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 Articles by our team

Transitioning to High School
by 
Mary Nguyen - Psychologist, BSc (Psych), PGDip (Psych)
February 2019
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Starting high school can be a time of excitement and growth. It’s a fresh new start, an opportunity to make new friends, try new things, and develop new experiences. However along with this, children have to adjust to a new setting, face challenges of new teachers and peers, and handle different academic demands and increased workloads. When it comes to transitioning to high school, children tend to experience a range of conflicting emotions [1]. Some children are overcome with stress and anxiety about the uncertainties of what high school holds. 
​​The transition to high school is not only emotionally demanding for children but it can be quite demanding and emotional for the whole family [1]. The following are some strategies to help make the transition a little easier:

Managing Emotions
Listen to your child’s concerns and validate their feelings. 
  • Reassure your child that it is okay to have mixed feelings and that there will be others who also feel nervous about starting high school.
  • Be positive by discussing with your child what the positive things about high school are and the opportunities that it provides
  • Check in with your child to ensure they are coping and help them figure out solutions if necessary 
  • Even if you feel anxious about how your child will go or if you feel alienated from your child as it seems like they need you less, it is important to remain calm and keep your emotions in check 
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Friendships 
Let your child know they can still stay in touch with their old friends from primary school and talk to them about ways they can do this.
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  • Encourage your child to be involved in the buddy system if there is one available. Otherwise, encourage your child to talk to someone who may also be looking for a companion.
  • Help your child to build the skills needed to make friends. Talk to child about ways they can do this and don’t forget to remind them that others will be nervous too. For example, you can explore topics to talk about or activities they can engage in during lunch and recess.
  • It may also be important to talk to your child about finding people with similar interests.
  • Explore involvement in extracurricular activities with your child to give them a chance to meet new people but to also increase their self-worth [2]. For example, participating in a favourite sport, joining a club of interest or becoming involved in school activities.
  • Encourage your child to invite new friends over or talk to your child about planning activities that they may want to spend doing with their new friends

Organisational Skills
Creating a morning routine and an afterschool study routine can help your child develop time management skills [3]. Allowing your child to be involved in choosing the time and the tasks that need to be completed can motivate them to stick to it every day.
  • Create a checklist of all the materials, clothing and school equipment your child would need for each class and involve them in the preparation process.
  • Assist your child with colour coding their books, folders and timetables according to each subject to help your child remember what they need to bring to each class. 
  • Help your child learn how to prioritise tasks based upon their due date and weighting. This can alleviate some stress around managing the work load [3]. 
  • Encourage your child to use a diary or planner to record homework and assignments. Technology could also be used to set timers which will help your child remember when to start and stop tasks.  
  • Help your child become familiar with getting around the school to ease the stress of navigating between classes and getting to lockers. Having a map of the school and knowing where all the main places are can help reduce the anxiety. Also, it may be useful to highlight common routes to each class.
  • Help your child become familiar with the route to school by accompanying them on the bus or train for the first few trips until they feel comfortable with doing so on their own.
Lastly, don’t forget you are the stable factor for your child in this unstable time. Even though they’re pushing you away as they develop their independence, they still need your support and guidance during this process that only you as parent can provide. 
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Reference list
1. O’Toole, L., Hayes, N., & Mhathuna, M. M. (2014). A Bio-ecological Perspective on Educational Transition. Procedia - Social and Behavioural Sciences, 140, 121 – 127. 
2. Massoni, E. (2011). Positive Effects of Extra Curricular Activities on Students. ESSAI, 9(27), 84-87.
3. Nasrullah, S., & Khan, M. S. (2015). The Impact of Time Management on the Student’s Academic Achievements. Journal or Literature, Languages and Linguistics, 11, 66-71.
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