Strategies For Supporting Students During School Transitions

I’ve lived the student struggle. Now, I teach institutions how to do better. As a first-gen college graduate, I’ve been there, navigating the transition from college to the job market without clear guidance. It was overwhelming, isolating, and filled with endless self-doubt. I remember feeling like I was alone in the struggle, unsure of where to turn or who would understand. But here’s the thing: Students don’t need to feel this way. Institutions have the power to make these transitions smoother, more empowering, and less uncertain. Here’s how: ✅ 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. When I was a student, all I wanted was to feel seen and heard. Institutions can make a huge difference by: → Listening to their experiences. → Creating safe spaces where students can share openly. → Acknowledging their unique challenges, especially for first-gen and underserved students. ✅ 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁. One-size-fits-all advice doesn’t cut it. Personalization is key: → Offer personalized career coaching that speaks to their specific goals. → Connect students with mentors who truly understand their journey. → Create opportunities for career exploration that align with their passions, not just their degrees. ✅ 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁. Life is full of challenges, but it's also about resilience and growth. Here’s what students need to keep pushing forward: → Teach them to see challenges as opportunities, not roadblocks. → Host workshops on resilience, confidence, and leadership. → Celebrate their wins—big or small—to keep them motivated and remind them how far they’ve come. When institutions step up, students thrive. They don’t just survive—they excel. They feel seen, supported, and empowered with clarity. It's not just about preparing students for careers—it’s about equipping them with the tools needed to navigate today's uncertain job market. What’s one way your institution supports students during transitions? 👉 Let’s share ideas to make a bigger impact! PS. My 2025 College + University Speaking Tour Continues! Today, I’ll be at Felician University and Georgian Court University guiding students on leveraging their strengths to develop their career paths and craft their personal mission statements.

In early childhood education, the Pyramid Model is a valuable framework for supporting successful transitions. Here’s how you can apply it: 1. Promoting Positive Relationships: • Encourage teachers, caregivers, and parents to build strong, positive relationships with children. This helps create a sense of security during transitions. 2. Creating Supportive Environments: • Ensure that the old and new environments meet the child’s needs. Consistency in routines and familiar objects can ease transitions. 3. Teaching Social-Emotional Skills: • Use the Pyramid Model’s strategies to teach social-emotional skills like self-regulation and problem-solving. These skills can help children cope with change. 4. Providing Clear Communication: • Communicate effectively with parents and caregivers about upcoming transitions. Sharing information and addressing concerns can reduce anxiety. 5. Individualized Support: • Recognize that each child is unique. Provide individualized support based on their developmental level, temperament, and specific needs. 6. Collaboration among Adults: • Ensure that educators, caregivers, and parents work together. Collaborative efforts can make transitions smoother for children. 7. Transition Plans: • Develop transition plans that outline step-by-step procedures for the child and adults involved. Having a plan in place can reduce uncertainty. 8. Gradual Transitions: • Whenever possible, introduce changes gradually. Gradual transitions give children time to adjust and feel more comfortable. 9. Monitoring and Evaluation: • Continuously assess how well transitions are working. Adjust your approach as needed to meet the child’s evolving needs. 10. Emotional Support: • Be sensitive to the emotional aspects of transitions. Offer comfort and reassurance to children who may be feeling anxious or sad. By applying these principles from the Pyramid Model, you can help ensure successful transitions for young children in educational settings.

When we talk about accommodations, there’s a critical gap we often overlook: the transition from high school to college. In high school, students with disabilities often have IEPs or 504 Plans, along with a team of teachers and counselors helping them navigate and advocate for accommodations. However, once they reach college, many find themselves in an environment that shifts the responsibility almost entirely onto them—with far fewer resources and support to back them up. Most college disability offices across the country are well-intentioned, but many aren’t fully equipped to bridge this transition effectively. Too often, students with disabilities are expected to know what accommodations they need, how to request them, and how to navigate complex systems—all without the guidance they once had in primary school. This expectation places an enormous burden on young adults who are already adjusting to new academic and social pressures. Instead of pointing the finger at students to have all the answers, college disability offices should be proactive allies. Imagine if colleges prioritized: • Proactive Orientation Programs for students with disabilities, covering available accommodations, self-advocacy strategies, and campus resources. • Staff Training on inclusive support that doesn’t assume students know what to request, but instead helps them explore their options. • Clear, Accessible Information on accommodations, eliminating the need for students to dig for resources they may not even know exist. As a disability advocate, and someone who has gone through the system to a professional program and now a career- I see firsthand the challenges students face in navigating this transition. We need a cultural shift in higher education where supporting students with disabilities isn’t about minimum compliance but about empowering them to succeed. #DisabilityAdvocacy #HigherEducation #Inclusion #Accessibility #Accommodations #StudentSuccess