Starting the next stage of their academic journey can be nerve-racking for P6 students who are moving on to secondary school next year. This is especially so if they are not attending the same school as their peers from primary school. The thought of being in a new environment and having to meet new people can be daunting. Keep reading for tips on how you can help your child ease into this transition period.
1. Encourage your child to be friendly
Your child will be seeing a lot of new faces in their secondary school. Encourage them to make the first move in introducing themselves to their new classmates and teachers. By taking the initiative to make friends, your child will have buddies to spend their recess time with, as well as peers to get homework help from. This will help your child feel more comfortable in a strange, new environment.
2. Prepare uniforms and school supplies in advance
Having a sense of preparedness may be able to alleviate some of the anxiety your child may be feeling. Let your child try on their uniforms to make sure it fits and to allow time for alterations (if necessary) to be made. If the uniform has a tie, teach your child how to tie one. Pick out a day to go shopping for school supplies as well, to get your child excited about going back to school. Let them have fun picking out stationery, school bags and even their school shoes to build up the excitement of starting secondary school. However, do ensure that their school shoes and attire comply with the school rules.
3. Read up about the secondary school
If you and your child missed out on the school’s open house, checking out the school’s website is a great way to find out more about the school’s culture and environment. You and your child can browse through the co-curricular activities available as well. This is a good way to initiate a conversation about their interests and how they can further cultivate and nurture that interest in secondary school.
4. Do a practice run of the school journey
Your child will most likely be travelling to school and back home via public transport. The new route will be unfamiliar to them, so why not travel the route with them before the first day of school? Clarifying the route will minimise the chances of your child losing their way when they are on their own. Discuss alternative transport routes as well, just in case the main mode of transport is unavailable (e.g. bus routes in the event of an MRT breakdown).
5. Share your own secondary school experience
Share your secondary school experience with your child. This will give them a chance to discuss their concerns about this exciting new stage of their life. You can also take this opportunity to talk to your child about the changes they will go through and challenges they may face like peer pressure.
We would like to wish all our P6 students all the best as they step into this new and exciting stage of their lives!
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References:
“8 Tips to Prepare for the First Days of School.” Scholastic. Accessed December 9, 2022. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/school-life/back-to-school/8-tips-to-prepare-first-days-school.html.
“Preparing Your Child for Secondary One | Families for Life.” Accessed December 9, 2022. https://familiesforlife.sg/discover-an-article/Pages/Preparing-Your-Child-for-Secondary-One.aspx.