How Lab Helps Ninth Graders Adjust to High School

High school is a chapter of nostalgia for many adults, and many freshmen are told that these four years are ones to be cherished. However, before the fun and learning kick into gear, students in New York City have to go through a process that other students around the country do not deal with. The rigorous high school application procedure mirroring the college entry, and the steep social and academic adaptation to a new environment with an often entirely new group of students, distinguishes the New York City public school system from the rest of the country. 

Before diving into the numbers and anecdotes of this transition, it is important to provide some context that this generation of students has grown up with different circumstances than those who came before us. In 2020, a global pandemic like no other struck society, interrupting the end of Lab's Class of 2028's time at elementary school, which is a critical time for childhood development, according to a study conducted by the National Research Council. This affected how our generation views academics, as well as our performance and knowledge levels, which 9th-grade teachers will have to adapt to, as Ms. Johrden mentioned in our conversation.

A Gallup survey of Gen Z students found that 10% percent fewer students reported that they had learned something interesting at school in the last week in comparison to older peers. This proves the need for increased investment from the student side of things, as personal investment in coursework has been shown to have correlations to higher marks on exams. Additionally, that same Gallup survey determined that only 25% of Gen Z students believed that teachers “helped you think about future jobs or education.” This is incredibly concerning since high school is meant to be a bridge to an eventual place in the workforce. For many American students, school staff may be the most informed people on the college application process and the workforce in their lives. Schools need to become better at preparing students for the workforce, but for that to occur, students need to be willing to listen to the guidance of the experts on these topics, which students have access to in their schools.

Almost three months ago, the New York City Lab High School for Collaborative Studies welcomed over 100 new freshmen to their academic community. As a touted school to many middle school students, Lab is quite adept at allowing students to adjust to their new environment. The school’s emphasis on social-emotional learning creates a comfortable environment which helps students adjust seamlessly. 

Mariah Anderson, a tenth grade student, came to the Lab school with a friend, so that was helpful for her to adjust. As the extroverted person in the duo, Mariah was able to talk with others and was able to find people who she liked through her classes. She says that “at a smaller school like Lab it is easier to find your place.” Unlike at larger schools, everyone has a chance to find a support group and friend system, something that the school’s staff assisted her in finding. 

In other states, the transition between different levels of education is less drastic, since students stay with the same group from elementary into high school education. As a group of more than 100 students from all over the city come together in a new learning environment, faculty and students must be on the same page to ensure the success of the grade.

Fiona Mott, a tenth grade student, advises younger peers to be open to adapting to the learning style and teachers at Lab. She suggests that students “should balance their social and academic life, ensuring that they keep up with their schoolwork while also feeling fulfilled socially and like they have a place in the school community.” Additionally, she suggests that students figure out the complex hallway system, as it will “change their lives as they rush from class to class in the oddly configured building.”

As someone who takes multiple classes with a plethora of tenth graders, I can confirm that they have been incredibly welcoming to the newer ninth graders, and have assisted me in navigating the complex hallway system that Fiona spoke of. Fiona mentioned that as a transfer student, these support systems are important, and Lab does a great job. I have been impressed by how the 9th grade teachers have been so supportive through this acclimation process, and I wanted to talk with them to see how they could do this so well.

Ms. Johrden, a ninth grade Global History teacher, says “we try to teach executive functioning support, by teaching important skills to succeed in high school, like time management. To ensure that our standards are similar to those in other classes, we are collaborating with fellow teachers of the ninth grade.” As someone who teaches most of ninth grade, Ms. Johrden has her hands full with students coming into Lab with varying levels of proficiency. Unlike the STEM subjects where students are placed into courses based on their previous experiences, english and history teachers have to instruct students with varying educational backgrounds on the same coursework, but in a rigorous manner where students are also understanding the material.

Even though the tenth graders provided valuable insight, I also wanted to talk with the ninth graders, to hear how this year has been for them. Jomi Legarda, a ninth grader, says that the acclimation has been “pretty easy” so far. The coursework has been “a little bit harder than middle school,” but he claims that if he “manages his time better, his understanding and output will improve.”

Lab is a well-rounded school that not only teaches students chemistry and geometry, but life skills that are applicable to the real world and life after college. Even though the workload has been lighter than many other schools, Lab’s methodology, from Principal Jackson to the teachers, is instrumental in ensuring the success of students after leaving Lab, as they head toward their next big adventure.