Downtown Austin
Fifth Grade Concerns
RECEIVED Fri., March 19, 2021
Dear Editor,
Me and my daughter love The Austin Chronicle. She is 10 years old and has written an article about middle school transition from elementary. Could you consider it for publishing it:
The transition from elementary to middle is one of the scariest things for a fifth grader. There are two types of schools: magnet schools and zoned schools. Magnet schools are schools you must apply to. They may or may not accept your application. It is really nerve wracking waiting for the application letter. Zoned schools are schools you need to go to unless you apply to a different school. Anyway I started talking to some friends who attend the magnet program. They say that it is very difficult to get in and is just as hard to stay in. One of the hardest things is preparation. You have to study and put a lot of effort into it. Some good ways to prepare are to do STARR tests from previous years of fifth grade, and do research on how to write good essays. Websites like khan academy or videos on C.E.Os talking about their public speaking experiences are very helpful. Also I have been getting goosebumps about the application. I had a dream that everyone in the world got in the magnet school except for me. I’ve also had thoughts that I shouldn’t have applied, because if I don’t get in I feel like I have disappointed my family.
Even if I don’t get into the magnet I will have learned so much from the application. I am thankful I had the chance to apply. Middle school is the next chapter in my life, and there are many changes coming along the way, but for now I have fifth grade to worry about.
Me and my daughter love The Austin Chronicle. She is 10 years old and has written an article about middle school transition from elementary. Could you consider it for publishing it:
The transition from elementary to middle is one of the scariest things for a fifth grader. There are two types of schools: magnet schools and zoned schools. Magnet schools are schools you must apply to. They may or may not accept your application. It is really nerve wracking waiting for the application letter. Zoned schools are schools you need to go to unless you apply to a different school. Anyway I started talking to some friends who attend the magnet program. They say that it is very difficult to get in and is just as hard to stay in. One of the hardest things is preparation. You have to study and put a lot of effort into it. Some good ways to prepare are to do STARR tests from previous years of fifth grade, and do research on how to write good essays. Websites like khan academy or videos on C.E.Os talking about their public speaking experiences are very helpful. Also I have been getting goosebumps about the application. I had a dream that everyone in the world got in the magnet school except for me. I’ve also had thoughts that I shouldn’t have applied, because if I don’t get in I feel like I have disappointed my family.
Even if I don’t get into the magnet I will have learned so much from the application. I am thankful I had the chance to apply. Middle school is the next chapter in my life, and there are many changes coming along the way, but for now I have fifth grade to worry about.
Deepak Singh