| The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the perceptions of teachers and principals regarding the experiences of fifth-grade students attending schools in two grade configurations: intermediate schools (i.e., Grades 5-6) and elementary schools (i.e., Grades K-5 or K-6).;A criterion sampling scheme was used to select six participants who worked with fifth-grade students in an elementary setting and in an intermediate setting. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were Hirschi's (1969) social control theory and Schlossberg's (1981) theory of transition.;A conventional content analysis (Hsieh & Shannon, 2005) was employed to analyze the data. Two major themes emerged, two for fifth-grade students who attended an elementary campus and one for fifth-grade students who attended an intermediate campus. The theme for fifth-grade students who attended an elementary campus was confidence, whereas the theme for fifth-grade students who attended an intermediate campus was apprehension. The theme of confidence emerged when participants discussed the words and actions of fifth-grade students who attended an elementary campus. The perception of the participants in this study was that fifth-grade students who attended an elementary campus had confidence with their peer relationships, their teacher relationships, and their surroundings. Similarly, the theme of apprehension emerged when participants discussed the words and actions of fifth-grade students who attended an intermediate campus. The participants of this study perceived fifth-grade students who attended an intermediate campus to be apprehensive in their peer relationships, teacher relationships, and their surroundings. Additionally, implications for practitioners and researchers are provided. |
