It is that time of the year again. As things start to return to the pre-pandemic normal, a lot of adjustments need to be made. Especially for Primary 6 students transitioning to Secondary 1. With the almost three-month break they have had since their last PSLE paper, it may be tricky to condition minds to get back to the daily academic grind.

 

Ready and Steady

Don’t leave things to the last minute, and start getting your child in the right frame of mind for the new school year.

 

Your child’s secondary school would have, by now, sent out the agenda for the first term, as well as other nitty-gritties that are required for his first year at secondary school.

 

What you can do:

• Involve your child as much as possible. From going through the booklist together, to the buying of school uniforms, school bags and stationery, do as much as you can to get your child involved in the process. By having your child take ownership of such tasks, it helps prepare his state of mind and get him excited for new challenges that lie ahead.

• Differences in commute. Not only do most school bus companies cease to provide services to ferry children in secondary school, parents may also feel that their child is ready to start commuting independently.

 

It is advisable to test out travel routes to and from school and home with your child. It would be best to make an attempt to do this in the morning under similar conditions as well. Do tack on another 10 to 15 minutes to your travel time – remember that traffic tends to be lighter during the school holidays and there will be a lot more traffic on the first day of school!

 

The Throes of Adolescence

Children also experience a lot of changes at the threshold of adolescence. Aside from academic expectations, the teenage years is where a lot of children have to manage puberty and the physical, emotional and hormonal changes that come with it.

 

What you can do:

• Be patient, and expect that your sweet-natured 12 year-old might suddenly experience the mood swings of an angsty 13 year-old. Steady parental support is key, as well as open communication. Your child may start to discover an identity and a sense of individuality that is separate from what you expect, and which may sometimes be difficult for us as parents to accept.

 

The important thing here is to be supportive in communication, and know when to give your child enough space to grow.

 

Academic Expectations

Perhaps your child made it into the school of their choice, and perhaps they did not. Perhaps they are very excited to start something big and new, or perhaps not.

 

What matters is that this is a big change for them and it is advisable that they have some idea of the differences. As much as possible, try to discuss their expectations between primary and secondary school.

 

What you can do:

• Find time to address any anxieties that your child might have academically. Talk about what might be expected of him or her at the secondary school level and encourage your child to share his feelings about this new stage in his life. This way, your child knows that he has his parents’ unconditional support and that a safe space will always exist for him.

• Workloads increase at the secondary level, and the number of subjects that students have to take doubles. Prepare your child so that he is not overwhelmed by the sudden surge of responsibilities, and that he has a general understanding of the big picture and what is expected of him.

 

Cognitus Academy has a diverse range of programmes specifically targeted to help your child get ready for his new and exciting journey at secondary school. Our acclaimed CRW (Critical Reading and Writing) Programme for English and DEPTH framework for Mathematics trains students in examination techniques and teaches them strategy in a gifted way.

 

The leap from primary to secondary school is a big one, and it might sometimes be difficult for busy parents to navigate unfamiliar waters.

 

Luckily, we also offer Jump Start programmes teach the necessary skills required to address any concerns, giving your child a guaranteed jump-start in the next phase of his education.

 

We are always happy to receive a message from you. Alternatively, our friendly and dedicated staff would love to chat with you at 8321 8252 to tell you more about how we can help you and your child today!