The Importance of Social Growth

June 2014 | Main points | EDS 206

Transferring Schools and Friendships

Contents
The Importance of Social Growth 1

Transferring Schools and
Friendships 1-2

A local high school teachers
observations 2

Sociogram 2

Selected interview questions and
responses 3

Making Sense of the Information 4

Implications and Questions 4

References 4

According to Educations national survey data in 2010, About 11.5% of schools
had high rates of mobility more than 10% of K-8 students left by the end of the
school year (Ashby, p.1). It is important to note that this number does not include
students who transferred midyear in high school and students that transfer
schools between grade levels. This is a large percentage of students that not only
face their day to day challenges, but also the challenges of switching and adjusting
to new schools. A lot of recent research and funding in education has been on
curriculum and technology improvements with hardly any on students social and
emotional growth. Based on a local teachers observation, when a student
transfers, the last thing on their mind is the curriculum and technology; the
students are preoccupied with fitting in and finding their peer group.

The social life of transfer students is an area that must be discussed in more detail.
This is an important topic because students spend much of their childhood with
their friends and peers. It is human nature for a person to care about their health
and sense of belongingness. Peer connectedness and friendships are especially
vital for adolescence as they navigate in finding their own identity. Although it is
still important to think about curriculum and technology, more time must be spent
of the social health of students, especially the transfer students. This inquiry brief
is designed to open up the discussion about this topic and inform the reader of
some current research and a local teachers observations that align with the
friendships of transfer students.
There are 3 peer-reviewed research studies used for this inquiry brief. Each study
focused on a different type of transfer student at a variety of grade levels.

The first study from the UK analyzed gender differences in the friendships of
students who transferred from primary to secondary school. This study found that
the priorities of the student groups depended on the schools culture (Pratt &
Nicholas Hein


How does
transferring schools
midyear affect the
social life of the
transfer students?

An inquiry brief for teachers, administration, and parents
with a disruption in their friendships
or weaker adult relationships; many
formed a resilient stance (Kirshner,
Gaertner, & Pozzoboni, 2010).

The third study was on high school
transfer students and their transition
to college. There is one finding in this
study relevant to this inquiry brief. It
found that timing of transferring
schools can throw off a students
participation in sports and other
school sponsored activities that are
organized around the academic
calendar (Sutton, Muller, &
Langenkamp, 2013). It adds a
challenge for the social life of transfer
students and affects their friendships
indirectly since it takes away an
opportunity for some students to find
their peer groups.







A local high school teachers observations






























Figure 1: Sociogram of 10th and 11th grade Geometry class.


2
George, 2005).It also found that
stability of school friendships across
school transitions is related to the
school adjustment, and that the
students who made more stable
friendships showed higher levels of
sociability (Pratt & George, 2005).
Lastly, this study suggested that
children who have close friendships
upon entering their new schools are
able to get to know the friends of
their friends and develop a positive
set of relationships.

A second study focused the effect of
high school closure on displaced
students. The main points of this
study are that displaced students
voiced concerns about their safety
crossing gang-identified boundaries
and that 40% of the students
experienced relationship struggles
Sociogram background
The sociogram took place in a Geometry
class with 10
th
and 11
th
grade students.
This specific one was drawn when
students were given the opportunity to
work on their classwork and could
choose who they worked with granted
teacher permission. The class was
composed of 18 students. It is important
to note that the back right corner with
the transfer students were composed of
all males and the group in the back
middle was composed of all females.
The students that did not move seats or
were part of these two groups worked
with their partner and were mixed with
both males and females.
The priorities of the student groups depended on the schools culture
(Pratt & George, 2005).

A local high school teacher in San Diego was interested in the social relationships
of transfer students since his classes had students leaving and transfer students
coming in throughout the year. He decided to focus primarily on his Geometry
class of 10
th
and 11
th
grade students who recently had 3 students transfer into his
class. The data collections he used were a sociogram (figure 1 below) and
interviews. The teacher interviewed 4 people: a 10
th
grade transfer student, an
11
th
grade transfer student, a college student who transferred back in high school,
and another college student who did not transfer himself, but remembered a
student transferring into his class midyear.
Sociogram



Q1: Do you remember when you transferred schools midyear? If so, what do you
remember about it?
A:
Yes, I remember
that the first few
days were easy. I
felt that I could get
use to it.

B:
Yes, I was not
100% with the idea.
I was scared
because I didnt
know anybody but
my sister and her
boyfriend.
C:
Yes, it was my
Junior year of high
school. It was
nerve-wracking. It
was a different
element for me and
I had to rely on
myself.
D:
I vaguely
remember the
student transferring
into my high school
classroom. It was
no big deal. He was
outgoing and was
not ostracized.
Q2: After you transferred schools, how did you initially feel socially in classes?
At breaks and lunches? Outside of school?
A:
In classes, I felt
fine. I was a bit
more open. At
breaks and lunches,
I felt about the
same. Outside of
school, I had no
problems, not at
all.
B:
In classes, I was
not lonely. I felt
indifferent going
with the flow. At
breaks and lunches,
I did feel lonely at
the beginning and
would just do my
own stuff. I felt
much more social
outside of school
because of my old
friends.
C:
In classes, my
feelings were in the
middle; I felt kind
of left out but I felt
some confidence.
At breaks and
lunches, when I did
stay for lunch, I ate
with the teachers
since the teachers
made me feel
comfortable.
Outside of school, I
was very out of
place and shy.
D:
In classes, he was
trying to be top dog
and find his group.
At breaks and
lunches, he hung
out with the
popular students. I
dont know about
how it was outside
of school.
Q3: Did those feelings change over time? If yes, could you describe how those
feelings changed over time?
A:
Ya, I am more
active now. I talk
more and I am
more focused so I
can just finish high
school.
B:
Yes, definitely. I
made new friends
and everything
about the school
seemed to
improve.
C:
Yes. Over time, I
had more
confidence in my
work and myself
since I started to
know the
environment.
D:
I cannot recall.

Q4: After you transferred schools, could you describe what it was like to make
friends?
A:
The students came
up to me. They
introduced
themselves to me.
They seemed
friendly and that
they got their work
done.
B:
It wasnt hard
since it is a small
school. The
students were nice
and social, and the
other students
approached me.
From the first few
friends, I met
everybody else.
C:
It took time, about
2 weeks. The other
students
approached me and
made me feel more
comfortable, but I
made new friends
soon after that.
D:
From my
perspective, it
looked like he had
an easier time that
a typical transfer
student might.
Q5: After you transferred schools, could you describe your relationship with
your old friends?
A:
I am still friends
with them. Some
might even come
here with me. The
friendships have
stayed the same.
B:
I had a lot of
contact with my old
friends after I
transferred. As I
made new friends, I
still talk to my old
friends, but there is
not as much time
spent together.
C:
I stayed in touch.
It showed me
which friends were
real and which
friends were fake.
D:
I wouldnt know.

3

Student Responses
I was not 100% with the
idea. I was scared because
I didnt know anybody but
my sister and her
boyfriend.- 10
th
grade
transfer student

The students came up to
me. They introduced
themselves to me.- 11
th

grade transfer student

At breaks and lunches,
when I did stay for lunch, I
ate with the teachers since
the teachers made me feel
comfortable- College
student recalling his
transfer in 11
th
grade

Selected interview questions and responses
Interviewees:
A: 10
th
grade transfer student
B: 11
th
grade transfer student
C: College student recalling his transfer in 11
th

grade
D: College students recall about student
transferring into his high school class










4
When looking at the research and the local high school teachers sociogram and
observations, the main idea that jumps out is the importance of the school culture
in providing a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for transfer
students. Analyzing the interviews reveals that the students made their first
friends when students of the school came up to them first; the transfer students
themselves did not have to go out of their way to make friends. The sociogram
supports this finding since many of the students approached the transfer students
given the chance. Furthermore, this aligns with the research on students
transferring from primary to secondary school when the research mentions that
the priorities of the student groups depend on the school culture. Since the
research is on a different time of transfer and younger age group, it illustrates
that school culture is a big factor for the social aspect and ease of transition for
transfer students regardless of the age and time they transfer.

In addition to this, the data also suggests the importance of teacher relationships.
The college student recalling his transfer relied on having lunch with the teacher
since the teacher made him feel comfortable easing his transition to the new
school. This is important because based on the interviews, breaks and lunches
tended to be the hardest part for transfer students and their social growth.
Teacher relationships are also vital since the research found that 40% of students
experienced weaker relationships after transferring. Although the students also
reported weaker relationships with adults, a relationship with the teacher can still
help the teacher get to know the student and hopefully help the teacher find ways
to incorporate the students strengths more into the class for other students to
recognize and value and then befriend the transfer student.
Ashby, Cornelia (2010) GAO Highlights. Many Challenges Arise in Educating Students Who Change Schools Frequently, 1. Retrieved
from http://www.gao.gov/assets/320/312489.pdf.
Kirshner, B., Gaertner, M., & Pozzoboni, K. (2010). Tracing transitions: effect of high school closure on displaced students.
Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 32 (3), 407-429.
Pratt, S. & George, R. (2005). Transferring friendship: girls and boys friendships in the transitions from primary to secondary school.
Children & Society Volume, 19, 16-26.
Sutton, A., Muller, C., Langenkamp, A., (2012). High school transfer students and the transition to college: timing and the structure o
f the school year. Sociology of Education, 86 (1), 63-82.
Putting It All Together
The school culture is a big
factor for the social aspect
and ease of transition for
transfer students
regardless of the age and
time they transfer.

The college student
recalling his transfer relied
on having lunch with the
teacher since the teacher
made him feel comfortable
easing his transition to the
new school.
Making Sense of the Information
References
Implications and Questions
After analyzing and putting together the data from the observations, interviews, and research, it leaves a lot of implications
and questions that need to be pursued. The first implication this means is that research, funding, and schools need to place a
larger emphasis on their school culture. Nearly all schools will have students transferring into their school midyear or
between grade levels and it was revealed that the students first and main concern after transferring is their social life. A
school needs to provide a school culture that welcomes transfer students to make this transition easier so students can focus
on the curriculum and technology improvements because if the school culture is disregarded, the emphasis on curriculum and
technology will not be able to reach its full potential since the transfer students will be distracted with their social life on their
mind. This information also implies the importance for teachers to form relationships with transfer students and keep their
doors open to them during breaks and lunches. Teacher relationships were shown to be crucial for transfer students and since
breaks and lunches are the hardest transition for the students, an open door and welcoming teacher helps the social life of
the student. If the school culture is strong and welcoming, based on the research, students will approach the transfer
students first and this will be when the transfer student will no longer need to stay in the teachers room during breaks and
lunches. As a parent, it is important to find a school that feels inviting and teachers willing to form these relationships.
In addition to these implications, there are questions that need to be considered. One of the questions and areas that need
to be researched is why the students transferred. Does mandatory transferring result in different social experiences than
voluntary transferring? Furthermore, the word transfer needs to be defined in more detail. Did the distance transferred make
any difference? Does the location from where students transferred to where students are transferring to make any
difference? These questions should help clarify the affect of transferring schools midyear on the social life of the students.