Tips for Parents: Graduating from PSLE to Secondary 1
By WR!TERS@WORK
By WR!TERS@WORK
Many parents may feel that it is time to let their children “go” after helping them through their PSLE examinations. Secondary school is seen as a time where children become independent, shouldering the bulk of their academic and other responsibilities instead of being hand-held by their parents all the time. However, as children begin their new journey towards becoming a teenager, parents should play a pivotal role in supporting them through this journey.
Becoming a teenager is not easy – children will experience how it feels like to do more things on their own, along with the additional stresses of school such as peer pressure and their changing bodies. Some teenagers may feel overwhelmed by the new environment and adjusting to a heavier academic workload, while others may struggle with fitting in and with finding their place in the world, making their own decisions with a greater sense of agency.
To help parents of secondary school newbies, here are some helpful tips to guide your blossoming teenager through their secondary school journey.
Many Singaporean parents wish for their children to be ahead of their peers in academics and other respects. There are times when parents will want to push their children because they believe that they are capable of way more than they are currently doing. The end of secondary school is the O Level examinations, and every parent will no doubt be anxious for their child to pass with flying colours as it is important for their future education. However, as children entering secondary school for the first time may be confused and need time to adjust, parents should not put the weight of their expectations on them just yet.
It is important to give children the space to fall and figure out who they want to be and what they want to do. In fact, pushing them too hard may cause them to experience high levels of stress, which may adversely affect their performance later on. Eventually, children will find their own rhythm and adapt to their new environment. Then, the studying and preparing for O Levels will come, when the child is far more prepared to handle that challenge.
If your child is struggling in secondary school, perhaps what they need is a listening ear and comfort from their parents. Help identify the problem and ask them for what they think should be the solution, and then suggest some solutions you think will help them better. As every child is good at different things, suggest opportunities and things to do which suit their skillset and passions. By finding things they like to do to cope with the high academic workload, a good balance may help them thrive and attain better results than if they were stressed out.
Some students entering secondary school for the first time may experience a culture shock, especially if they are moving to a co-ed school for the first time. Parents should talk to their children about some of the common struggles in secondary school and give them advice on how they should behave appropriately. They should reassure their children that there is nothing to worry about, and that they should keep an open mind when adjusting to the new school.
Children should feel as if they can talk about their worries and anxieties with their parents. Parents need to actively listen to their child without brushing them off or blaming the other party, as deep down, everyone wants to feel heard. It is normal for children to encounter problems such as saying the wrong thing or doing the wrong thing, or facing peer pressure. The end goal is for the parent to teach their child how to become more resilient in facing challenges when dealing with other people during their schooling years and later in life.
Parents should know the challenges of secondary school by being aware of what their child does in a day. Knowing how their schedules are like will help parents organise their lives better, and parents can start by taking down the important dates such as school holidays, exams, CCA competitions and events, and public holidays. This information can be found either online, on the school calendar, or by asking the teacher or the staff via phone call or email.
Important events may be the reason why your child is angsty or stressed out, as they are trying to cope with the pressure of doing well during that event, to the best of their ability. Parents should help their children out as much as possible by ensuring that they get a good night’s rest, proper food, and time to blow off steam and rest. The child will also feel much better about the event if they receive encouragement from their parents, as they will be more motivated to do their best.
When parents themselves were younger, they would not have been able to figure out everything that they needed to do immediately. It took time to adjust and find themselves. Thus, it is almost certain that their children will be the same. Parenting is often not a linear process, with many ups and downs. Parents should remember that their child is taking some time to figure things out for themselves, and should support them as much as possible while being reasonable. Different children need different lengths of time to adjust, and parents should avoid comparing their children with others as everyone is running their own race.
At the end of the day, the child will look towards their parents the most for support and guidance. As parents, you should understand that every child is different and that each of them needs their own space and timeline to develop. Secondary school may be a daunting journey that every child needs to go through, and as parents, although you may not have such a big involvement in their academic lives as primary school, your role is still highly important to guide them through this time so that you can bring out the best in your child.
At WR!TERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams at both primary and secondary school levels. With our carefully curated methods of teaching English for PSLE, O Levels, and A Levels, your child will be able to identify the answers to the questions and present them in a concise manner in no time.
English is a compulsory subject that has direct impact on your chances of advancing to upper secondary. Overall, English tuition and writing courses can help primary school students enjoy a smoother transition between education levels by reinforcing their language skills and providing a strong foundation for academic success.
Engaging in English tuition and writing courses can greatly assist students in smoothly transitioning between education levels. These programs reinforce their language skills and establish a solid foundation for academic achievement. For more exam tips, parents and students can explore our website and watch our YouTube videos.
If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WR!TERS@WORK has expanded to 8 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WR!TERS@WORK.
1. How do I find the best English tutor?
Firstly, research and ask around for good recommendations from family or friends. Next, research online and read the reviews of tuition centres to find suitable candidates. A good idea is to drop by the tuition centre and let your child experience a trial lesson to find a good tutor.
2. What is the purpose of an English tutor?
An English tutor is supposed to guide your child to their full potential in terms of mastering the English language. Different children have different skills and capabilities in their academics, and the job of the tutor is to identify strengths and weaknesses of the child and help them accordingly.
3. What skills should an English tutor have?
A tutor should have a discerning eye for strengths and weaknesses of the student, patience to deal with different students, the requisite qualifications and experience, and they should be up to date on the relevant changes in the Singaporean English syllabus.
4. What are some important skills in English?
The English language requires the understanding of simple rules such as grammatical rules and sentence structure. Moreover, it requires more complex skills such as inference and synthesis which come later on as the student progresses to more difficult exercises.
5. Which English language skills is most difficult?
Synthesis is one of the most difficult skills in the English language as it involves using present ideas to generate new opinions and viewpoints.
6. What is the most difficult part of English class?
The most difficult part of English class is to understand how to craft your own ideas from an existing body of work, and how all the individual parts of English – grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, clauses, etc. – fit together in an essay as a whole.
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