High school brings big changes

THE TRANSITION from primary school to high school is one of the biggest that many Jamaicans have made, or will have to make, in their early teens. As with every big change, there are many differences. If you are a teenager who is already in high school, here are some things you may have noticed. For the young ones looking forward to entering secondary school, here are a few changes to expect.

Fear and excitement

These two feelings are common to any major change in life. In terms of the transition from primary or preparatory to secondary school, the fear is likely to come from the loss of comfort. The new physical and social environment of high school will be unfamiliar. It will take time to learn all the new classrooms and the more complex timetables. On the bright side, these changes can lead to equal amounts of excitement as students learn to adjust to their new high-school surroundings.

More teachers, more subjects, more work

This is probably one of the harder parts of the transition. Whereas in primary/prep school there were only four main subjects and, more likely, only one teacher, high school can present up to 18 subjects with a different teacher for each. With more teachers, and more subjects, naturally, there will be more work. Students have to deal with a greater number of in-class tests and homework assignments, as well as group work projects.

While this can create more pressure to hand in work, it is not uncommon at certain levels of high school for teachers to put less pressure on students to submit assignments.

Whereas in the lower school teachers may have forced their young students to complete and give in their assignments, high school teachers are likely to leave that responsibility solely up to the students.

Rules

High-school rules tend to be stricter. In some primary/prep schools, it is likely that students would have been allowed to buy food from vendors outside of school and eat almost anywhere. Such behaviour will have to be put aside in high school, as most have strict rules regulating where students can buy and eat their food. More attention is also paid to grooming in high school, as students are expected to be better able to put together and maintain their attire. Students just entering high school will have to adjust to a greater number of rules of this nature, as well as stricter enforcement of them.

Growth

This refers to all forms of growth: physical, mental and social. As growing adolescents, students just entering high school often experience growth spurts; if not immediately upon entering the school, then definitely during the years there. In comparison to previous school pictures, high-school pictures feature taller, more physically mature students. In addition to this physical growth, mental growth also takes place as students progress through the grades and acquire new academic knowledge. Social knowledge also matures, as peer-to-peer interaction is likely to expand through the new peers encountered in high school. Social interaction becomes more complex, too, as more is expected of students.

Different peers, different conflicts

from the growth they undergo, students will, undoubtedly, change from their primary-/prep-school selves. As a result of gaining positions in high school, some may develop into leaders or expand on their leadership qualities. Thus, students will see their primary-school peers change upon entering high school. This can lead to some disconnected friendships as well as the creation of new friendships. As a result of such changes, conflicts between peers may shift or become more complicated. For example, while a conflict related to the stealing of a pencil is more typical of primary/prep school, high-school conflicts are more likely about relationships or a lack of understanding among friends due to changing personalities.