Twenty ACE Tips for Transitioning into 1st Year

1. Talk with him/her, listen to his/her views and concerns and answer any questions he/she may have about the planned move. Talk to them about individual subjects. Help them plan their evening. Leave out extra-curricular until things settle.
2. Many students get anxious about Initial assessments. You can explain that they are to help the school to learn more about the supports that students will need and that they are not used to stop students attending the school.
3. Try and bring them inside the school before it starts to familiarise students with the school at a time when there are fewer students in the building. They can learn about the layout of the school, get to know some of their new teachers and become familiar with the operation of the school including the frequency of bells, the location of lockers, the noise and movement when classes end and what happens at break times.
4. Involve your child in buying school books, uniform, P.E. gear. Involve them in more decision making from now on –Empowerment.
5. Talk to your son/daughter about the length of the school day, how a timetable works and how they are going to travel to school. Trial runs are good. Anticipate where they may get anxious during the day. Leave early for school to minimise anxiety.
6. Talk regularly during the summer holidays about the new school rules, P.E. arrangements, the canteen, lunch breaks, uniform and the timetable. Know the policies of the school and constantly check the website.
7. Ensure as many of their class teachers know about their strengths and difficulties. i.e. The new Education passport
8. Visit school every so often to meet their teachers or year head.
9. Get your hands on or draw up a map of school.
10. Consider that it may take them a while to adapt to new classroom, new activities and new subjects
11. Organising Issues – Get Materials for each subject – theschoolrun.com has a list of whats required but booklists/teachers should inform you.
12. Show them how to note-take – Strangely sometimes their class teachers never show them
13. Talk about and help clarify the Locker processes
14. Using the Mentor/Buddy and tutor they have as best they can
15. Getting clever at knowing what equipment is required and which classes: protractors, rulers, pens. My Tip– write down teachers’ instructions here. No need to carry all their books all the time. Put their Timetable and Calendar on the fridge.
16. Balancing homework with some down time. Encourage them to signup to clubs/society’s on club’s day.
17. Re-enforce the Important habit of recording Information but especially homework in their Journal. Check their Journal.
18. Get the 3-way communication going: Teachers-Parent-Student – In primary its more Teacher-Parent. Include your child in conversations where appropriate.
19. Do as much preparation for the school day the night before – get them into habit of having the uniform out, bag correctly packed by the door etc, lunch ready. This again will reduce stress levels.
20. Longer day – so try and start them with healthy breakfast or give them some dried fruit or yoghurt to eat in the car if in a hurry.

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