. Some students had already seen their middle school during a
transition visit or as a result of attending middle school activities with their older
siblings and friends.
In subsequent discussions regarding Grade 5 students who transitioned, parents
expressed concern about the potential for school violence in the middle school since,
all parents worry as they watch their children go through the difficult adjustment to
middle school (Bernstein, 2002). Thus, parental concerns may affect student
perceptions related to potential threats of school violence.
Gaps in the Literature
Educators have progressed slowly in investigating specific influences that
affect school violence (Haynes, 1996). Public health officials and juvenile justice
workers have documented incidences of school violence (Kingery, Coggeshall, &
Alford, 1998). Educators and public school officials, however, have acted defensively,
relying on quick fixes to thwart school violence such as using metal detectors in
schools to prevent students from carrying weapons to class while trying to maintain a
focus on instructional goals (Stephens, 1998).
The reluctance of educators to confront school violence directly is
understandable. The term violence evokes images of crimes and justice-involved
punishments (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). As a result, violent incidents at school
could become the responsibility of the juvenile justice system. Educators may then

48

feel that their attention should remain focused on education, a field perceived to
present enough challenges.
What is certain is that researchers have identified patterns of an individual's
involvement in incidents of school violence (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). These
patterns should be useful in helping school officials to be careful in their observations,
decision-making in provision of prevention programs for individual students groups
and situations (Furlong & Morrison, 2000). Much more research on the correlation
between violent and aggressive behavior on school campuses is necessary, in order to
implement school reform, as well as successful intervention programs (Furlong &
Morrison, 2000).
Closing the Gaps in the Literature
The researcher has utilized inductive reasoning as a data collection technique
in the literature review to explore the current research on school violence in the
contexts of elementary and middle schools. The researcher has also reviewed the
research in relation to fifth grade (elementary) students transitioning to sixth grade
(middle school). In the research findings, it was interesting to note that this sudden but
inevitable change (from elementary to middle) in a school’s physical surroundings
may create a perception of fear, uncertainty and uneasiness in a transitioning student
(Juvonen, Vi-Nhuan, Kaganoff, Augustine, & Constant, 2004). However, little is
known of the actual fear or the apprehension that students experience, as a result of
their beliefs and perceptions of how violent their new school will be.

49

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate students’
apprehensions about, versus actual experiences of, violence before and after their
transition from Grade 5 into Grade 6 in a middle school. This study attempted to
explore how fifth grade students try to reconcile their fears and how they evaluate
whether it was as bad as they had perceived after they began school as new sixth

graders. Of particular interest was the identification of possible sources for these
apprehensions, the experiences, as described by the students, and the strategies used to
cope with their feelings of fear.
In order to investigate school violence in elementary schools and middle
schools, particularly related to transitioning from elementary school to middle school,
key research questions formed the foundation of this study. Therefore, the researcher
conducted a study that answered the following research questions:
1. To what extent do exiting fifth grade students feel apprehensive about
violence at their new middle school as they transition to that school?
2. Once they are sixth grade students, to what extent does their
experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions they had as
transitioning fifth graders?
The results of this study may also seek to better assist teachers and
administrators in creating improved transitional programs to assist future fifth graders
to transition smoothly and successfully into sixth grade – middle school.
The next chapter, Chapter Three will describe the design, sample instrumentation, data
collection and data analysis process of the current study.

50

CHAPTER THREE
Methodology

Introduction
This qualitative case study explored the extent to which fifth graders
experience fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and the degree to which
this fear is related to school violence. This study attempted to address the school
violence that current sixth grade students may have experienced or observed in
elementary school and the transition to the middle school system in the Paradise
Unified School District. Of specific interest was: (a) the degree of fear these
apprehensions created, (b) their source, and (c) how students dealt with them. The
overarching goal of this study was to explore the particular student characteristics, fear
and reservations about potential school violence in their new middle school.
In order to investigate school violence in elementary schools and middle
schools, particularly related to transitioning from elementary school to middle school,
key research questions formed the foundation of this study. Therefore, the researcher
proposed a study that will answer the following research questions:
1. To what extent do exiting fifth grade students feel apprehensive about
violence at their new middle school as they transition to that school?
2. Once they are sixth grade students, to what extent does their
experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions they had as
transitioning fifth graders?

51

This chapter clarified the qualitative, descriptive-analytic case study research
methods that were used to analyze Grade 5 and Grade 6 students who prepare to or
have already transitioned from an elementary to a middle school setting. Information
gathered from question and answer sessions held in focus groups and interviews, as
well as observations were used to collect data.
These instruments were created expressly for this study, in order to identify
the fear and trepidation that fifth grade students may experience as they enter sixth
grade. The case-study method was utilized in order to provide insight into the
phenomena studied, along with research based practices and site implementation,
which may describe emerging relational patterns (Gall, Borg & Borg, 1996).
Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research
As expressed previously, qualitative and quantitative research answer different
types of research questions (Gay & Airasian, 2000). According to Solutes (1990),
qualitative research may encompass interpersonal, social and cultural contexts of
education more in-depth than quantitative research approaches. With qualitative
methodologies, the researcher's viewpoint influences the research and in turn, is able
to provide a richer and more holistic description than in a quantitative research study.
Hyman and Snook (2000) asserted that change in school culture requires at
least three to four years of effort, which must begin with a thorough assessment of
school climate. According to Furlong and Morrison (2000), one key factor that may
reveal the impact of violence on a school campus is to ask students to describe their
level of worry or concern about their personal safety. Also, students must be

52

questioned about whether or not they engage in behaviors to limit their exposure to
these perceived dangers.
This study attempted to discuss such topics with fifth and sixth grade students
in focus group settings. Focus groups were chosen as a qualitative research method
because they: (a) result in large amounts of data in a short amount of time, (b) give
rise synergistically to insights that may not occur in individual interviews (Brown,
Collins, & Duguid, 1989), and (c) "add depth, detail, and meaning at a very personal
level of experience" (Patton, 1990, p.18). The goal was to further explore the possible
impact of violence at school, which may affect students’ perceptions, beliefs,
apprehensions and various coping mechanisms utilized and as it relates to the nature of
human behavior and its mental dimension (Hara, 1995). Thus, a qualitative approach
may be the starting point for such a study.
Sites
Respondents in this qualitative study participated in student focus groups, as
well as individual adult staff interviews. These interviews took place in June 2007.
The sites for this study were culturally diverse - urban Title I California public
elementary and middle schools.
Title I is a federally funded educational program, which provides monies to
public school districts based on the number of low-income students it serves (Polk
County Public Schools, 2006). Each school must develop an individual School
Improvement Plan with goals and strategies designed to meet the needs of the students
at the particular school. The fundamental goal of a Title I program is to include

53

effective instruction, professional development, as well as parent involvement (Polk
County Public Schools, 2006). The results of this study added to the database of
research on the Title I program to further support its fundamental goal, as the
researcher investigated students’ apprehensions about versus actual experiences of
violence before and after their transition from a Grade 5 Title I elementary to Grade 6
in a Title I middle school.
Middle School Site

Paradise Middle School is one of five middle schools in the Paradise Unified
School District. Built in 1958, this school is located on West Drive near Oak Avenue
and Main Street adjacent to downtown Santa Ana. More than 950 students in Grades
6–8 attended Paradise Middle School during the 2004–2005 school year. The district
follows a traditional 180-school-day schedule from September–June. The district
enrolls a diverse student population, and offers students opportunities for cooperative
and collaborative instructional activities. Figure 1 presents the ethnic and racial
composition of the Paradise Unified School District.

54

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Hispanic 74
White 10
Asian 9
Black 2
Filipino 2
Percent

Figure 1. Ethnic and racial composition of the Paradise Unified School District.
Sample
The sample included two randomly chosen student groups of similar ages
and gender, but differed by race, language fluency, and socioeconomic status in terms
of who attended the two Title I elementary schools and middle school in Orange
County. The goal was to recruit enough participants to get a full range of opinion, but
not so many as to discourage participation (Goldenkoff, 2004).
Focus groups were conducted in two Title I elementary schools, using one
focus group each of boys/girls in 5th grade with a total of four focus groups, each with
five to eight students, with 20-32 students in all. Also, one feeder middle school
participated in focus groups containing equal numbers of boys/girls with a total of 20-
32 students were interviewed. Interviews were conducted with four 5th grade teachers,

55

one administrator from each of the two elementary schools, as well as one
administrator from the feeder middle school in the Paradise Unified School District in
Orange County, California.
The interview questions explored the teachers’ perceptions regarding the issues
for 5th graders transitioning and what they think the elementary school could do to
assist with the successful transition. The researcher followed these with one hour
interviews with the middle school Principal and a teacher regarding their sense of the
issues among new 6th graders and what role the elementary schools could undertake to
assist the middle school in ensuring a successful transition.
Access and Sample Selection
In April 2007, the researcher obtained a permission to conduct the study in
the Paradise Unified School District, from the Superintendent of Schools. As per his
approval, the researcher contacted the participants requesting an interview from each
randomly selected teacher, as well as randomly selected students who will form the
respective focus groups. The focus group participants did not have to be randomly
selected because results from a focus group were not meant to be generalized to a
larger population. According to Goldenkoff (2004), "The key to focus groups is
participant chemistry." The researcher encouraged participation and openness, and
selected participants with common concerns or backgrounds who did not always know
each other (Goldenkoff, 2004). The interviews and focus groups began in June of
2007 and was a two week long endeavor.

56

Focus groups were conducted in two Title I elementary schools, using one
focus group each of boys/girls in 5th grade with a total of four focus groups, each with
five to eight students, with 20-32 students in all. Also, one feeder middle school
participated in focus groups containing equal numbers of boys/girls with a total of 20-
32 students were interviewed. The sample included students of similar ages, gender,
race, language fluency, and socioeconomic status.
Interviews were conducted with four 5th grade teachers, one administrator
from each of the two elementary schools, as well as one administrator from the feeder
middle school in the Paradise Unified School District in Orange County, California.
The interviews with the middle school Principal and a teacher considered what issues
may arise among new sixth graders and what role the elementary schools could take to
assist the middle school with to ensure a successful transition.
Participant (student) selections were assisted by elementary and middle school
principals. Sixth grade student participants were chosen based on their past attendance
as former fifth grade students who attended the two chosen elementary schools in the
study.
After meeting with the elementary and middle school principals to discuss the
importance of the study, the researcher forwarded a follow-up letter and a permission
letter for all parents of student participants (minors) to sign. The letter included
directions on how the focus groups would be conducted. The cover letter was intended
to encourage the elementary and middle school principals to the study and to assure
the confidentiality of student discussions and responses. The cover letter to

57

administrators and participants indicated approval of the study by the Institutional
Review Board of the University of Southern California.
Student participants were furnished with assent forms to sign in order to
participate in the study. Assent forms for students were crafted to contain
straightforward language and descriptions of the research. The assent form was written
to account for 5th and 6th grade students' reading abilities. Subjects were instructed to
ask their teacher coordinators at each school site or the researcher any questions they
have regarding the nature of their involvement in the study.
Similarly, the teacher participant selection was assisted by the elementary and
middle school principals. Teacher participants were chosen based on their teaching
experience with fifth and sixth grade students, as well as their past experiences with
the transition process from fifth grade to sixth grade - middle school. After meeting
with the elementary and middle school principals to discuss the importance of the
study, the researcher forwarded a follow-up letter and permission letters for all
teachers to sign with directions on how the interviews would be conducted.
Each interviewee was given a copy of the interview questions prior to the
interview. As required by the USC Institution Review Board, a letter of consent to
participate will be signed by parents or guardians of minor participants, as well as
adult participants and a copy of this consent will be given to each participant. Since
the sample size was small, it was not representative of the district population, nor was
it intentional (Patton, 1990).

58

Interviews and Focus Groups
A focus group consists of a small number of relatively similar individuals who
provide information during a directed and moderated interactive group discussion
(Popham, 1993). In this study, focus group participants were chosen based on their
ability to provide specialized knowledge or insight into the issue under study.
Interview and focus group questions included categories addressing specific items
related to (a) age, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity, (d) size of the student, (e) size of the
school, (f) size of the classroom, (g) the incidence of school violence, (h) class
scheduling, (i) school location, (j) teacher-staff, (k) teacher-student relationships, (l)
peer-student relationships, (m) student apprehensions, and (n) student expectations of
school violence.
The questions posed were drawn from the literature, gaps in the literature, the
researcher’s anecdotal notes, as well as the need to answer the two specific research
questions that drive this study. The goal was to investigate the extent to which exiting
fifth grade students feel apprehensive about violence at their new middle school as
they transition to that school. Then, once they are sixth grade students, does their
experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions they have as
transitioning fifth graders?
In order to understand the participant’s perspective, the researcher used an
“interview guide approach” (Patton, 1991, p. 288) consisting of open-ended questions.
The interview focused on the students’ and staffs’ experiences regarding transition to
middle school policies, procedures and personal perceptions of the process.

59

In these focus groups, the researcher asked the students to make connections between
their apprehensions about versus actual experiences of violence before and after their
transition from Grade 5 into Grade 6 in a middle school. Of particular interest was the
identification of possible sources for these apprehensions, experiences, and the
strategies used to cope with the feelings of fear.
The researcher followed these with twenty to thirty minute interviews with the
middle school Principal and a teacher regarding their sense of the issues among new
6th graders. In addition, the researcher explored what role the elementary schools
could take to assist the middle school in ensuring a successful transition. The
researcher tape-recorded each twenty to thirty minute focus group and interview over
a two week period. A transcriber assisted the researcher in transcribing the interviews.
The researcher listened to the tape-recordings and annotated the transcripts.
Immediately following each interview, the researcher recorded relevant field notes
(Patton, 1991).
Instrumentation
In November 2005, the researcher conducted a pilot study survey to determine
student perceptions of school violence in an award winning school in the Paradise
Unified School District. Ten students who transitioned from Grade 5 to Grade 6
completed a questionnaire related to perceptions of school violence. Questionnaire
items addressed student perceptions regarding school violence in their current
elementary school and perceptions related to school violence in their designated

60

middle school. Seven of ten students surveyed postponed expressing any perception
toward school violence at their new middle school.
In subsequent discussions regarding Grade 5 students who transitioned, parents
expressed concern about the potential for school violence in the middle school. Some
students had visited their middle school during a transition visit. It was also noted that
parental concerns arose and may also affect student perceptions related to potential
threats of school violence.
The framework for the research questions in this study was developed as a
result of careful review of the literature, gaps in the literature, the researcher’s
anecdotal notes, as well as the need to answer the two specific research questions that
drove this study. Careful review of the literature confirms that researchers have
identified patterns of an individual's involvement in incidents of school violence
(Furlong & Morrison, 2000).
The researcher asked the student participants to make connections between
their apprehensions about versus actual experiences of violence before and after their
transition from Grade 5 into Grade 6 in a middle school. These patterns should be
useful in helping school officials to be careful in their observations, decision-making
in provision of prevention programs for individual students groups and situations
(Furlong & Morrison, 2000).
This current study used focus groups with students in 5
th
grade and 6
th
grade
and interviews with school staff, in order to collect data that further explored the
emerging patterns of an individual's involvement in incidents of school violence.

61

Each of the questions in the focus group and staff interview protocol related directly to
the research questions. The original protocols appear in Appendix A. The protocols
were developed primarily from the key findings from the research discussed in
Chapter Two. Specifically, student perceptions, emerging fears and school violence
experiences related to the transition from elementary to middle school explored
emerging trends and consistent patterns. The student focus groups were used as an
effective research method to further investigate any patterns related to male versus
female behavior, perceptions and emerging fears, in the context of elementary school
number one versus elementary school number two and the feeder middle school.
Data Analysis
This qualitative case study explored whether fifth graders experience fear and
trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear was related to school
violence. Student perceptions, emerging fears and school violence experiences related
to the transition from elementary to middle school were analyzed to investigate trends
and consistent patterns. Student focus groups were investigated according to patterns
related to male versus female behavior, perceptions and emerging fears, in the context
of elementary school number one versus elementary school number two and the feeder
middle school.
Interview and focus group questions included categories addressing specific
items related to: (a) age, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity, (d) size of the student, (e) size of the
school, (f) size of the classroom, (g) the incidence of school violence, (h) class
scheduling, (i) school location, (j) teacher-staff, (k) teacher-student relationships, (l)

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peer-student relationships, (m) student apprehensions, and (n) student expectations of
school violence.
The researcher began analyzing the data by coding the speech into meaningful
categories. Coding enabled the researcher to organize large amounts of text and to
discover patterns that would be difficult to detect by just listening to the tape or
reading the transcript. First, the researcher conducted initial coding by generating
numerous category codes as the responses were read and labeled without initially
being concerned about the variety of categories. It is important to note that a piece of
text might have been assigned several codes because codes are not always mutually
exclusive. Second, during more careful coding the researcher eliminated, combined, or
subdivided coding categories, and looked for repeating ideas and larger themes that
connected codes. Note that repeating ideas are the same idea expressed by different
participants, while a theme is a topic that organizes or connects a group of repeating
ideas.
The researcher used a software program to categorize focus group statements,
count key words, and recorded them on an excel sheet according to the following
specific variables: (a) age, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity, (d) size of the student, (e) size of
the school, (f) size of the classroom, (g) the incidence of school violence, (h) class
scheduling, (i) school location, (j) teacher-staff, (k) teacher-student relationships, (l)
peer-student relationships, (m) student apprehensions, (n) student expectations of
school violence, and (o) parental perceptions of school violence. These multiple
variables allowed the use of some forms of quantitative analysis.

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When coding and analyzing the qualitative data, the researcher considered the
following questions: What patterns and common themes emerge in responses about
specific topics? How do these patterns (or lack thereof) help to illuminate the broader
study question(s)? Are there any deviations from these patterns? If so, are there any
factors that might explain these atypical responses? What interesting stories emerge
from the responses? How do they help illuminate the broader study question(s)? Do
any of these patterns suggest that additional data may be needed? Do any of the study
questions need to be revised? Do the patterns that emerge corroborate the findings of
any corresponding qualitative analyses that have been conducted? If not, what might
explain these discrepancies? (Berkowitz,1997).
Teacher and administrator perceptions from elementary and middle school
were also be investigated, in order to discover any emerging trends that may or may
not influence student perceptions of school violence and the transition from
elementary to middle school. Interviews were conducted and tape-recorded for the
present study. The transcripts were reviewed and significant observations and saleable
points were extracted, coded, and recorded of which contrasts, comparisons and
emerging patterns were examined. Chapter Four will report the themes that emerge
from the student focus groups, and compare and contrast those with the data from the
interviews with the teachers and administrators.
Summary
This chapter provided the research methods utilized in the current study,
including a description of the research design, sample, underlying conceptual

64

frameworks, data collection instruments and an explanation of the data collection and
analysis processes. In Chapter Four, the research findings, and an accompanying
analysis are presented.

65

CHAPTER FOUR
The Findings
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the extent to which
fifth graders experience fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether
or not this fear is related to school violence. The study was limited to the expectations
of present elementary and middle school students before and after they transitioned
from Grade 5 into their middle school. Of particular interest was the identification of
possible sources for these apprehensions and the experiences, as described by the
students, along with the strategies used to cope with their feelings of fear.
To ascribe appropriate meaning to the interview and focus group analysis, it is
important to keep in mind the nature of this study. This study is not one in which the
subjects are necessarily scientifically representative of a larger group. However, these
students and educational professionals may have numerous peers and colleagues
throughout the elementary and middle schools in California.
Study Participants
This study is one in which the subjects were students and educational
professionals currently in Title I public schools. Although elementary school one,
elementary school two and the feeder middle school are urban schools with
demographics that are predominantly Hispanic, there proved to be an interesting mix
of ethnicities within the focus group participants.

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Students
The student participants included six male fifth grade and six female fifth
grade students who attended elementary school one. Another six male fifth grade and
six female fifth grade student participants attended elementary school two.
Male fifth grade student participants who attend elementary school one were
Hispanic, Hispanic-Caucasian, and Asian. Male fifth graders at elementary school two
were more diverse as Hispanics, African-American, South-Pacific Islander, and
Asian. In contrast, female fifth grade participants were less diverse than male fifth
grade participants. Female fifth grade participants from elementary school one, were
of Hispanic, and Caucasian descent. Female fifth graders from elementary school two
were Hispanic and Asian.
In addition, six male sixth grade and six female sixth grade students attended
the feeder middle school located a few blocks away from both elementary schools.
There was some variation in ethnicities among student participants at the middle
school. Specifically, male sixth grade students were Hispanic and Asian and female
sixth graders were Hispanic, Asian, and Caucasian.
Male student participants in elementary school one and two tend to be of
average height and size for fifth grade students who are ten to eleven years old.
Whereas, the male fifth grade students in elementary school two tend to be of average
to above average height and size for ten to eleven year old students.

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A striking contrast between male and female fifth grade students reveals that
female fifth grade students from both elementary school one and two are below
average to average in height and size for their age (ten to eleven years old).
Staff
The seven educational professional participants were current public school
faculty members within the elementary school, as well as the middle school. Three
educational professionals worked at elementary school one. Another three educational
professionals were based at elementary school two and one educational professional
was employed at the feeder middle school. What is worth noting is that all of the
seven educational professionals from the two elementary schools and the feeder
middle school were of Caucasian descent and not of the other predominant ethnicities
such as Hispanic or Asian.
Data Analysis and Interpretation of the Findings
The focus group and interview data analyses allowed us to discern patterns
and draw conclusions based on specific categories, as addressed within the focus
group and interview questions. The data obtained from the selected students and
educational professionals were coded and screened for specific patterns and emerging
themes in participants’ responses. The names of the focus group student participants,
as well as those of the educational professional participants were not used in this
study to protect their confidentiality. Instead, these students and educational
professionals will be known as student number one through student number six for

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each gender focus group and school, as their transcriptions were quoted. Educational
professionals were also given a number from one to three.
Research Question One: To what extent do exiting fifth grade students feel
apprehensive about violence at their new middle school as they transition to that
school? Analysis revealed four key findings in regard to research question one:
1) Specific fears and apprehensions about school violence differed by gender. 2) Fifth
grade students feared the presence of intruders on the school campus. 3) The primary
response of fifth graders anticipating middle school was excitement, not fear. 4) Fifth
graders relied on their elementary school teachers and their parents to cope with their
concerns about transitioning to middle school
Finding 1: Specific fears and apprehensions about school violence differed by gender.
Although female fifth grade students did not appear to be concerned as much about
physical acts of violence on their elementary school campus as male fifth graders, female fifth
graders did have concerns and apprehensions related to both elementary and middle school.
Female fifth graders have been distracted away from the transition to middle school because
they are more concerned with violence at their elementary school. Female students at
elementary school one and two reported similar types of school violence, which included
verbal threats, vandalism, and the physical threats and acts witnessed among boys. Female
fifth graders were also concerned about peer pressure and teasing at their elementary school.
This is shown in Table One, Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender,
Elementary Students, Grade Five.

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Table 1. Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender, Elementary Students,
Grade Five.

Elementary Students: Grade Five
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Physical violence

Student 6: “You got people who
always want to fight at the middle
school…”

Student 1: “Um, fighting and
playing rough around people.”

Student 4: “A kid got hit by a rock
and sometimes it’s just an accident
and sometimes it’s just on
purpose…or getting pushed or…”

Student 2: “Fights…uh. Fights.
Lots of kids want to fight after
school.”

Student 6: “Oh yeah…and they
kind of introduced me to a lot of
violence and you know, really
where everybody just wants to just
do whatever everybody else
wants.”

Student 4: “I saw a
fight with these
two boys at the
lunch table.”

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Table 1 (continued). Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender, Elementary
Students, Grade Five.

Elementary Students: Grade Five
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Verbal threats

Student 3: “Sometimes they say things
like, “Oh, I’m gonna kill you. I’m gonna
get you!” Some talk and they say that and
you can get scared.”

Student 6: “It’s more like…they try to do
like threats because they don’t really go
after the person. They just try to make ‘em
scared.”

Profanity

Student 5: “Profanity and…”

Students with
weapons

Student 3: “Like when I was in RSP
(special education pull-out class) and they
said that this kid brought a gun and they
said please lock the doors and like…”

Student 3: “…it was a air soft gun and he
shot like three kids or something.”

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Table 1 (continued). Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender, Elementary
Students, Grade Five.

Elementary Students: Grade Five
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Vandalism by
students

Student 2: “There’s like tagging in
the restrooms and like…and writing
on the paper towel thing.”

Student 2:
““People
throwing glue on
the ceiling. Kids
throwing crayons
across the room.”

Student 4:
“Getting a wet
paper towel and
throwing it on the
roof.”

Student 5:
“Sometimes they
tag on walls.”

Teasing

Student 3: “Kids talking about their
language and how they look by
making fun of them. They get a lot
of big trouble…in a ways.”

Student 3:
“Teasing.”

Peer pressure

Student 1: “Peer
pressure.”

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Table 1 (continued). Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender, Elementary
Students, Grade Five.

Elementary Students: Grade Five

Gender Differences
in Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Threats by
intruders

Student 6: “There’s a guy
and there was probably like
four guys like at the gates
and stuff…They were just
standing there….They were
inside just standing there
looking at us.”
Student 2: “There was this
crazy man walking around
the school and…they made
us go on lockdown.”
Student 6: “It happened
during lunch recess and they
made us come in and…they
locked the doors and
everything.”
Student 4: “They erased
like…I mean they made us
put off the lights and so
they’d think we were gone.”
Student 5: “The
dangerous thing that
happened was when
there was someone on
campus and there was a
lockdown.”

Vandalism by
Intruders

Student 1: “Last year I
heard some classes were
robbed. The computers
were gone and all the
classes were messy…”
Student 4: “The slide got
burned down.”
Student #5: “They were
burning stuff and they
were using fireworks
next to the school and the
school could have burned
up.”

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Generally, male fifth grade students from elementary school one and two
reported that they felt comfortable with their school size of their school as they
maneuver around their elementary school campus. Much like their male peers, female
fifth grade students from both elementary schools also reported that they felt
comfortable with their school size of their school as they maneuver around their
elementary school campus.
However, the data from focus groups conducted with both male and female
students in elementary school one and two, suggest that existing fifth graders felt
somewhat apprehensive about violence at their new middle school. Students were
aware of violence at the middle school level, but they appeared to be more
apprehensive about violence at their current elementary school, than at their new
middle school.
Male fifth grade students from both elementary schools reported witnessing
multiple acts of violence committed by their peers at their elementary school. They
have come to accept and cope with the presence of violence, which occurs on a regular
basis. These student participants have either been victims or witnesses of violence on
their elementary school campus and are still afraid of being at their current elementary
school
The data suggest that some fifth grade students were more concerned with the
present level of violence at their elementary schools than at their prospective middle
school. Male Student #4 confirmed that fifth graders must act tough in order to survive
fifth grade and to also be prepared for sixth grade – middle school.

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Student #4: “Um…I think that in middle school kids try to act tougher, but when
they get to middle school, kids are a lot older and they don’t act as
tough as in middle…in elementary school.”

Some students willingly discussed their fears of acts of violence at the
elementary school level. Male fifth graders have similar concerns with regards to
violence at both of their elementary schools, in that they are all preoccupied with the
potential for their peers committing physical violence, verbal threats, and profanity at
their elementary school. Male fifth grade students at both schools were also very
fearful of students with weapons, or intruders vandalizing and threatening them on
their elementary school campus.
The quotes from students presented in Table One demonstrate that male and
female students were familiar with and concerned about violence at their current
elementary school. Both focus group participants also reported witnessing intruders on
their elementary school campus, which had caused students to be concerned for their
safety. Fifth graders must find ways to cope with current violence at their elementary
school before they begin to make the mental and physical transition to middle school.
A teacher from elementary school one summed up the differences between
male and female fifth grade students and their concerns about the types of violence at
their elementary school. The teacher also observed the gender differences in students’
apprehensions about violence at their current elementary school:
Elementary School One – Educational Professional #2
Teacher: “Um, again, my class is not balanced. I do have a lot more girls than
boys, but I do think that girls are worried about teasing and trash

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talking, you know and boys are more worried about physical violence
and fears.”

Female fifth grade students from both elementary school reported witnessing
fewer acts of violence committed mostly by male students at their elementary school.
This was in contrast to male students at their elementary school, who have witnessed
a higher incidence of violence at the elementary school level. What is common in
both groups is that both male and female fifth grade students at the elementary
schools all had serious concerns about intruders on their elementary school campus
Finding 2: Elementary students were most concerned about incidents involving
strangers on campus.
Male and female students from elementary school one and two expressed
concern about violence at their elementary school that was caused by intruders coming
on to their elementary school campus. Female students were fearful of witnessing
violent acts between other students and vandalism of school property by student
intruders. They were even more fearful of strange intruders who enter their elementary
school campus, as they were forced to be on campus lockdown. Table Two presents
the data as a comparison of fears about intruders on campus, for students in grades
five and six.

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Table 2. Fears about Intruders on Campus, Grades Five and Six.

Fears about Intruders
on Campus

Elementary Students:
Grade Five
Middle School
Students:
Grade Six
Violence between
students and intruders

Witnessing violence
between students and
intruders

Vandalism by intruders

Student 5: “The dangerous
thing that happened was
when there was someone
on campus and there was a
lockdown.”

Student 6: “There’s a guy
and there was probably like
four guys like at the gates
and stuff…They were just
standing there….They were
inside just standing there
looking at us.”

Student 2: “There was this
crazy man walking around
the school and…they made
us go on lockdown.”

Student 1: “Last year I
heard some classes were
robbed. The computers
were gone and all the
classes were messy…”

Student 4: “The slide got
burned down.”

Illegal drug sales (by
intruders)
“Some of my friends
that come here…told
me that some people
smoke. They sell
drugs and stuff…
(speaks in a whisper).”

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The data shows that the fifth grade focus groups had different concerns about
intruders on school campuses than did the sixth graders. The fifth graders in this
study had been through more than one lock-down procedure in response to the
presence of intruders at school. They had witnessed threatening behavior and had seen
vandalism committed by unwelcome visitors to their campus.
Finding 3: The primary response of fifth graders anticipating middle school was
excitement, not fear.
When asked about their apprehensions and concerns regarding the transition to
middle school, both male and female students reported feeling excitement about, as
well as fear related to the inevitable move to middle school. Some students were
aware that middle school is an inevitable change that marks “another step in life”
Specifically, male fifth grade students at elementary school one and two were
excited about physical education (P.E.) and sports, as well as other amenities that they
would enjoy at middle school. All of the female fifth graders expressed excitement
about attending middle school due in part to the anticipation of growing up. They
looked forward to using the middle school library, the lockers, using the field, and
participating in P.E. activities, along with attending different classes.
Fifth graders were excited about the middle school experience as they
anticipated beginning new classes such as, physical education and nutrition. They
were also excited to eat at the school cafeteria, purchase snacks from vending
machines, having their own lockers and making new friends. A comparison of fifth

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graders’ and sixth graders’ attitudes toward the physical surroundings of middle
school is shown in Table Three.
Table 3. Attitudes Toward the Physical Surroundings of Middle School, Grades Five
and Six.

Attitudes
Toward the
Physical
Surroundings
of
Middle
School
Elementary Students:
Grade Five
Middle School Students:
Grade Six
Amenities

“It’s gonna be fun I guess
because vending
machines and better
food.” “There’ll be lots
of…equipment that we
can use instead of at
Portola.”

Activities

“Different sports,
different seasons.” “You
only have four minutes to
scurry from class to
class.” “Hanging out with
new friends and chat.”
“The difficulty was when I was
trying to find the classroom. I didn’t
know where they were.”
Older
Students

“I was still nervous
‘cause, uh…I heard that
kids, older kids… they
always talk behind our
backs.”
“I think that in middle
school kids try to act
tougher, but when they
get to middle school, kids
are a lot older and they
don’t act as tough as
in…elementary school.”

“[before] we were like the tallest
girls in our class and [now]…I feel
like I’m a midget and like,
everybody’s taller than me and I feel
uncomfortable…”
“…there are a lot of older kids and
they are much more taller than us.”
“They think, like they’re all bad and
strong and stuff.”
“We never bullied anyone, but when
we were in school, in elementary we
were at top but now we’re in middle
school, now we’re at the bottom.”
Teachers

“You have a lot of new
classes and you meet a
lot of new people.”

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Finding 4: Fifth graders relied on their elementary school teachers and their parents to
cope with their concerns about transitioning to middle school
It is worth noting that one female fifth grade student mentioned her interest in
the test grade state scores from her new middle school. This showed that the student’s
parents had been researching and discussing the dynamics of their child’s new middle
school as a whole with her.
Elementary School Two – Female Students
P.I.: “Question #1: As a fifth grader, tell me about what you knew
about your new middle school? (Pause) Anyone? What do you
know about your new middle school? Student one, student
two.”

Student #2: “My middle school…on a scale of one to ten, my new middle
school test grades is a six.”

P.I.: “Okay, with test grades. What is your middle school like? Does
anyone know about your middle school? Anybody know about
Portola? No? Uh. Did you hear anything from anybody? Did
you ever visit your new middle school?”

All students: “Yes.”

The teacher interviews also shed light on the awareness of fifth grader teachers at
elementary school one:
Elementary School One – Educational Professional #2
Teacher: “Sometimes it comes up in class. It’s not that we really talk about it,
but if the situation arises…they’ll come out about…oh yeah, I was
kinda worried about that. I wonder if that might happen next year.
They’re really concerned about eighth graders. You know about eighth
graders being big and scary, but I think my girls are more excited about
than nervous about it and I have a lot more girls than boys in my fifth
grade class. Mostly the girls.”

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However, the male fifth grade students at elementary school one did not speak about
any relationships with teachers and staff. The teachers and staff were aware of the
students’ concerns about violence at school, as well as the transition to middle school.
Unlike the students and staff at elementary school one, the teachers and staff at
elementary school two did not have as many open, positive relationships in which to
share.
According to the teacher account previously mentioned, female fifth grade
students at elementary school one were more open with their teachers. Female fifth
graders were comfortable enough to discuss their concerns about transition to middle
school with their teacher. However, there was no evidence of this openness between
female fifth grade students and their teachers at elementary school two.
Table Four summarizes and compares strategies used by fifth and sixth
graders to cope with their fears about school violence, and Table Five, derived from
interviews with school personnel, presents a comparison of educator awareness of
transitioning students’ fears and apprehensions, at the elementary and middle school
levels.

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Table 4. Strategies Used to Cope with Student Fears, Grades Five and Six.

Strategies Used to
Cope
with Student Fears

Elementary Students:
Grade Five

Middle School
Students:
Grade Six
Pretending to be
tough

“…well they think that at
middle school, well, you
gonna have to fight. So,
they think they should
fight…so they fight now.”

Attending orientation
sessions

“…their team… came to
tell how school could…
how middle school is
gonna be.”

Talking with older
siblings, friends and
relatives who attend
the middle school
“I heard it from my cousin
and also when we went to
the field trip over to
Portola I heard a lot there.”

“I heard it from a friend of
mine. They explained me
how it would be.”
“My sister has a lot of
friends here.”

“Like my cousin, she has
friends and she… if they
try to beat me up, she’ll
just call her friends and
they’ll come to help me.
So, They’ll back me up.”
Talking with
teachers:

“Did anyone help you
prepare for the move
here to middle school?”

“Mr. Maxwell (5
th
grade
teacher)”
“Ms. Cook (5
th
grade
teacher)”
“My elementary school
teachers.”
“One of the (middle
school) nurses was
supposed to show me
around but she never
came.”

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Table 5. Educator Awareness of Transitioning Students’ Fears and Apprehensions,
Elementary and Middle School.

Question
Educational Professionals:
Elementary Schools
Educational Professional:
Middle School
Are male or
female students
more likely to
experience acts
of violence?
Teacher: “…sometimes the
girls are cattier and they’ll
have an older sister come or
somebody and a boy they’ll
just be horsing around and
sometimes you know, that
turns into something more
physical…”

Do students
discuss their
concerns about
violence?
Teacher: “Um, again, my class
is not balanced. I do have a lot
more girls than boys, but I do
think that girls are worried
about teasing, trash talking,
boys are worried about
physical violence and fears.”
Teacher: “Sometimes it comes
up in class…they’ll come out
about…of yeah, I was kinda
worried about that. I wonder if
that might happen next year.
They’re really concerned about
8
th
graders being big and
scary.”
Administrator: “Not really. I
think that the percentages
validated, because they’re
not aware of any other
conditions. I think its part of
their, their lifestyle. I think
they feel more safe at school
than any other
place…Occasionally. Well,
um… they will report it, but
not usually. The parts that
escalate into serious name
calling, or serious bullying.
The majority of the time they
don’t. They just continue it
on their own.”
How are
students
assisted with
the transition to
middle school?
Teacher: “We took a field trip
to the junior high school.
Walked around to observe it in
some classrooms. They got to
see that… and once or twice
people from the middle school
came over to talk to them…the
fifth graders."

Administrator: “Am…well,
we try to be very hands on
and try to be very present
um…and visible on campus
on all times. We have an
active counseling department
and also very present and
visible to meet with students,
parents, families whenever,
does not put it off and they
encourage it as a priority.

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Table 5 (continued). Educator Awareness of Transitioning Students’ Fears and
Apprehensions, Elementary and Middle School.

Question
Educational Professionals:
Elementary Schools
Educational Professional:
Middle School
How are students
assisted with the
transition to
middle school?
Administrator: “They make a
visit. They go on the
bus…they make a tour of the
middle school….the
administration and
counselors come here from
the middle school in the
spring to talk about
registration and to tell about
their activities and programs
also to get the kids excited
about going to middle school
and then at the end of the
years, they go over on the
bus and make a visit.”

Administrator: “I haven’t
had any experience with kids
who talk to me over the
seven years I’ve been here
about concerns about going
to the middle school…they
started including the
sixth…fifth graders who are
going up to sixth at the
middle school in their
distribution for their
newspaper, which I thought
was a good idea. That was
actually my idea. Uh…just to
get the kids excited and
involved about going up
there.”

Administrator (continued):
our school wide safety.
There ways that we intervene
and we have daily
announcements. Um…the
majority of it is supervision,
um, and trying to educate the
parents, but that is
ineffective, because the
majority of the community
don’t live near the school.”

Administrator: “We have a
group of teachers that, who
have more of a self-
contained type environment,
than the seventh and eighth
graders. They’re still with
many teachers throughout
the day, but kind of a core,
multiple subject teachers and
the majority of them are
together on campus. They
have uh…a common lunch,
where eighth graders are not
present. Uh, they have
orientation to the campus,
um…to the school policies.
We go to the schools and
speak to the students
directly. Uh, we have kinda
orientation, open house night
prior to the school beginning.
We give campus tours to the
parents and the students get
to see some of the
classrooms.”

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Table 5 (continued). Educator Awareness of Transitioning Students’ Fears and
Apprehensions, Elementary and Middle School.

Question
Educational
Professionals:
Elementary Schools
Educational Professional:
Middle School
How are
students
assisted
with the
transition to
middle
school?
Administrator: “Um,
we don’t have a place
here, because we don’t
have a high need. We
don’t have a district
program…. We haven’t
had a need for
that…we do have some
children who have
some anger
management issues and
we do have a
partnership with a
social agency, that
provides free
counseling for us…in
small groups with the
counselors.”
Administrator: “Um…I believe that
everyone has their part… administrators
on site, the faculty, trying to orient them
to the campus, where the restrooms are,
the traffic pattern, how to get their meals
and how to get to their classes and to
feel comfortable and transportation and
with transportation, the department is
very helpful with that. Uh…I think the
teachers just by their personality may be
caring and uh…empathetic with the
students. Uh…kind of perhaps more
nurturing. By more guidance the way
they do that. I think the parents could do
more by being more involved, having
higher expectations for their students’
participation. Moreso, just attendance,
academics, rules, homework.”

Administrator: I really think that it’s an
interesting transition. I think that we’re
doing well on our way. That it would be
difficult to say what to do better ‘cause
it’s always a challenge. I think the
largest challenge is having people feel
safe and knowledgeable on campus
comes from the community and the
homes that they live in. That there’s not
a lot of active parenting and supervision,
or um…academic history. Well, so that
as we continue you know, K-through
twelve that importance of community
and that demographics. We need
programs that support the school and
support the communication.”

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Summary: Research Question One
The data presented in tables One through Five support the four findings discussed:
1) Specific fears and apprehensions about school violence differed by gender. 2) Fifth
grade students feared the presence of intruders on the school campus. 3) The primary
response of fifth graders anticipating middle school was excitement, not fear. 4) Fifth
graders relied on their elementary school teachers and their parents to cope with their
concerns about transitioning to middle school
These student and educational participant accounts suggest that fifth grade
students were more excited about attending middle school than they were scared. Fifth
grade students accepted the concerns as part of the inevitable middle school transition
experience. What fifth graders were really concerned about was the presence of
violence at their current elementary schools caused not only by their peers, but also by
intruders that manage to enter their campus, which was thought to be safe.
One teacher participant in particular appeared to be in touch with students’
concerns regarding violence at the elementary school. In addition, as per the teacher’s
account she was also aware of the students’ concerns regarding the transition to sixth
grade middle school.: This showed that male and even female students have
developed a positive relationship with some of the teachers and staff at elementary
school one.

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Research Question Two: Once they are sixth grade students, to what extent does their
experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions they had as
transitioning fifth graders? Analysis revealed three key findings in regard to research
question two: 1) Specific fears and apprehensions differed by gender. 2) Sixth
graders were not concerned about the presence of intruders on campus unless drugs or
illegal activity were involved. 3) Sixth graders relied on their family, community and
friends, rather than on school personnel, to help them cope with fears and
apprehension about making the transition to middle school.
Finding One: Specific fears and apprehensions differed by gender.
The dialogue suggested that both male and female sixth grade students entered
their new middle school with some fears and apprehensions. Male sixth grade students
came in feeling afraid of middle school and had their fears confirmed. However,
although female sixth grade students were afraid upon entering middle school, they
were more comfortable with their school climate once they began classes.
This is shown in Table Six: Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by
Gender, Middle School Students, Grade Six.

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Table 6. Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender, Middle School
Students, Grade Six.

Middle School Students: Grade Six
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Physical violence (in
general)

Student 1: “They push people.”
Student 3: “I was scared and I had
my stuff and I had trouble moving
because I’m like the lowest and like
people are very rough in this
school.”

Student #5: “I saw some that were
fighting.”

Student 3: “Like
people beating you
up and you see
commercials like
they turn you
upside down and
they take your
money for lunch.”

.

Physical abuse:

“How many times
this year have you
seen students
physically hurt -
abused at your
middle school?”

Student 1: “One time.”

Student 2: “About three or four
times.”

Student 3: “Cinco.”

Student #5: “About ten times.”

Student 6: “I’m
really not afraid,
because if they do
something to me,
they can get in
trouble.”

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Table 6 (continued). Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender,
Middle School Students, Grade Six.

Middle School Students: Grade Six
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Profanity and
Name-Calling

Student 1:“Uh, telling other
people bad words and calling
them names.”

Student 4: “When you
walk into a room, they’re
talking about you.”

Student 6: “They say bad
words and they talk stuff
about teachers and
people.”

Student 2: “People
talking behind you.”

Being bullied by
physically larger
students

Student 3: “…there are a lot
of older kids and they are
much more taller than us.”

Student 1: “…that’s when
they think, like…they’re all
bad and strong and stuff.”

Student 5: “I agree with that.
They’re older.”

Student 2: “We never bullied
anyone, but when we were in
school, in elementary, we
were at top, but now that
we’re in middle school, now
we’re at the bottom.”

Student 6: “Me and a
girl, um, we were at West
Orange and we were like
the tallest girls in our
class, then I come here
and I feel like I’m a
midget and like,
everybody’s like taller
than me and I feel
uncomfortable and I’m
looking up at the ceiling
and it doesn’t feel that
comfortable.”

Student 1: “Sometimes
they bully…”

Student 3: “Like people
beating you up and you
see commercials like
they turn you upside
down and they take your
money for lunch.”

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Table 6 (continued). Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender,
Middle School Students, Grade Six.

Middle School Students: Grade Six
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Students disobeying
school rules

Student 2: “Kids are just like running
around and…bring skateboards and
they’re not supposed to and a lot of kids
wear long shirts that go all the way to
their knees and they look like gangsters.”

Student 2: “Um…sometimes I see kids…a
girl and a boy kissing. I’m like Woah! I
don’t need to see that!”

Student 3: “Like beating up each other,
bringing skateboards…you’re not
supposed to bring skateboards and you’re
not allowed to beat each other and fight
and that could get you kicked out of
school.”

Sale and use of
drugs at school

“Some of my friends that come
here…told me that some people smoke.
They sell drugs and stuff… (speaks in a
whisper).”

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Table 6 (continued). Differences in Types of Violence Anticipated, by Gender,
Middle School Students, Grade Six.

Middle School Students: Grade Six
Gender Differences
in
Types of Violence
Anticipated
Males Females

Being in trouble for
Breaking the Rules
Student 5: “The difficulty was when
I was trying to find the classroom. I
didn’t know where they were.”

Student 6: “I was pretty afraid
because what if I went to the wrong
classes, I would get in trouble.”

Student 1: “They told me not got get
close to the vice president and to
meet much teachers and one boy,
because they could send you to the
office.”

Student 3: “They were saying that
our vice president…no, our vice
principal, Mr. Biland, they call him
the “cavemen” and that was his
nickname. I don’t think that’s true.”

Sixth grade gender differences were less pronounced in regard to physical violence in
general, physical abuse by other students, the use of profanity and name-calling and
the bullying of smaller students by larger. These issues were discussed in both male
and female focus groups. Sixth grade boys discussed concerns about students who
disobeyed school rules, and about persons who might come onto their campus using
or selling illegal drugs.

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Sixth grade girls’ groups were a bit more in awe of school discipline policies
and the educational personnel who enforce them. On one hand their attitude was that
the rules would protect them from physical abuse (i.e. “I’m really not afraid, because
if they do something to me, they can get in trouble.”) while on the other, they were
concerned about following the rules precisely so as to avoid trouble. They said that
they’d been warned “…not got get close to the [vice principal] and to meet much
teachers and one boy, because they could send you to the office.” and that the vice-
principal’s nickname was “the caveman.” Whether the term “caveman” is a reference
to size, intellect or gender stereotyping, is unknown. It does, however, indicate that
authority figures at the middle school level are intimidating to the sixth grade girls in
this study.
Female students began their new middle school expecting the worst, but their
fears and concerns were not realized. Female sixth grade students reported that they
were expecting other students to be mean to them, but were not treated that way and
their early experiences were not filled with fear and apprehension, as the male sixth
grade students had experienced. Male sixth graders were afraid when they began
attending middle school, because some students witnessed acts of violence among
students at the onset of the sixth grade academic school year. They continued to be
afraid of older students breaking school rules and even threatening them.
As the fifth graders transitioned into middle school and became new sixth
graders, both males and female participants reported feeling uncomfortable, alienated
and insecure, because they were newcomers to the middle school campus. Sixth grade

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boys reported witnessing or being victims of school violence more often than sixth
grade girls has reported. They were also fearful of being targeted because they were
smaller in physical stature than the seventh and eighth graders. Female sixth graders
also reported that they were called demeaning nicknames.
Middle School – Female Students
Student #6: “Me and a girl, um, we were at West Orange and we were like the
tallest girls in our class and then I come here and I feel like I’m a
midget and like, everybody’s like taller than me and I feel
uncomfortable and I’m looking up at the ceiling and it doesn’t feel that
comfortable.”

P.I.: “Okay. Alright. So, they called you all midgets?”

Table Six also shows that grade 6 students realized that once they were in
middle school they were potential targets for bullies simply because they were
younger and smaller than other students. Sixth grade students protested their
situation, saying: “We never bullied anyone, but when we were in school, in
elementary, we were at top, but now we’re in middle school, now we’re at the
bottom.”
Male sixth grade participants confirmed that they have witnessed multiple acts
of violence among peers at their middle school. However, female sixth grade
participants have witnessed fewer acts of violence among peers. What was similar
was that both male and female sixth graders were perturbed about continuing threats
of violence by their older peers at their new middle school.

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Finding Two: Sixth graders were not concerned about the presence of intruders on
campus unless drugs or illegal activity were involved.
As shown in Table Two, above, sixth grade students were not as concerned
about intruders on campus as were fifth graders. In the sixth grade focus groups, the
only mention of intruders on campus was when drugs or illegal activities were
involved.
During the un-recorded section of the interview, male sixth grade students
raised valid concerns with drug use and sales on the middle school campus. They
described older students selling drugs at one of the elementary school campuses, as
well as at the feeder middle school campus. Not all the sixth grade male students in
the focus group were aware of the prevalence of drugs on their middle school campus.
Only three of the male sixth students were aware of these illegal activities.
Finding Three: Sixth graders relied on their family, community and friends, rather
than on school personnel, to help them cope with fears and apprehension about
making the transition to middle school.
Table Four, above, presents a comparison of the data regarding the coping
strategies of sixth graders, as compared to those of fifth graders. It illustrates the
differing strategies students employed to cope with their concerns about violence
changed as they moved from elementary to middle school. As illustrated by Table
Four, fifth graders rely on orientation sessions presented at their elementary schools
and sixth graders remember how helpful their elementary school teachers had been to
them in transitioning. It also depicts a lack of reliance by sixth graders on any

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educational supportive resources at the middle school level. The only mention of an
educational professional from the middle school is negative, i.e. “One of the nurses
was supposed to show me around but she never came”.
When it comes to obtaining information about the climate, culture, procedures
or potential for violence at the middle school, both fifth and sixth graders reported
that they turned to older siblings, friends or relatives attending school there. This
was also true when sixth graders experienced immediate concerns about their safety at
school, e.g. “my cousin, she has friends and she… if they try to beat me up, she’ll just
call her friends and they’ll come to help me.”
Table Five, above, illustrates the profound difference in adult awareness of
students’ fears and apprehensions as they approach and experience the transition from
elementary to middle school. The elementary educators demonstrated a clear and
specific understanding of the affective dimension of their students’ transition to
middle school. They were familiar with the issues specific to each gender, and they
understood the need to assist them with their fears and apprehensions.
Summary: Research Question Two
The data presented in tables Two through Six support the three findings discussed
above: 1) Specific fears and apprehensions differed by gender. 2) Sixth graders were
not concerned about the presence of intruders on campus unless drugs or illegal
activity were involved. 3) Sixth graders relied on their family, community and friends,
rather than on school personnel, to help them cope with fears and apprehension about
making the transition to middle school.

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Incidental Findings: Student Recommendations for a Safer Middle School
When asked for recommendations about improving the safety of their middle
school, both male and female sixth grade focus groups considered implementing
policies for suspending or expelling their violent peers. Male focus groups
introduced the idea of teaching violent students a more peaceful way to behave, e.g.
“you should make it therapy”. While female focus groups also used the word “teach”,
they appeared more concerned with issues of maturity, describing the approach as
“don’t be kids.” Table Seven presents the data, contrasting the responses from male
and female sixth grade students.

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Table 7. Student Recommendations for a Safer Middle School, by Gender, Grade Six.

Student
Recommendations for a
Safer Middle School
Grade Six: Males Grade Six: Females

How would you make your
middle school a safer
place?

Student 2: “Um…I would
like, if kids…do like one
thing bad, I would say,
“You know what? You’re
suspended.” I don’t want
this at the school…because
nobody wants us to be a
school that they know that
they shouldn’t have done
that

Student 3: “Um…have like
a program for…for people
who are doing bad things
and you teach them a
lesson…so that they don’t
do these things, or tell them
not to do it.”

Student 6: “I have
like…you should make it
therapy.”

Student 1: “Teach
others to respect and
not to, don’t be kids?”

Student 6: “Make
new rules, like if
you’re doing
something, then they
could like…expel
you?”

Summary of the Findings
This chapter has presented the findings of the present study. Tables One through
Seven presented the data supporting the four findings in regard to research question
one, the three findings in regard to research question two, and one incidental finding.
Table Eight presents a summary of the results of this investigation.
The answers to the two research questions of this study can be summed up as
follows: In response to question one, fifth grade students transitioning to middle

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school do not generally worry about experiencing violence the following year. They
feel somewhat apprehensive about violence in their prospective middle school, but are
far more concerned with their present situation in elementary school.
They are excited about growing up and experiencing a different school
environment and regard middle school as an inevitable change that marks “another
step in life.” In response to question two: Sixth graders realize, once they get to
middle school, that their fears were justified. While male sixth grade students had
their initial fears confirmed, female sixth grade students, also afraid upon entering
middle school, were more comfortable with their school climate once the school year
began. Table eight describes the Summary of the Findings as follows:
Table 8. Summary of the Findings

Research Question:
1) To what extent do exiting fifth grade students feel apprehensive about
violence at their new middle school as they transition to that school?
Findings
Specific fears and apprehensions about school violence differed by gender
(Table One).
Fifth grade students feared the presence of intruders on the school campus
(Table Two).
The primary response of fifth graders anticipating middle school was
excitement, not fear (Table Three).

Fifth graders relied on their elementary school teachers and their parents to
cope with their concerns about transitioning to middle school (Table Four).

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2) Once they are sixth grade students, to what extent does their experience with
violence at their new school match the apprehensions they had as transitioning
fifth graders?
Specific fears and apprehensions differed by gender (Table One).
Sixth graders were not concerned about the presence of intruders on campus
unless drugs or illegal activity were involved (Table Two).

Sixth graders relied on their family, community and friends, rather than on
school personnel, to help them cope with fears and apprehension about making
the transition to middle school (Table Four).
Incidental Finding
Sixth graders’ specific recommendations about creating a safer middle school
differed by gender (Table Seven).

This study took a before and after look at the transition from elementary to middle
school, specifically about students’ fears of violence on campus. Before and after
effects were noted, as were differences in attitude based on gender.
Chapter Five is a discussion of the findings presented here. It presents the
investigator’s conclusions, its implications for practice, and suggestions for further
research.

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CHAPTER FIVE
Summary
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate students’
apprehensions about violence before and after their transition from Grade 5 of
elementary school into Grade 6 at a middle school. This study attempted to explore
specific fears and apprehensions held by fifth grade students when they considered
their move to middle school. By holding discussions with sixth grade students who
had already made the transition, it sought to determine how realistic those fears and
apprehensions had been and to what extent they matched the sixth grade students’
perceptions of violence in their middle school. Of particular interest was the
identification of
• possible sources for these apprehensions
• the experiences, as described by the students
• strategies used to cope with their feelings of fear
In order to investigate school violence in elementary schools and middle
schools, particularly related to transitioning from elementary school to middle school,
key research questions formed the foundation of this study. Therefore, the researcher
conducted a study between June and July 2007 that answered the following research
questions:
1. To what extent do exiting fifth grade students feel apprehensive about
violence at their new middle school as they transition to that school?

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2. Once they are sixth grade students, to what extent does their
experience with violence at their new school match the apprehensions they had as
transitioning fifth graders?
Discussion of the Findings
Research Question One
Key findings emerged from the study for question one:
• Kinds of school of violence feared by fifth grade students were gender
specific.

• The primary response to anticipating middle school for these fifth
graders was one of excitement, not fear.

• Elementary students were most concerned about incidents involving
strangers on campus.

• Fifth grade students rely on a combination of school, family and
community resources during their transition to middle school.

Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Gender
Research question one revealed that male fifth grade students from both
elementary schools reported witnessing multiple acts of violence committed by their
peers at their elementary school. They have come to accept and cope with the presence
of violence, which occurs on a regular basis. These student participants have either
been victims or witnesses of violence on their elementary school campus and are still
afraid of being at their current elementary school.
Although female fifth grade students did not appear to be concerned as much
about physical acts of violence on their elementary school campus as male fifth
graders, female fifth graders did have concerns and apprehensions related to both

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elementary and middle school. Female fifth graders have been distracted away from
the transition to middle school because they are more concerned with violence at their
elementary school. Female students at elementary school one and two reported similar
types of school violence, which included verbal threats, vandalism, and the physical
threats and acts witnessed among boys. Female fifth graders were also concerned
about peer pressure and teasing at their elementary school.
It is not surprising that the boys interviewed would have more apprehensions
about violence, as boys reported witnessing more violence than girls did. As shown
in Table 1 (chapter 4) four fifth grade boys mentioned witnessing physical violence at
their elementary school, as compared to one fifth grade girl. “Fighting” was
mentioned in general by both genders, but males provided more specific information.
Boys were more specific about verbal threats and about students with weapons
at school. These findings concur with those of Olweus, (1993), Astor (1998),
Benbenishty, Astor, Vinokur & Zeira (2002) and Benbenishty and Astor (2005)
Benbenishty and Astor (2005) summarized the effect in this way:
“Students who see peers bringing guns to school, drinking and using
drugs on school grounds, fighting repeatedly, and harassing other
students may feel threatened and conclude that the school has a major
violence problem.” (p.97)
They went on to say that students do not have to be personally involved in the
incidents they observe to reach the conclusion that they are in a dangerous
environment Benbenishty and Astor (2005).

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Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Intruders on Campus
Answers to research question one revealed that male and female students from
elementary school one and two were concerned about violence at their elementary
school that was caused by intruders coming on to their elementary school campus.
Female students were fearful of witnessing violent acts between intruders and
students and vandalism of school property by intruders. They were even more fearful
of strangers who enter the elementary school campus, as they were forced to be on
campus lockdown each time a breech in school security occurred.
Going on lockdown in response to the presence of an intruder appears to have
heightened the students’ apprehensions about strangers on campus. While the
lockdown procedure may increase the actual safety of the school environment, it
seems to have decreased the students’ perception of school as a safe environment.
This phenomenon was observed by Benbenishty and Astor (2005) who stated
that students’ perceptions of school safety “may or may not be directly related to the
actual number of violent events on campus.” (p.95), and cited comments by educators
in the United States that:
“…the introduction of metal detectors, security guards and specialized
canine units may have reduced actual violence in their schools but made
their schools feel unsafe and ‘prisonlike’.” (p. 95)

This particular finding in the present study reinforces the opinion of Benbenishty and
Astor (2005) that the “school-based factors” that enhance a student’s feeling of safely
in the school environment are “different from those” factors students consider when
estimating the severity of their school’s problem with violence (p.95).

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The present results are also of interest in light of the study by Kitsanas, Ware &
Martinez-Arias (2004). Their investigation into perceptions about school and
community safety among students in grades 6-8 showed that actions taken by schools
were the weakest predictor involved. Clearly, schools must consider that the
measures they take to ensure student safety (such as repeated lockdowns) may very
well have a negative impact on a student’s assessment of school as a safe
environment.
In addition, female fifth graders expressed serious concern about the vandalism
of school property by intruders. Although theft and damage to personal property were
among the types of victimization experienced by students responding to the survey by
Zeira, Astor & Benbenishty (2002), they were not described as the work of intruders
on campus, nor did they involve damage to school property.
Destruction of playground equipment and theft of school property appear to
represent a disturbance in the relationship between the elementary school and its
surrounding community. This may be better understood in light of Benbenishty and
Astor’s (2005) observation that:
“…victimization in school is the product of many factors that are
associated with multiple levels organized hierarchically (nested
like a matroyshka doll): individual students within classes, classes
within schools, schools within neighborhoods, and neighborhoods
within societies and cultures.” (Benbenishty and Astor, 2005, p. 113)

The destruction described by fifth grade students emphasizes the vulnerability of the
school within its own neighborhood. The survey results of Zeira, Astor &
Benbenishty (2002), showed that theft and vandalism at school were equally troubling

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to boys and girls in elementary and middle school. In contrast, only fifth grade
females in the present study reported such concerns, describing the problem as the
work of campus intruders.
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Size
Research question one addressed fifth graders’ fears and apprehensions
regarding the transition to middle school. It was concluded that fifth grade boys and
girls all felt a sense of excitement, as well as fear of the new change to middle school.
It was also found that some students were aware that middle school was an inevitable
change that would mark “another step in life”. Fifth grade participants also reported
knowing that they would be among the smallest in physical stature when they became
new sixth graders and compared themselves to seventh and eight graders. This was a
concern that fifth grade students shared with a few of their teachers, as they
anticipated the move to middle school.
Changes in the physical surroundings, in general, were cited by previous
researchers as factors that could engender apprehension in transitioning fifth graders
(Juvonen, Vi-Nhuan, Kaganoff, Augustine & Constant, 2004), but little direct mention
has been made of the difference in stature between transitioning fifth graders and the
middle school students they will be joining the following school year.
Fifth Graders’ Strategies for Coping with the Middle School Transition
Fifth graders in the present investigation reported that they rely for information
on orientation sessions presented at their elementary schools, on classroom

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discussions with their elementary school teachers and on friends, siblings and
relatives who attend or have attended the feeder middle school.
During a pilot study for the present investigation Bsela (2005) found that seven
of ten transitioning fifth grade students were unwilling to estimate the level of
violence to which they might be exposed at their new school, taking a “wait and see”
attitude. In contrast to the student reports, however, both Bernstein (2002) and Bsela
(2005) found that parents of transitioning fifth graders did not hesitate to express
concern about the potential for violence at the middle school. The difference between
parents and students in their approach to the school violence issue may account for the
students’ specific coping strategy. Students in fifth grade focus groups reported that
they relied primarily on orientation sessions, teachers, siblings and other relatives,
rather than on parental input.
Research Question Two
Key findings emerged from the study for question two:
• Kinds of school of violence feared by sixth grade students were gender
specific.

• The primary concern for sixth graders entering middle school was fear
of bullying and physical abuse by larger students.

• Sixth grade students were not concerned about intruders on campus
unless it involved drugs or illegal activity.

• Sixth grade students rely primarily on family and community resources
during their transition to middle school.

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Research question two addressed the sixth grade students’ fears and apprehensions of
violence once they transitioned to middle school. The types of violence that sixth
grade students witnessed or were victims seemed broader among the sixth graders than
the fifth graders. These acts included name-calling, profanity, pushing, bullying, out-
of-control behavior, disobeying school rules and even physical abuse – beatings.
Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Gender
Unlike sixth grade boys, sixth grade girls were not as concerned about middle
school violence once they began middle school. Instead, they felt apprehensive about
being smaller in physical stature and younger in age. Female sixth graders feared
being teased by older students – seventh and eighth graders. Girls were concerned
about being bullied because they were called names such as, “midget” and they felt
uncomfortable and expressed a sense of intimidation and apprehension as they live out
their year as sixth graders in middle school. It is clear that although sixth grade boys
were more concerned about violence at the middle school than sixth grade girls, in
general sixth grade middle school students witnessed broader types of violence than
the fifth graders at the elementary schools.
Male sixth grade participants confirmed that they had witnessed multiple acts
of violence among peers at their middle school. Female sixth grade participants had
witnessed fewer acts of violence among peers. What was similar was that both male
and female sixth graders were perturbed about continuing threats of violence by their
older peers at their new middle school.

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These findings concur with the results of numerous studies indicating that boys
are more likely to experience, witness and participate in physical violence (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention {CDC}, 1996, 1998, 2000; Olweus et al., 1999;
Benbenishty, et al. 2000; Nansel et al. 2001) They again reinforce the “matroyshka
model”, the hierarchical organization of school violence (Benbenishty and Astor,
2005, p. 113), in that a student’s gender, in the context of the school (which is in the
context of the neighborhood and the culture as a whole), influences the student’s
experience of school violence.
The girls in this study were far more concerned about verbal-social
victimization, While direct forms of school violence are readily observable, such
indirect forms of aggression, used more often by female bullies are “less visible and
sneakier means of harassment” (Olweus, 1993, p.59).
Verbal-social bullying often remains undetected, leaving victims without
support from their parents, teachers or other school personnel (Owens et al. 2000).
Girls subjected to this form of bullying reported
“embarrassment, anger, worry, fear, humiliation, loneliness,
self-consciousness, betrayal and sadness” (Owens & McMullin,
1995, p. 367)

and students exposed to this form of victimization were more likely to experience
suicidal ideation than those exposed to more direct forms of bullying (Baldry &
Winkel, 2003).

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Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Size
Findings for research question two revealed that, as the fifth graders
transitioned into middle school and became new sixth graders, both male and female
participants reported feeling uncomfortable, alienated and insecure because they were
newcomers to the middle school campus. Sixth grade boys and girls reported that they
were fearful of being targeted because they were smaller in physical stature than the
seventh and eighth graders. These students also reported that they were called
demeaning nicknames, such as “midget.” Based on the fifth and sixth grade student
responses, it may be concluded that both male and female fifth and sixth graders were
fearful of being victims of school violence because of their physical size.
It was noted by Olweus (1993) that “what characterizes victims of bullying is a
combination of anxious behavior and physical weakness” and that bullies, in contrast,
behave more aggressively and have greater physical strength (Benbenishty & Astor,
2005, p. 15). Research indicates, then, just how well-grounded were the fears and
apprehensions expressed by students in this investigation.
Students were also concerned about inadvertently breaking middle school rules
and suffering the consequences. It is understandable that students entering the
unfamiliar physical surroundings of a middle school, being required to navigate within
it to reach classes in several different classrooms, would feel some uncertainty, having
been cast into what has been called “the Bermuda Triangle of public education.”(
Juvonen et al. 2004, p.1).

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Students’ Fears and Apprehensions and Intruders on Campus
Responses to questions under research question two revealed that sixth grade
middle school students witnessed broader types of violence than the fifth graders at
the elementary schools as a whole. However, sixth grade students did not express any
fear of potential violence by intruders on the middle school campus. Specifically, sixth
grade students’ fears and apprehensions were related to violence among other sixth
grade peers, as well as older and larger seventh and eighth grade students. Middle
school students were never concerned with violence caused by intruders, but male
sixth graders did express their concerns about the sale of illegal drugs on their middle
school campus.
Sixth Graders’ Strategies for Coping with the Middle School Transition
Sixth graders interviewed for this investigation did not report any reliance on
supportive resources at the middle school level for their transition to the new school
setting. The only mention of an educational professional from the middle school in
such a role was negative, i.e. “One of the nurses was supposed to show me around but
she never came”.
When it comes to obtaining information about the climate, culture, procedures
or potential for violence at the middle school, both fifth and sixth graders reported
that they turned to older siblings, friends or relatives attending school there. This
was also true when sixth graders experienced immediate concerns about their safety at
school, e.g. “my cousin, she has friends and she… if they try to beat me up, she’ll just
call her friends and they’ll come to help me.”

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Implications for Practice
Meeting Students’ Needs: Fifth and Sixth Graders
Throughout the study, student participants’ statements revealed that although
most educational professionals were aware of acts of violence that occur on their
school campuses, they were not aware of the degree to which fifth and sixth grade
students felt a sense of fear or apprehension towards this violence. Specifically, male
and female fifth grade students were concerned with violence among peers at their
elementary schools, among other things.
Fifth grade boys and girls were especially afraid of violent acts being
committed by intruders on their elementary school campuses. These fifth grade
students were so concerned with violence on their elementary school campuses, that
they did not have time to be preoccupied with the potential for violence that existed at
their new middle school. Instead, they must survive their year in fifth grade and then
prepare to make the move to sixth grade – middle school.
Once they were in sixth grade - middle school, male and female students
struggled to gather the support from older siblings, relatives, friends and neighbors, in
order to survive the transitional year, as their first year in sixth grade, middle school.
Although male sixth grade students were more fearful of violence at their middle
school, female sixth graders also felt a sense of uneasiness about violence among
peers at various times.
It is clear that both male and female sixth grade students felt uncomfortable,
alienated and insecure, as a result of being new on the middle school campus. They

111

were also fearful of being targeted because they are smaller in physical stature and are
subjected to being called demeaning nicknames. Sixth graders reported that they
received little support from their administrators, faculty and staff at the middle school.
Instead, these sixth graders must struggle to gather support in numbers from older
students, as they look to older siblings, relatives and friends, to develop their safety
net.
More awareness and resources in the form of peer assistance, “Big Brother,
Big Sister”, or some kind of buddy support programs must be provided to the new
sixth graders as a way of making their transition to middle school safer, more positive,
enlightening, and memorable. Sixth graders must be made to feel safe upon entering
middle school, in order to have a chance at academic, as well as social and emotional
progress.
Newman and Schwager (1992) affirm that student beliefs, interpretations, and
their perceptions of school can affect personal achievement; that is, how students view
themselves in the context of the classroom. These perceptions were associated with
student interest, persistence, task engagement, and task performance. Thus, students
must be given the right tools and support in order to transition successfully into their
new middle school.
Responses from Educational Personnel
All educational professional participants reported that they were doing their
best with the resources available to them on a site by site basis, in order to protect their
students from violence, or to support them in the transition to middle school. Some

112

educational professionals thought that they were in touch with the feelings,
apprehensions and needs of their students. Others had general assumptions of what
their students are thinking, or what they may need, but they were not in personal
contact with these fifth and sixth grade students in order to develop educational
professional – student relationships that make a difference.
Specifically, as they embark on their transition to middle school, fifth grade
students reported receiving support from some of their elementary school teachers.
Once the students became sixth graders in middle school, they reminisced about life as
a fifth grader at their old elementary school, as they recalled their old teachers from
the elementary school being more supportive and more helpful than their new middle
school teachers. Still, much more can be done to support these fifth grade students
who inevitably, must transition to sixth grade middle school – another step in life.
Certainly, educational professionals can develop programs that allow schools
to establish more personalized relationships with new students. This may include a
program that encourages “open door” activities, where students can interact openly
with administrators, faculty and staff. It is obvious that there must be a push to
improve communication between students and educational professionals at the
elementary, as well as the middle school. There must also be improved
communication among educational professionals between the elementary and middle
school.
Educational professionals who have participated in the study suggest that
district-wide programs that address school safety, as well as elementary school to

113

middle school teacher communication may be worth establishing, as a way of
increasing communication during the transition to middle school process. The goal
would be to discover the diverse, multi-level needs of exiting fifth graders, in order to
problem-solve and meet the needs of exiting fifth graders who later become incoming
sixth graders.
Paradise Middle School Transition Program
In May 2007 the Paradise Middle School’s principal and vice principal visited
the district’s elementary schools to address fifth grade students for 30–45 minutes to
assist in transitioning students from elementary school into middle schools,. This
event was intended to ease student anxiety as they quickly approach their transition to
middle school in August-September. The principal’s presentation was designed to
explain middle school policies, rules, traditions, school safety, class scheduling,
student support services, and extra-curricular activities. After the presentation, the
principal answered student questions and distributes pamphlets describing Paradise
Middle School.
A few weeks later (in June 2007), fifth graders boarded a school bus for a brief
ride through the city to visit their designated middle school. Eighth graders from a
leadership group met and greeted the fifth graders in the middle school gymnasium.
The school band played traditional school songs, which was followed by brief remarks
from the principal. The fifth grade students were then introduced to a few faculty
members before viewing a 10-minute slide show with audio that described the middle
school in greater detail.

114

Afterward, fifth grade students gathered in small groups and two eighth grade
leaders in each group explained the school’s climate. Fifth grade students then toured
the school and met their new teachers in their classroom. Usually, about 10–15 parents
of transitioning fifth graders attend this presentation each year, as a way to improve
their understanding of the middle school’s climate and learn about school policies and
procedures.
Administrators, teachers and staff have made a concerted effort to visit fifth
grade elementary schools and provide the following information in a more detailed,
reader-friendly, multi-lingual paper brochure and flyer handout form: informational
brochures describing the middle school, pre-registration class schedules, after-school
activities, extra-curricular activities, as well as an invitation to students and parents to
visit the middle school. This invitation to visit their middle school was designed for
parents and students as an informal information session at a specific date and time in
the morning or a second session that evening. The hope was to further reduce the level
of anxiety felt by incoming sixth graders and their families.
In June 2007, fifth grade students took part in a field trip to visit their new
middle school, as part of the middle school transition process. This study asked fifth
grade boys and girls specific questions about their visit to their future middle school.
Administrators and staff at Paradise Middle School have expressed their interest in the
results of this study. It is hoped that this study will assist teachers and administrators
in creating improved transitional programs to assist future fifth graders to transition
smoothly and successfully into sixth grade – middle school.

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A Successful Middle School Transition Program
The transition from elementary to middle school may be a difficult and
stressful, but necessary experience for students. Thus, middle schools must provide
guidance to students that address their changing emotional, social, academic and
developmental needs. According to McElroy (2000), middle schools must offer a
comprehensive counseling program, which includes (a) individual and group
counseling, (b) classroom guidance, (c) test interpretation, (d) skills-building
instruction, (e) parent education, and (f) assistance with parent and teacher
conferences. These counseling programs must work to facilitate successful transitions
from elementary to middle school, as well as from middle to high school. Students
must learn strategies to improve academic skills, conflict resolution to improve
discipline and an incentive program to recognize student accomplishments.
McElroy, an assistant principal at Crabapple Middle School, writes that the
sixth grade counselor coordinates the elementary to middle school transitional
program with other middle school counselors, as well as fifth grade teachers from
feeder schools. The program was developed to provide incoming sixth graders with
information about the programs and policies at Crabapple Middle School. This
comprehensive three step program consists of the following: the Bridges program,
visits to Crabapple by elementary students, and locker night (McElroy, 2000).
The Bridges program allows sixth graders at Crabapple to be selected by their
teachers who then work with the counselor to provide an overview of Crabapple
Middle School for rising fifth graders. The sixth grade Bridges students visit

116

classrooms at feeder elementary schools and discuss ways for fifth graders to be
successful at Crabapple. Fifth grade students from elementary school also visit and
tour Crabapple for a morning. Student members from the Bridges program give
visiting fifth graders an insight into life in middle school. At the end of the
presentation, sixth grade Bridges members take the fifth graders on a tour of
Crabapple classrooms (McElroy, 2000).
Finally, each year in August before the first day of school, incoming sixth
graders and their parents are invited to a "locker night" at Crabapple Middle School.
This is where incoming sixth graders learn to use lockers, because this may be a very
simple task, but still a stressful experience for elementary students who are moving to
middle school. Incoming sixth graders receive a locker number and combination from
the homeroom teacher. They are given time to practice opening the locker with their
parents, which many prove to reduce anxiety moments on the first day of middle
school (McElroy, 2000).
Future Research
As a result of time constraints, it was not possible to ask additional fifth or sixth
grade students any additional questions with regards to how they built their safety net
and coping systems at school. It would be interesting to ask students why they tend to
trust and rely on older siblings, relatives and friends, rather than their administrators,
faculty and staff. It is also worth investigating how students go about establishing a
system of support, which creates a safety net for them in order to survive their first
year in middle school.

117

It may be worthwhile extending this study into a longitudinal study, where fifth
grade students are tracked during their year in fifth grade and then the same students
are followed to middle school, when they become new sixth grade students. This
future study may be designed to document step-by-step activities, trends and personal
development. A future study of this type may provide greater insight into what actual
students experience – emotionally, physically, socially and psychologically during the
middle school transition process. At this point little research has been done on students
transitioning from fifth grade, elementary school to sixth grade, middle school.
A future study may also investigate in more detail, why fifth grade students
spend so much time trying to survive their year in fifth grade, given the prevalence of
violence at school. Fifth grade students appear to spend a tremendous amount of time
and energy surviving elementary school and its peer violence, as well as intruder
violence. So great are the apprehensions and fears that fifth graders spend little time
dwelling on their future transition to middle school. They rarely consider the
prevalence of violence at the new middle school campus. Educational professionals
appear to be uninformed and unaware of most of their fifth grade students’
apprehensions and fears. Specifically, fifth grade students’ fears related to intruder
violence on their secure elementary school campus must be investigated under the
topics of school safety and violence.
Summary
Hyman and Perone (1998) concluded that schools remain the safest public
setting for children and adolescents. Although school violence is generally not a

118

problem, some forms of school violence continue to manifest themselves. These forms
of violence may include intruder violence on secure, locked elementary schools.
Something must be done to address these valid and debilitating fears of intruder
violence that students must face, while attending elementary school.
Benbenishty, Astor, Zeira, and Vinokur (2002), along with other advocates of
eliminating school violence have recognized the need to focus on school violence and
its effects on students. Students need to identify positively with schools, as well as
achieve academic and social progress (Arnett & Walsleben, 1998). Researchers
believe that outcomes of their studies may potentially affect public opinion and
influence the adoption of future policies.
Students who hold qualitative and contextual fears toward school violence may
affect how politicians, educators, and parents define safe school in relationship to
federal laws such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2002), which is supposed to
promote all areas of school reform. No Child Left Behind should also strengthen and
streamline the Safe and Drug Free Schools (SDFS) program. This SDFS program
would effectively provide students with research-based drug- as well as violence-
prevention programs, along with strategies to improve school safety (Nealis, 2001).
Whatever it may be, continued efforts are necessary in order to alleviate students’
fears of violence on school campuses at all age and grade levels.

119

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APPENDICES
Appendix A: Focus Group Protocol – Fifth Grade
Fifth Grade Elementary Students Student Perception and Emerging Fear of School
Violence
Transitioning from Grade 5 to Grade 6
1. As a fifth grader, tell me about what you know about your new middle
school?
FOLLOW UP: Where did you hear this/get this?
FOLLOW UP: What did you think about that? (true, scary, etc.)
2. Did you ever visit your new middle school?
FOLLOW UP: Tell me about the visit….what did you like, not like,
what did you do/see?
FOLLOW UP: What did you think about your new middle school after
the visit?
3. If I asked you to be a coach – to help me do a better job of getting fifth
graders ready for going to sixth grade in a new school – what would you tell me to do?
What would help those fifth graders?
4. Different people can help fifth graders get ready – their teachers, or
even when they get to sixth grade, the sixth grade teachers can help. Or maybe the
older students, like 8
th
graders. Who do you think would do the best job helping fifth
graders? (or “who would you suggest I ask to help fifth graders get ready?”)

136

5. Tell me about the kinds of “bad” behavior you see at your elementary
school – what kinds of behaviors have you seen that get kids in trouble?
FOLLOW UP: Is it physical hurt or verbal hurt – threats?
6. I want you to think back on your year as a 5
th
grader in elementary
school and tell me if you have ever been afraid of any violence – dangerous things
happening at your elementary school.
FOLLOW UP: Do you know anyone who has been physically or
verbally hurt at your elementary school this year?
7. Are you now afraid or have you ever been afraid of school violence
(are you being hurt or was someone hurt either physically or verbally) at your
elementary school?
FOLLOW UP: If yes, what happened next?
FOLLOW UP: If yes, then what? what did they say or do?
FOLLOW UP: Did you feel safer after you told that person or not?
FOLLOW UP: Did you tell your parents what happened and how you
felt about the danger or violence at your elementary school?
8. Are you still afraid of being in danger - a target of school violence at
your elementary school?
9. Can you give me example of dangerous or scary things that happen at
your elementary school than at the middle school?

137

Appendix B: Focus Group Protocol – Sixth Grade
Sixth Grade Middle School Students Student Perception and Emerging Fear of School
Violence
Transitioning from Grade 5 to Grade 6
1. Did you ever visit your middle school when you were a 5
th
grader at
your old elementary school?
FOLLOW UP: When and why did you go to visit your new middle
school?
FOLLOW UP: What did you think about your new middle school after
the visit?
2. Did you receive information about your new middle school when you
were still a 5
th
grader in elementary school?
FOLLOW UP: If yes, who gave you the information on your new
middle school?
3. What were you expecting as you were getting ready to move to your 5
th

grade elementary school to your new 6
th
grade middle school?
FOLLOW UP: Did you have/problems any difficulties with the change
or were you afraid as you moved from 5
th
grade to 6
th
grade?
FOLLOW UP: Did anyone help you prepare for the move to middle
school? Teachers? Parents? Friends?
4. How did your elementary school teachers, staff or administrators help
you with the move from 5
th
grade elementary to 6
th
grade middle school?

138

FOLLOW UP: Did you attend orientations, field trips, fill out forms or
talk to students?
FOLLOW UP: What could they have done to better help you?
FOLLOW UP: Did you have older brothers, sisters, cousins or friends
at your new middle school and did they tell you about life in a middle
school?
5. How did your middle school teachers, staff or administrators help you
with the move from 5
th
grade elementary to 6
th
grade middle school?
FOLLOW UP: Did you have a counselor, teacher, a 7
th
grader or an 8
th

grader welcome you and help when you first started middle school?
FOLLOW UP: What could they have done to better help you?
6. Once you began classes at your new middle school, how did your
administrators (principal/assistant principal), teachers and counselors help you to
during the year?
7. What has been the best part about becoming a 6
th
grade student in
middle school?
8. What has been the worst part about becoming a 6
th
grade student in
middle school?
9. Tell me about the kinds of “bad” behavior you see at your middle
school – what kinds of behaviors have you seen that get kids in trouble?
FOLLOW UP: Can you explain the different types of hurtful or bad
behavior that you see at your middle school?

139

10. I want you to think back on your year as a 6
th
grader in middle school -
what were you most worried about while at school? Anything?
11. Where do you think more people break rules - at your middle school
than at your old elementary school? What kinds of rules do they break? What happens
when they break these rules?
12. Do you feel safe at your middle school?
FOLLOW UP: If not, how would you make your middle school a safer
place?
13. What rumors did you hear about your middle school (if any) when you
were a 5
th
grader in middle school?
FOLLOW UP: If yes, were you afraid to go to your new middle
school after you heard these rumors?
Frequency of School Violence
14. How many times this year have you seen students physically hurt -
abused at your middle school?
15. Do you think that physical hurt - abuse happens more often at your
middle school than at your old elementary school?
16. How many times this year have you heard students verbally hurt -
abused at your middle school?
17. Do you think that verbal hurt - abuse happens more often at your
middle school than at your old elementary school?

140

18. Can you give me an example of dangerous or scary things that you
have seen at your middle school?
Frequency of School Violence
19. How many times this year have you seen students physically hurt or
abused at your middle school?
20. Do you think that physical hurt or abuse happens more often at your
middle school than at your old elementary school?
21. How many times this year have you heard students verbally hurt or abused
at your middle school?
22. Do you think that verbal hurt or abuse happens more often at your middle
school than at your old elementary school?

141

Appendix C: Interview Protocol
Teacher/Counselor/Administrator - Elementary/Middle School Violence
1. How safe do you think students feel at your elementary/middle school
site?
2. How do you know that physical or verbal acts of violence have been
committed in the past or are being committed in the present by students at your
elementary/middle school?
3. To what extent do students openly communicate their perceptions and
fears of school violence to staff, teachers or administrators at your elementary/middle
school?
FOLLOW UP: Is there a difference between male and female students
who report their perceptions and fears of school violence?
FOLLOW UP: Which group (male or female) is more likely to report
their perceptions and fears of school violence?
4. What school or district programs and policies do you implement in
order to prevent school violence at your elementary/middle school?
Transition from Elementary to Middle School
5. How does your elementary/middle school prepare exiting 5
th
grade
elementary school students for a successful transition to 6
th
grade middle school?
6. Are there any specific district or school programs or procedures that
you and your faculty implement in order to promote a successful elementary to middle
school transition?

142

7. Are there any specific school programs or procedures that you and
your faculty implement, which have been developed especially for your school site
and the emerging needs of your students in order to promote a successful elementary
to middle school transition?
FOLLOW UP: Please feel free to discuss these programs and/or
procedures in detail.
FOLLOW UP: Do you offer any After-school support or information
sessions for parents with children moving from 5
th
grade elementary to
6
th
grade middle school?
8. How can teachers, staff, administrators, parents and the community
work together to better assist 5
th
graders in elementary to have a more positive
experience as they transition to 6
th
grade – middle school?

143

Appendix D: University IRB Forms

University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4038

INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH

*********************************************************************

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

An Investigation of Student Perceptions and Fears of Violence
Before and After Transitioning To Middle School

Educational Professionals
You are asked to participate in a research study conducted by, Wendy-Lee Bsela,
B.A.,M.A.,M.S.Ed. and Melora Sundt, Ph.D. (faculty advisor) from the Rossier
School of Education at the University of Southern California because you are a current
employee at the particular school site for the academic year 2006-2007. You were
selected as a possible participant in this study because you indicated that you were
interested in participating in an interview. You must be at least18 years of age to
participate. A total of 3 subjects will be selected from a group of educational
professionals at your school site to participate. Your participation is voluntary. You
should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not
understand, before deciding whether or not to participate.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore whether fifth graders
experience fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear is
related to school violence. The study will be limited to the expectations of middle
school students before and after their transition from Grade 5 into their middle school.
Of particular interest is the identification of possible sources for these apprehensions
and the experiences, as described by the students, and the strategies used to cope with
the feelings of fear.

PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, we would ask you to do the following
things:

144

Participate in a twenty to thirty minute tape recorded interview with Wendy-Lee
Bsela. This interview will last approximately twenty to thirty minutes. The recording
will be transcribed by the investigator or a professional transcriber.

During the interview, you will be asked to discuss whether fifth graders experience
fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear is related to
school violence. The interview will also address any specific school programs or
procedures that you and your faculty implement, which have been developed
especially for your school site and the emerging needs of your students in order to
promote a successful elementary to middle school transition. It should be noted that
you will not be asked to single out an individual by name, but instead will be asking
about groups of students.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
Any discomforts you may experience with questions may be managed by simply not
answering these questions. You will not be identified during the interview by name.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO SUBJECTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
You may not benefit from your participation in this research study. However, it is
hoped that the results may lead to explanations of how students overcome these
emerging fears and apprehensions. In turn, the results of this study may seek to better
assist teachers and administrators in creating improved transitional programs to assist
future fifth graders and help them transition smoothly and successfully into middle
school.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will not receive monetary payment for your participation.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be
identified with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your
permission or as required by law.

Only members of the research team will have access to the data associated with this
study. The data will be stored in the investigator’s home office in a locked file
cabinet/password protected computer. The personal information, research data, and
related records will be coded, stored, and secured for three years after the study has
been completed and then destroyed.

When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no
information will be included that would reveal your identity. If audio-tape recordings
of you will be used for educational purposes, your identity will be protected or
disguised. Audio-tapes will be secured in the home of the principal investigator and

145

destroyed three years after the completion of the study. You have the right to review
and/or edit your transcript in the presence of the researcher.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
You can choose whether to be in this study or not. If you volunteer to be in this study,
you may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. You may also
refuse to answer any questions you don’t want to answer and still remain in the study.
The investigator may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise which
warrant doing so.

ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
Your alternative is to not participate.

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH SUBJECTS
You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without
penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your
participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a
research subject, contact the University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for
Research Advancement, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Room 306, Los Angeles, CA
90089-1695, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu.

IDENTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATORS
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Wendy-Lee Bsela at nickybsela@hotmail.com or call at (208) 891-6262 or Dr. Melora
Sundt at sundt@usc.edu.

SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH SUBJECT

I have read (or someone has read to me) the information provided above. I have been
given a chance to ask questions. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction,
and I agree to participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.

□ I agree to be audio-taped

□ I do not want to be audio-taped

Name of Subject

Signature of Subject Date

146

SIGNATURE OF INVESTIGATOR

I have explained the research to the subject and answered all of his/her questions. I
believe that he/she understands the information described in this document and freely
consents to participate.

Name of Investigator

Signature of Investigator Date (must be the same as
subject’s)

147

University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4038

INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
PARENTAL PERMISSION

*********************************************************************

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

An Investigation of Student Perceptions and Fears of Violence
Before and After Transitioning To Middle School

Student Participants:
Your child is asked to participate in a research study conducted by, Wendy-Lee Bsela,
B.A.,M.A.,M.S.Ed. and Melora Sundt, Ph.D. (faculty advisor) from the Rossier
School of Education at the University of Southern California because your child is a
current student at the particular school site for the academic year 2006-2007. Your
child was selected as a possible participant in this study because he/she is a 5
th
grade or
6
th
grade student who attends or has attended one of the two elementary schools and/or
the middle school involved in this study. A total of 12 subjects (6 boys and 6 girls)
will be selected from your child’s school to participate. Your child’s participation is
voluntary. Your child does not have to participate in the study even if you agree to
allow him/her to participate. The final decision to participate lies with your child. You
should read the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not
understand, before deciding whether or not to participate.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this case study is to see whether fifth graders experience fear and
concerns when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear is related to violence at
school. The study will be limited to the expectations of middle school students before
and after their transition from Grade 5 into their middle school. The study will look for
possible reasons for these concerns and the experiences, as described by the students
and the strategies used to cope with the feelings of fear as they move from 5
th
grade
elementary to 6
th
grade middle school.

148

PROCEDURES
If your child volunteers to participate in this study, we would ask your child to do the
following things:

Participate in a twenty to thirty minute tape recorded focus group consisting of
approximately 6 students, all male or all female, with Wendy-Lee Bsela. This focus
group will last approximately twenty to thirty minutes. The recording will be
transcribed by the investigator or a professional transcriber.

During the focus group, your child will be asked to discuss whether fifth graders
experience fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear is
related to school violence. The interview will also address any specific school
programs or procedures that your school faculty uses, which have been developed
especially for the school site to help students move from elementary to middle school
with few problems and concerns. It should be noted that your child will not be asked
to single out someone by name, but instead will be asking about groups of students.
The questions your child will be asked are included in this packet.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
Any discomforts your child may experience with questions may be managed by
simply not answering these questions. A school counselor and/or upper grade
elementary behavior support team teachers will be present during the focus group
sessions. Your child will not be identified during the focus group by his/her name.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO SUBJECTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
Your child may not benefit from his/her participation in this research study. However,
it is hoped that the results may lead to explanations of how students overcome these
emerging fears and concerns. In turn, the results of this study may help teachers and
administrators in creating improved transitional programs to assist future fifth graders
and help them transition smoothly and successfully into 6
th
grade middle school.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
Your child will not receive monetary payment for your participation.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be
identified with your child will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with
your permission or as required by law.

Due to the nature of the focus group, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed; your child
will be asked not to discuss the focus group with his/her friends.

149

Only members of the research team will have access to the data associated with this
study. The data will be stored in the investigator’s home office in a locked file
cabinet/password protected computer. The personal information, research data, and
related records will be coded, stored, and secured for three years after the study has
been completed and then destroyed.

When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no
information will be included that would reveal your child’s identity. Audio-tapes will
be secured in the home of the principal investigator and destroyed three years after the
completion of the study. Your child has the right to review and/or edit your transcript
in the presence of the researcher.

Your child’s grades will not be affected whether or not your child participates in this
research study.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
Your child can choose whether to be in this study or not. If your child volunteers to
be in this study, your child may withdraw at any time without consequences of any
kind. Your child may also refuse to answer any questions your child does not want to
answer and still remain in the study. The investigator may withdraw your child from
this research if circumstances arise which warrant doing so.

ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
Your child’s alternative is to not participate. Your child’s grades will not be affected
whether or not s/he participates.

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH SUBJECTS
You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without
penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your
child’s participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights
as a research subject, contact the University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for
Research Advancement, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Room 306, Los Angeles, CA
90089-1695, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu.

IDENTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATORS
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Wendy-Lee Bsela at nickybsela@hotmail.com or call at (208) 891-6262 or Dr. Melora
Sundt at sundt@usc.edu.

150

SIGNATURE OF PARENT

I have read the information provided above. I have been given a chance to ask
questions. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study and have our child(ren) participate in this study. I have been
given a copy of this form.

□ I agree to allow my child to be audio-taped

□ I do not want my child to be audio-taped

Name of Subject

Name of Parent

Signature of Parent Date

SIGNATURE OF INVESTIGATOR

I have explained the research to the subject and his/her parent, and answered all of
their questions. I believe that the parent understand the information described in this
document and freely consents to participate.

Name of Investigator

Signature of Investigator Date (must be the same as
subject’s/parent’s)

151

University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
Waite Phillips Hall
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4038

INFORMED CONSENT FOR NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
FOR YOUTH (AGES 12-17)

*********************************************************************

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH

An Investigation of Student Perceptions and Fears of Violence
Before and After Transitioning To Middle School

You are asked to participate in a research study conducted by, Wendy-Lee Bsela,
B.A.,M.A.,M.S.Ed. and Melora Sundt, Ph.D. (faculty advisor) from the Rossier
School of Education at the University of Southern California. You were selected as a
possible participant in this study because you are a current student at the particular
school site for the academic year 2006-2007. A total of 12 subjects will be selected
from your school site to participate. Your participation is voluntary. You should read
the information below, and ask questions about anything you do not understand,
before deciding whether or not to participate. Your parent’s permission will be sought;
however, the final decision is yours. Even if your parents agree to your participation,
you don’t have to participate if you don’t want to.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this case study is to see whether fifth graders experience fear and
concerns when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear is related to violence at
school. The study will be limited to the expectations of middle school students before
and after their transition from Grade 5 into their middle school. The study will look for
possible reasons for these concerns and the experiences, as described by the students
and the strategies used to cope with the feelings of fear as they move from 5
th
grade
elementary to 6
th
grade middle school.

PROCEDURES
If you volunteer to participate in this study, we would ask you to do the following
things:

152

Participate in a twenty to thirty minute tape recorded focus group consisting of
approximately 6 students, either all boys or all girls, with Wendy-Lee Bsela. This
focus group will last approximately twenty to thirty minutes. The recording will be
transcribed by the investigator or a professional transcriber.

During the focus group, you will be asked to talk about whether fifth graders
experience fear and concerns when they enter sixth grade, and whether this fear is
related to violence at school. The interview will also cover any specific school
programs or procedures that teachers, administrators, etc., in your school use, which
have been developed especially for your school to help students move from
elementary to middle school with few problems and concerns. You will not be asked
to single out someone by name, but instead will be asking about groups of students.

POTENTIAL RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS
You do not have to answer any questions which may make you feel uncomfortable. A
school counselor and/or behavior support team teachers will be present during the
focus group sessions. You will not be identified during the focus group by your name.
You will be given a false name (pseudonym)

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO SUBJECTS AND/OR TO SOCIETY
You may not benefit from being a part of this research study. However, it is hoped that
the results may help teachers and administrators in creating improved programs to
help future fifth graders and help them transition smoothly and successfully into
middle school.

PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
You will not receive monetary payment for participation.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Any information that is obtained in connection with this study and that can be
identified with you will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your
permission or as required by law.

In order to maintain the confidentiality of the focus group, you are asked not to discuss
the focus group with your friends.

Only members of the research team will have access to the data associated with this
study. The data will be stored in the investigator’s office in a locked file
cabinet/password protected computer. Your parents or teachers will not have access to
the data or study results. No one except your parents and the research team will know
you participated. Your grades will not be affected whether or not you participate.

153

The data will be stored in the investigator’s home office in a locked file
cabinet/password protected computer. The personal information, research data, and
related records will be coded, stored, and secured for three years after the study has
been completed and then destroyed.

When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no
information will be included that would reveal your identity.. Audio-tapes will be
secured in the home of the principal investigator and destroyed three years after the
completion of the study. You have the right to review and/or edit your transcript in the
presence of the researchers.

PARTICIPATION AND WITHDRAWAL
You can choose whether to be in this study or not. If you volunteer to be in this study,
you may withdraw at any time without consequences of any kind. You may also
refuse to answer any questions you don’t want to answer and still remain in the study.
The investigator may withdraw you from this research if circumstances arise which
warrant doing so.

ALTERNATIVES TO PARTICIPATION
Your alternative is to not participate. Your grades will not be affected whether or not
you participate.

RIGHTS OF RESEARCH SUBJECTS
You may withdraw your consent at any time and discontinue participation without
penalty. You are not waiving any legal claims, rights or remedies because of your
participation in this research study. If you have questions regarding your rights as a
research subject, contact the University Park IRB, Office of the Vice Provost for
Research Advancement, Grace Ford Salvatori Hall, Room 306, Los Angeles, CA
90089-1695, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu.

IDENTIFICATION OF INVESTIGATORS
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please feel free to contact
Wendy-Lee Bsela at nickybsela@hotmail.com or call at (208) 891-6262 and Dr.
Melora Sundt at sundt@usc.edu.

154

SIGNATURE OF RESEARCH SUBJECT

I have read the information provided above. I have been given a chance to ask
questions. My questions have been answered to my satisfaction, and I agree to
participate in this study. I have been given a copy of this form.

□ I agree to be audio-taped

□ I do not want to be audio-taped

Name of Subject

Signature of Subject Date

SIGNATURE OF INVESTIGATOR

I have explained the research to the subject and answered all of his/her questions. I
believe that he/she understands the information described in this document and freely
consents to participate.

Name of Investigator

Signature of Investigator Date (must be the same as
subject’s)

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This qualitative case study explored the extent to which fifth graders experienced fear and trepidation when they enter sixth grade, and whether or not this fear was related to school violence. The study was limited to the expectations of present elementary and middle school students before and after they transitioned from Grade five to middle school. Of particular interest was the identification of possible sources for the students apprehensions, along with the strategies they used to cope with their feelings of fear.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Bsela, Wendy-Lee Nicole (author)

Core Title An investigation of students' perceptions and fears before and after transitioning to middle school

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 08/02/2008

Defense Date 12/11/2007

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag OAI-PMH Harvest,school violence,students' perceptions and fears,transition to middle school

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Sundt, Melora A. (committee chair), Astor, Ron Avi (committee member), Hunt, Felicia (committee member)

Creator Email nickybsela@gmail.com,nickybsela@hotmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-m1455

Unique identifier UC1105939

Identifier etd-Bsela-20080802 (filename),usctheses-m40 (legacy collection record id),usctheses-c127-91706 (legacy record id),usctheses-m1455 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-Bsela-20080802.pdf

Dmrecord 91706

Document Type Dissertation

Rights Bsela, Wendy-Lee Nicole

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Repository Name Libraries, University of Southern California

Repository Location Los Angeles, California

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu