Starting high school is an exciting time, for students and their parents.
Going to high school will be a new experience for your child. The school is likely to be much bigger than the primary school and your child may feel a little insecure at first. Instead of being a senior in a small school, they are now a beginner in a big school. However, it is also an exciting time with many opportunities and a broader curriculum.
New experiences
From Day 1, there will be many changes to get used to including having a number of different teachers.
New teachers
In high school students usually have 8 or more teachers and a student or year adviser to coordinate their activities. There are also head teachers for different key learning areas and classmates can vary from class to class.
New subjects
Year 7 students will be introduced to subjects they haven't experienced before. They will also be expected to be more independent, self-reliant and self-motivated than in primary school. Lessons will often be more student-centred and teachers will become resources and guides, rather than instructors.
Timetables
It is a good idea to make a timetable so that your child has has organised times to complete school work each week. Reading and understanding timetables can take some time to get used to. Make sure they have the correct books, equipment and a suitable area to complete work.
Homework and study
Homework set will vary in amount and type because of the number of teachers and subjects each day – most students will need to do some homework every night – whether it be a review of the day's lesson, completion of exercises or starting an assignment that is due down the track.
Study time is different to homework. During study time, students should go over the day's work, read their textbooks or notes, create summaries and try to increase their understanding of concepts covered in class.
