TRANSITION FROM LOWER PRIMARY TO UPPER PRIMARY

MAIN characteristics of 10 and 11years old  Rapid growth  Shows more interest in sports activities requiring strength, speed and skill  Loves competition and constantly appeals to rules.

 Some of the interests they pick up are temporary.  Teach the boys consistency and commitment through their interests.  They begin to appreciate abstract concepts and ideas.  Engage the boy logically & discuss issues with him instead of giving instructions. (Why?)

 Possess strong loyalty to groups. (Will hardly tell on others).  May do “silly” or “daring” things to belong or rise in status in the peer group.  Values group opinions and standards more highly than those of adults.

 Gang mentality. Formation of cliques.  Insistence on joining certain clubs or activities and not others; on a certain type of break; on a certain type of soccer boots, etc.  RIOT!

 May sometimes be rude, uncooperative and resistant.  Very sensitive; may develop an attitude of “everything I do is wrong.”  Very conscious of being treated fairly (May unexpectedly burst into tears over a perceived injustice…)

 They compare how you treat them with how you treat his other siblings, especially the younger ones:  “Mum, how come Ole is watching TV now and you are not saying anything…”  “Dad, how come Ola is late and you are not complaining…”

Unguided priorities: -Enhancing face value among friends. Spending time with friends. Hanging out/sleepovers. Physical appearance; hair (long vs Size 1); etc. Social media: face book; whatsapp.

How can parents assist them set priorities? 1. Use of time  Help the boy make and then facilitate a fairly regular timetable (family outings…) Clearly stipulate collection time. What to do when at home.

Weekday timetable. Weekend timetable (beginning Friday night) (Saturday is key in a day school…) Holiday timetable (Not just in terms of study, but how to use the time well… Develop skills.)

 He should plan for all activities, including watching TV, playing, visiting friends, going to bed, etc.  He has to be helped to understand that order is not simply about doing some things, e.g. watching TV, but is doing the right thing at the right time.

 Synchronise the timetable at home with the school timetable and activities (With exams around a corner, everyone is a candidate): Tests, mid-CAT and CAT weekends should not coincide with family activities e.g. outings, visits, parties, etc.

2. Social life  Discuss friends: Cultivate a genuine interest in his friends, in and out of school. Time spent with friends; activities; age (discourage older friends); Discourage hanging out at malls (Junction, Prestige, Mall, etc.)

 Set a policy on visits, sleepovers, etc. Get to know the parents of the friends.  Mobile Phone (No consensus) Type of phone (Value for money) Policy on use of phone (amount of credit; Friday-Sunday arrangement, etc)

 Since the line is registered in your name (as a parent), you are entitled to know how the phone is being used.  “But that is invasion of privacy…” they may say.  It is your right! It is your duty!  It is not a lack of trust.

 Internet access Wifi in the home. Curiosity. Face book access (friends – your son will soon refuse to be your friend or open a different account). Location of the computer. Filters on the computer. Check history…

 Money What are his sources of money? Allowance from you. Savings. Relatives. Business (Including sale of their property; yours; flowers…)

How much has he got? Do you have any clue?  The more liquid the boy is, the more fluid he will be!  Keep him poor… How does he spend his money?  Ask for an account. Check his room from time to time…

3. Extracurricular activities: Agree on the number of activities he can engage in at a go. The marks he should maintain to participate in these activities (Be realistic!) Don’t be afraid to say NO! from time to time.

4. Academics  Lower primary: Content mostly based on observation & common sense. Addition, subtraction, multiplication. Small animals vs big animals. Types of families.

 Upper primary: Content becomes more theoretical and abstract. Application of math concepts learnt in lower primary. Digestive, breathing, reproductive, circulatory systems of the body. How government works.

They are introduced to writing of INSHA and COMPOSITION. Classes now end at 4:00pm and hence most of the homework can only be done at home. For many, the priority during school time is not doing homework but socialising and playing. This needs to change!

 NET EFFECT: For many, there is a sudden drop in marks. Number of detentions rapidly increase, especially for “Homework not done.” Some may experience total collapse in some subjects that require effort in notes and revision.

If they do not study, they will not pass! The volume of work increases and he has to spend more time doing homework. As a consequence, there is increased conflict with teachers and parents. Parents need to work closely with the boy and the teachers.

 HOW?

 For the weak subject, find out from the subject teacher why the boy is not performing well.  Possible reasons: Does not study. Does not copy notes. Does not do homework. (Empty diary syndrome…) Has gaps from earlier years.

Distracted in class. (Playful; sits with noisy friends; daydreaming; sleeping, etc). Takes long to learn concepts (slow learners; need for reinforcement).

 Decide with the teacher/tutor: What needs to be done. By whom it should be done. How you are going to evaluate success.

 Examples:  How to ensure that homework is done. (Don’t sign diary in the car…)  Revision strategies.  Remedial classes/tuition (topics to be covered).  Supplementary material.  Constructing a timetable.

 Set targets for each subject with the boy. The mark the boy should work towards. What he needs to do to get the mark: small tasks every day; every week.

What help he needs to achieve the targets. What he needs to give up to achieve his targets. Motivation: intrinsic (from within) vs extrinsic (from outside).

 As we help the boy: Don’t go for a “quick fix” (after the talk…). Correct with facts not opinions:  Opinion: “You are very lazy these days….”  Fact: “You woke up at 10 o’clock last Saturday and only studied for 20 minutes”.

Don’t dwell too much on the future. He may never see it. Deal with the “now”. Be consistent. He has a right to your acting in a predictable manner. Invest time on this project!