Going to High School

Going to High School

USE OF THE BOOKLET

·  Congratulations. You are leaving primary school and going to high

school.

·  This little booklet has been written to assist you to prepare for High School. It does this in two ways.

·  Firstly, it explains why things happen the way they do, and explains what you need to do in different situations.

·  Secondly, it gives you some ideas for getting organized and ready for the start of school, so you will know your way around, and have things ready the way the teachers will expect you, and all the other kids, to do.

§  This booklet can be used at home with your parents and relatives in your spare time

THE CHANGEOVER

·  The changeover from primary school to high school is a big step for everyone.

·  It’s OK to feel nervous about the change to High School. Almost all kids feel anxious about leaving their Primary School and going to high School. Once they get there, and learn what it’s like, they usually become more confident.

·  It’s important that you talk to the right people about feeling nervous. Keeping your scary feelings inside is not going to help you. It does help to talk to your parents, teachers, family members, and with your close friends about how you feel.

·  Sometimes you can talk about these anxious feelings about going to High School in a group of kids, but only if they are all talking about the topic.

·  Don’t put yourself down for feeling nervous: it’s OK to be nervous, ask for help from the right people, to sort out what to do to make you feel better.

·  Remember to believe in yourself. If you tell yourself that you can do it, you are well on the way to achieving it.

MY HIGH SCHOOL IS

MAP OF THE SCHOOL

SCHOOL VISITS

·  There will be more than one of these visits, and they will allow you to be become familiar with the school buildings, and you will be able to see the different rooms and areas of the school, and begin to learn to find your way about.

·  Also on these visits, you will have a chance to watch what happens during the normal school days. You will hear the siren sound the start and end of lessons, and be able to watch, as all the students change class, and go to recess, lunch etc.

·  You will also meet with some of the high school staff who will be important in your program, and will assist you in different ways.

THINGS TO DO TO GET READY

§  Check to make sure you have all the equipment on your booklist.

§  Make sure you have your name on important items of equipment, like calculators and school bags etc.

§  Your primary school teachers will probably have assisted you in getting to know the layout of your high school, and will have introduced you to some of the teachers at the high school.

§  Try to get to school in plenty of time to find your first class, on the first day of the term.

§  If you know someone (a friend or acquaintance) who will be able to answer any questions you have, or guide you in what to do, ask them for any help you need.

§  Have your timetable/school diary ready.

TEACHERS

§  You will have different teachers for different subjects. After the first few weeks you will come to know and remember what teacher teaches you in each learning area.

Teacher / Learning Area

YEAR COORDINATOR

§  There will be a year coordinator for year 8. This means the teacher who will speak to all the year 8’s at assembly, and organize you and help you with any problems.

FORM TEACHER

§  You will have one teacher for form, or homeroom. Each day you will go with your form group, to your form room, and the teacher will check the roll, and give you any notices you need to tell you what is happening in the school that day.

NAME

THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

§  Another person that you may get to know is the school psychologist. The psychologist is there to help all the students and teachers with any problems they might have.

§  You can book an appointment with the school psychologist; ask your form teacher or the teacher’s assistant how to make an appointment to see the psychologist.

NUMBERS OF STUDENTS

·  If you are going to a Senior High School, there will be a lot more students than there are at your Primary School.

·  At first you will notice how many other kids there are wherever you go, and it may seem like there are just too many.

·  However after a while, you will become more used to the big numbers of students, and will not notice it so much.

·  If you have a problem with how many people there are around you all the time, talk to the education assistant about it, and together you will find ways to help you get used to the numbers.

CHANGEOVER OF CLASSES

·  Some High Schools have changeover for each learning area, and changing class like this will be new and can be confusing.

·  Your schedule, and the school map will be a great help in finding the next class.

·  If you get lost, or find that you are late, that’s OK. Ask someone for help, and they will show you the way.

·  Teachers are used to new students having trouble finding their next class, during the first weeks, and they will understand if you come in late.

TIMETABLES

Monday

/

Tuesday

/

Wednesday

/

Thursday

/

Friday

·  Your timetable is very important, without it you won’t know where to go.

·  Your timetable will list all the classes and times for each lesson of the day.

·  It is a good idea to make a photocopy of your timetable and keep it somewhere in case you lose the first copy.

·  Put your timetable in the front of your folder, along with the map of the school.

·  At the end of every lesson, check and see where you have to go next.

·  After a while you will find that you know where to go next without even looking at the timetable.

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND

§  The High School will probably be a very large building, with many new areas and rooms for you to get to know.

·  During the first weeks, you will find yourself unsure of where you are, and not know how to get to the place you need to be.

·  Everyone is used to year eights getting lost, and will be glad to help you if you ask them.

·  Try saying, “Excuse me, I don’t know where ______is. Can you show me the way”?

·  If nobody is around to help you, use your map to find your way to the front office. The ladies in the office will be glad to help you find the right classroom, if you explain that you are lost, and ask them if they would help you.

·  After the first few weeks, you will realize you know your way around without a worry.

BEING OPTIMISTIC

·  Remember that everybody gets nervous some time when they are in a new situation. The trick is to remind yourself that you don’t have to do everything by yourself; it’s OK to ask for help. After a while, there won’t be so many things to work out, because you will know the answers.

·  Consistency in being punctual (always being on time for things) is a valuable workplace skill that applies to most students.

·  One of the things that people do a lot is worry. It’s OK to worry about getting things right, or doing things the right way, but try not to let things seem more important than they are. Remind yourself at the end of each day that you did a lot of things very well.

ORGANISATION

·  Using a weekly planner is a great way to map out what you will need to be doing each day throughout the week.

·  Fill in the weekly timetable with the things that you do each day on a regular basis.

·  Fill in the whole day, this will show the times you set aside to do your homework, as well as times for all the things you enjoy outside of school.

·  Chores and activities at home can be shown on your weekly planner.

WEEKLY PLANNER

TIME / MONDAY / TUESDAY / WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY / FRIDAY / SATURDAY / SUNDAY

FOLLOWING THE SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM RULES

·  Remember – the teacher has the authority.

·  Sometimes in the classroom, or outside, things happen that you think are not fair, or that you think are against the rules.

·  When this happens, it is really important to remember that it is the teacher who has the authority in the classroom and in the school. They often know more about what is happening than you do, and they have the responsibility for teaching all the students, and directing all the activities.

·  If you are concerned about something that is happening, tell the teacher about it, and let them deal with it.

·  It is not your job to make sure other people follow the rules. This can be difficult if you feel strongly about what is happening, but it is your task to do the right thing yourself, and let the teacher deal with everything else.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG FOR YOU

·  Everyone has bad days and good days.

·  There will be times when things are not happening the way you think they should. Maybe you didn’t get the marks you wanted, or something happened that you did not think was fair. These kinds of things happen to everyone at some time.

·  If you feel strongly about something that has happened, put up your hand, and ask the teacher if you can talk about it with him or her at the end of the lesson.

·  If this does not happen, and you still feel you need to talk about it, tell the education assistant the next time you see them that you need to talk about it. They will help you decide the right thing to do.

·  Remember that if you make a big scene about it, the other kids will think that you are acting strangely.

·  If you are very disturbed about something, use your pass card to take some quiet time, until you feel calm again.

WHEN THE WORK DOES NOT SEEM IMPORTANT

·  Sometimes, it seems like the work you have to do is not important or interesting, or has anything to do with what you want to do, and you really don’t want to do it. Everyone feels like this sometimes.

·  It is really important to remember that the teacher knows what it is you are expected to learn in order to pass the subject. It is important that you attempt to do all the work that you are given to do.

·  When this happens, try to do at least some of the work. This is a sign of maturity. As adults we all have to take responsibility for doing our work, even when we really would like to do something else.

·  In high school, your teachers expect that you understand the need to do your work, and they expect you to take responsibility for doing it yourself, once they have explained what you need to do.

·  However, if you do not know how to start your work, or it seems impossibly hard or long, or you just do not understand what it is you are being asked to do, you need to put your hand up.

ASKING FOR HELP

·  When the teacher asks you what you want, you need to tell him/her that you need help.

·  Try and say exactly what it is that you are having trouble with. This helps the teacher understand what kind of help you need.

·  If you cannot find the right words, or find it is too hard for you to talk at all, show the teacher your pass card, and take some quiet time.

·  It’s OK to ask for help. Asking for help in class or anywhere is a very important skill that everyone needs to use.

·  People are usually very glad to help you, however they cannot help unless you let them know that you need their help.

BOARDING

·  It is normal to sometimes feel a little homesick. The important thing is that you TALK TO SOMEONE.

·  If you are boarding, there is normally someone called a supervisor, who you can see if there is something you need to talk about.

·  Often there are also people known as community leaders or house masters, who are also there for you to talk to.

·  Having a timetable/schedule in your dorm is a good way to keep organized.

People are usually very glad to help you. But they cannot help unless you let them know that you need their help.

Everyone needs the Five Fingers- Five people they can talk to if they feel angry or upset. Draw on this hand the five people you can talk to if you need to.