Sharing Good Practice
Make transitions easier
for students
By Rahima Jabeen
H
ave you ever wondered
how children feel when they
move on to the next grade?
It can’t be without its fair
share of anxieties. Everything is new,
everything changes, and human nature
resists change. New friends, teachers,
books, subjects, even a change in the
classroom can be nerve racking for
some children. Not to mention the
children who are moving to a new
country and culture after leaving what
they know behind.
Moving on to the next stage of
education, whether it is from preprimary to primary or secondary to
higher secondary, can prove to be
particularly extremely daunting. As
teachers, we can help to make this
transition easier for our students and
ourselves.
Liaise with the previous
teacher
If the child is transitioning within the
same institution, it is particularly easy
to organise a meeting between the
previous teacher and the teacher who
will now have the child. This allows
the previous teacher to share useful
information that the new teacher
can use in order to make the process
easier. It could be simple things, which
are not mentioned in the file (which will
already have details about allergies,
emergency contacts and etc.).
Information such as a reading level
or a certain phobia that the child may
have, are important. Knowing relevant
details like this will help you get a
better understanding of the child.
A well- executed admission
form
If a child is coming from another school
or even country, studying the child’s
file and having a well- formulated
admission form, enquiring about
pertinent details will be a big help.
Parental Cooperation
Talk to parents before the kids come
in to school. A teacher can motivate
the parents into playing a vital and
supporting role during the first days of
their child’s settling down. In addition,
you can communicate your own vision
for your class thereby inculcating the
all-famous
teacher-parent-student
triangle in all its might and glory.
Tell the students what to
expect
Depending on the level of the
students, express simply and clearly
what they can expect during the
session, what they may find different
and make them feel safe and secure
in their new environment. Take them
on a tour of their new school. Show
them the bathroom and water cooler.
Discuss boundaries.
Cultivate trust
The first few minutes of interaction with
your students are the ones in which
they form an instant impression of you.
In other words, bring your A-game,
charm their socks off, the whole nine
yards. If you are successful in winning
their trust, you have won half the battle
already in ensuring a wonderful year
ahead. Talk with them on a one on one
basis. Make them feel that you care.
This is applicable to all age groups.
The more respect and kindness you
show, the more you will receive.
Careful analysis
Unleash your own observation and
use your analytical skills. Detect signs
of detachment and sniff out your
students’ weaknesses. Praise their
achievements and pull them up when
things don’t seem right.
Parents entrust us with the most
precious things in their lives - their
children and during the academic
year, they become our children too.
Young minds, like ours, have battles
raging within. We need to be at the
forefront. We need to understand and
be compassionate. As teachers, we
have the power.
Class Time
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Sep - Oct 2015
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