Changing schools is always challenging, but it can be very stressful in a COVID-19 pandemic environment. Your child may be changing schools in the natural transition from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, or because the previous school wasn’t working. And, that decision was made last spring during the pandemic environment when schools were closing or closed.
In a pre-pandemic environment, students would visit their prospective new school and, likely, shadow for a day. In so doing, the student meets future peers and teachers and previews the school.
However, that orientation may never have happened for your student. And, in a handful of weeks, your child may be entering a new and unfamiliar school. While it may not be known in what format school will be starting (split session, normal day, or optional remote learning, etc.) now is a good time to help your child become familiar with his or her new school.
Academic transition happens with or without COVID-19
Academic transition involves adapting to multiple core-subject teachers if your child is entering middle school. For all grades, it means becoming familiar with new teachers and their expectations. Contact your new school, if you haven’t heard from them, and clearly determine what those expectations will be. Additionally, inquire about emailing each of the teachers to obtain their class syllabus. This may provide you the opportunity to discuss your child with the new teacher, his or her learning style, needs, strengths or weaknesses.
Remote learning is likely to play a role in your child’s future learning. Now is a good time to begin inquiring about the technology your child will be needing, what technology will be provided from the school, or what technology you will be responsible for providing your child.
Procedural transitions support academics
Your child may never have visited his or her new school. A new school is bewildering enough. It will be more so if your child has never walked through its halls, located classrooms, or bathrooms. Procedural transition involves changing rooms for classes and getting to-from their classes on their own and on time.
Inquire whether it would be safe for you and your child to visit the school. And, this would be an excellent time to ask about anticipated future safety protocols if your child is in school for classes.
Social transitions impact academics
Social transitions can have a great impact on your child’s academics. Socializing will become a stronger ingredient and positive aspect of middle and high school. Remote learning will make it more challenging to establish new friendships at the new school. This is a good time to ask your new school (and new teachers) for their socialization strategies. It would be especially helpful to be provided names and contact information of students in your child’s new class. Students are amazingly adept at connecting through social media and texting. Establishing new friendships in advance to the start of school will not only help your child feel more a part of the new school but also help your child to be involved and to comfortably participate in the classroom, online discussions, and remote study sessions.
Conclusion
Attending a new school is always a challenge. And, it will take time to adapt and adjust. But, parents can help their student adjust in less time, be happier, and reduce their stress. It is well worth the effort to begin during the summer to help your child with his or her academic, procedural, and social transitions, thereby encouraging a successful start at a new school for the 2020-2021 school year.
Additional Reading
Teachers are getting ready for the 2020-2021 school year in a pandemic environment. Here are some of their ideas. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-learning-stations-kick-year. How K-12 Teachers Can Plan When They Don’t Know What to Plan For | Edutopia
Entering a new school in 5th or 6th grades is challenging. Read more helpful information: https://cecsolution.org/5-mindful-tips-for-fifth-grade-students-and-their-parents/