Importance of Alternative Assessment in Education

Why alternative assessment

While we are mostly familiar with traditional methods of assessment in education, alternative assessments are slowly and steadily becoming common. It is important to understand the motivations behind this choice of assessment and make sure the right approach is implemented during the adoption process.

Most traditional assessments in education are based on a student’s capability to recall what they have learned in their classrooms using traditional teaching methods. It was observed that this form of assessment does not encourage a student to think out of the box and innovate. Nor did it prompt students to apply what they have learnt to a particular situation and come up with solutions.

In other words, students’ thinking capabilities did not get challenged and they did not bring out their best in terms of applying a learnt skill. This is what led educators and researchers to come up with different forms of assessment. This is also the reason why alternative assessments have become important in today’s context of education.

Understanding alternative assessments

Alternative assessments are designed to understand what a student can do rather than what he or she knows. Think about it as an authentic form of assessments that measures proficiency in relation to knowledge application rather than recitation. It brings out the ability of students through designated projects, portfolios and activities. In many ways, alternative assessments are also said to be more inclusive.

Students are requested to do the following during alternative assessments:

  • Complete an assigned task that is meaningful
  • Prove their skills through demonstrations
  • Bring out the knowledge gained

Pros of alternative assessment

What benefits do students, educators and the education system overall stand to gain through alternative assessments? The  list below provides some insight into this question.

  • Students get an opportunity to apply the knowledge that they have learned and demonstrate it in a constructive way’  that provides a solution to a problem.
  • They are encouraged to think, analyze, innovate and apply; and their sense of reasoning tends to improve.
  • Students also improve on their communication skills as they need to also explain their solutions and the logic behind it to examiners.
  • These tests are more realistic and bring in an understanding and the importance of the knowledge gained.
  • A student’s skills are also measured along with the knowledge gained, making it more complete and correct.
  • Provides educators with a real time understanding on how teaching methods can be improved. This is so because they get to see how students have imbibed what they have learned and bring it out productively.
  • It is easier to grade a student overall like this rather than just scoring marks through shallow recitations.
  • It is much more transparent and fair as all students are given an equal opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in a way they find fit rather than constraining them.

Cons of alternative assessment

While the benefits are numerous, there are also a few disadvantages that need to be taken into account. They are:

  • Alternative assessments can be time consuming, costly, and involve a far more elaborate process than the traditional ones.
  • If not understood and implemented correctly, these can also become disastrous and affect a child’s self esteem
  • There is hardly any objective scope in alternative assessments as there are no predefined answers and solutions against which to match and score. Subjective assessments can tend to be biased at times.

The disadvantages can be easily overcome if the objective of alternative assessments is understood and implemented in the right way. It is important to ensure that education systems are fair, inclusive, and transparent and also encourage open thinking. This is the reason why alternative assessments are here to stay and will continue to evolve.

Reasons why students sleep in class

Students sleep in class due to several factors that may originate from their classroom itself or from somewhere else. Sleeping in class is generally perceived as of a lack of interest in the subject or teacher. However, the truth may lie in other external factors that are usually overlooked. Whatever the case, poor sleeping patterns of students deprives them from getting good grades. It also leads to the loss of self-confidence on the part of students who feel left behind. Imagine waking up from sleep to a question from the teacher you cannot provide an answer to. Before looking at the reasons, let’s look at consequences of sleeping in class.

The after effects of students’ sleep in class:

There are many aftereffects of students sleeping in the class. Some of them are:

  • There is a tendency to miss important lectures.
  • They might miss a rescheduled special lecture.
  • They are left isolated and are deprived of social activities after class.
  • Instructors are less inclined towards sleeping students. As instructors feel their lectures are not being respected by the student.
  • They are left unaware of test or the exam schedules.
  • They might also miss the amount of syllabus to be covered for an exam or test.
  • Their scores in school slowly decline.
  • The student’s sleep habits might be a nuisance to other students and to instructors.
  • Sleeping in class will slowly turn into a habitual practice.
  • Students might be left behind even after the class ends.

Some reasons why students sleep in class

There are many reasons as to why students sleep in the class.

  • On a general note, when somebody is not motivated towards a topic, they cannot establish a connection with that topic. This, in turn, leads to minimal or no interest in the topic. Students need to be motivated and kept active to generate interest towards a class. The instructor has to work on keeping a random question and answer session in between class hours. This will ensure that sleepy students are also kept alert in class.
  • The instructor has to make the class interactive and pick at random any topic which may even be off the current subject. This will make the class lively and all students are kept active and alert.
  • Students need to get a good amount of sleep during the night as this will avoid sleeping in the class. Sleeping patterns may also be affected by other factors  like medications taken to cure allergies or diabetes and many other different ailments. The instructor should be made aware of the medical / health condition of the student beforehand.
  • The students might have been awake late into the night to complete assignments and project work. We have been advising https://gmi3.com/buy-modafinil-online/ Modafinil to our patients suffering from narcolepsy, sleep disorder or OSA. Though it has very low addiction development, our patients have been noting psychological one. This happens only in cases of long term daily usage. Please be attentive and don’t convert it to another day-to-day “awake drug”. Hence, it is the responsibility of the school and the instructor to rightly assign tasks to students after school. Assignments should be short and with a fair analysis done by the school. Assignments have to be completed by students with eagerness and ease and not as a compulsion to finish within the deadline.
  • Today’s students spend a lot of time on electronic gadgets like, smartphones, video games and so on. They tend to stay awake to have a chat with their friends while busy playing video games.
  • With easy access to social media, students tend to get addicted to them. Using the internet and other gadgets rightly is good, but misuse results in poor night’s sleep and in turn, lots of sleep in the class.

Hence, it is the responsibility of the parents at home and also the instructors at school / college to keep an eye on students with problematic sleeping habits.

List of Disruptive Classroom Behavior

Disruptive Behavior is when a student acts in a way that is  difficult and this prevents them and other students in the class from studying.This type of behavior usually results in the teachers attention becoming focused on that child and preventing other classmates from receiving the attention they deserve.

There are many forms of disruption that can take place in a classroom throughout all  grades.They can be broadly grouped together as follows :

Talking in Class

When a student talks to other students out of turn, this becomes disruptive in a classroom .It makes it difficult then for both the teacher and the class to concentrate on their tasks. An uncooperative  student can ask endless unimportant questions even argue with a teacher. If this student dominates the class it is disruptive .

Excessive Noise

These can be divided into two categories : –

A student that continuously rummages loudly through a backpack or desk creates unnecessary noise. This can be very disturbing. Excessive noises are distracting to other students and teachers. Students could be dragging their chairs across the floor or pretend coughing. All of these will bring attention to the child and disruption to the rest of the class.

A very annoying but common noise disruption is the ringing of mobile phones and texting even if these are on vibration. Most schools have restrictive media policies but often these will be ignored by students. Teachers have many personal methods for dealing with students who use mobile phones in their classes.

Research has shown that the test results of schools in which mobile phones have been banned show  considerable improvement after such banning. However many schools do allow phones for safety reasons. It is part of a middle and high school students life. Most teachers do not allow students to use these in class.

Late Arrival in Class

When a student arrives late or leaves early it is disruptive for both the students and the class. A student strolling in late will  cause the teacher to halt the lesson to acknowledge the student’s presence. A lesson may then have to be altered or repeated to include this student.Obviously there are emergencies and special occasions, but a student who consistently arrives late disrupts the class as a whole.

Cheating

When a student is found cheating in a classroom environment it becomes very disruptive. Teachers normally have to take time away from other students to address this behavior and even leave the classroom to involve senior teaching personnel.

Threatening behavior

Sometimes students can become rude disrespectful and abusive to teachers. This is obviously disruptive and needs to be dealt with firmly. The whole process of disciplining or removing the student from class will disrupt and cause anxiety in the classroom .

Teachers

Finally if you as a teacher considers your class as very disruptive, then consider that part of the problem could actually be with you the teacher. An effective classroom management program should be instituted. Sometimes a teacher can help make a problem worse by seeing a class generally as disruptive when in fact most of the class are behaving well. Try to identify problem areas and triggers.

Disruptive behavior can have negative effects not only in the classroom environment but also on the school experience as a whole. Taking time out to analyze why an individual or class is disruptive will go a long way towards helping to ensure a quiet productive class.

How to switch schools in the middle of the year without affecting your child

Figures from the U.S.Census Bureau state that nearly 36 million people move every year in the U.S. .As a result of this many children obviously have to transfer schools. Most families try to arrange moving during the summer break but sometimes it is not possible to wait and a family with children must move in the middle of the school year. Other reasons for changing schools in the year maybe related to social or economic conditions .

If you have to move your children school during the school year there are some things that can be done to minimize the impact for the children.

Things to consider before the move

  • If possible to arrange then switch schools at the start of a new quarter or semester.Find out when the grading period ends at your child’s current school and try set that as a target date to move .
  • It is important to be familiar with the new school . Try and arrange to visit the school meeting the principal and also the teachers before actually starting at the school .If this cannot happen most schools have a detailed website .Look through this with your child highlighting positive aspect.Include your child in the decision making of which school to attend .
  • Get all the paperwork organized ahead of time .Talk to the new school and see which documents they require.If it is the middle of the semester check with the teachers to see what material has already been covered.Request or make a portfolio of your child work at the old school to take to the new school .
  • Help your child make a scrapbook of memories of the old school include contact numbers so that they can still have a connection

Your child’s new School Community

  • As previously mentioned meet with the principal of the new school .Start building school relationships.
  • Request that the school provide a buddy for a few days that will help your child settle in and assist with finding classes etc .
  • If you have a few days in your new community before school starts then reach out to neighbors to try and arrange a meet up before attending the first day .
  • If your child has special needs , make sure that the school is aware of this . If need be make contact with local help groups who can assist with advice in settling your child into the new school.
  • If possible get a copy of the weekly timetable so that both you and the child are prepared as their first school week goes on .
  • Find out if there are extra curricular school or community activities that your child can enroll in to help make new friends.
  • Allow your child time to adjust .Meet regularly with teachers and discuss school days and fears with your child. Keep the lines of communication open.

Finally take a look at the points below which list the positive benefits to moving within a school year .

  • Everybody know you are the new kid . Classmates often make a special effort to welcome you . (i.e. in younger grades each child draws a welcome card .
  • Teachers make allowances for new kids and tend to help and watch out for them.

As normally the moves involve starting school straight away there are no long periods of anxiety during summer waiting for the school to re open.

How to reduce exam fear in kids

For many children the word exam or test is a very stressful word. Many children suffer from exam fear .As soon as exam dates get closer their anxiety increases. There are various steps that a parent can take to try and reduce exam fear.

Defining Exam Fear

This is best described as an anxiety that a child experiences ,leading up to and during exam time .It can result in poor performances in exams.These children can even experience sickness which seems real to them and as a result they have to miss an exam .Almost 40 % of children experience this at different levels.Mostly children find it very difficult to vocalize their anxiety.

Causes of Exam Fear

  • Pressure by Parents and Teachers to get good grades.They may be worried of punishment that they may get if they do poorly.Also of letting their parents down .
  • The child themselves has too high expectations .
  • A child may suffer from low self esteem and confidence in their abilities.
  • Fear can arise when a child has failed in the past and they are worried that the same will happen again in the coming exams.
  • A child can be fearful of the exams if they know that they have not prepared adequately.

Symptoms that children may show when they fear exams

If you as a parent have a good relationship with your child they will hopefully discuss there exam fears with you.However there are a few symptoms that parents  should watch out for :

  • The child seems to suffer from a complete blank out of memory when sitting the exam
  • Signs are shown as the exam approaches of increasing anxiety and nervousness.
  • The child has a problem with falling asleep .
  • Increasing nervousness about situations even if they are unrelated to an exam.
  • The child will experience frequent urination.
  • A very common sign of anxiety is a stomach ache .
  • These along with headaches ,nausea and even shivering can mean the child is extremely worried about exams.

Things to consider to help reduce exam fears

Good parenting -reduce the pressure

As a parent it is important to think carefully if the pressure you may be placing on your child is contributing to their exam anxiety.Support the child tell them that it is alright if they don’t do as well as expected.Don’t compare their current results with others.Once a child finds out that their parents will be supportive they often relax.

Help your child Prepare

If you do not know then find out what the test format is .Is it in the form of multiple choice ?Is it a few short questions followed by essays?If your child is familiar with the format it will help them feel  better prepared.

Reorganize study material

Talk to your child and try and establish which big events and issues they have discussed in class.Think about themes that may unite these. This is often a more attractive way of studying for a child .It will help them to get a richer understanding and interest in the topic.

Think about questions that may arise

Talk through with your child and try and predict some of the questions . Practice writing these .Even if they do not come up in the exam it will help your child practice the overall revision.Look at questions from old assignments.

Set aside a study Area

Make sure that your child has a calm quiet area to study in .In this sort of environment a child will study well helping to reduce those exam pressures.

Make sure there is  Relaxing Time

Make sure that your child also sets aside time to relax .It is important that time to listen to music ,play sport or chat to friends is built into their day .This will as well help to reduce pressure and in fact helps concentration when study sessions are broken up into manageable time periods.

Exam time is a stressful time for students and their families.A parent should encourage and support their child. Make sure that the above suggestions are taken into account . Love your child be patient and supportive during this time.

How to get students to listen without yelling

Whether you are frustrated with a not so cute class of 6 years old or a class of rowdy teenagers, yelling at your students can be a very costly mistake. Loosing your temper can often result in an immediate improvement in behavior but the overall problems are not going to go away. Consider the list below which highlights to you the reasons why yelling is not a solution .

It does weaken your position

Yelling will cause students to dislike you and not trust you. It is better to have students on your side.

Only temporarily makes the class better

Yelling does produce quick results. It is a way of intimidating students into compliance. Long term the problems will continue or even get worse.

No altering of behavior

Students who alter their behavior only do so because they want to ( particularly in the case of older Students). They will behave better for a teacher they like and trust.

Students only listen when you yell

If you yell the students will only learn to listen when you yell. The message you send is that you only mean something if you shout it. Otherwise they will tune out.

Poor role model

If you yell when frustrated then you are indicating to your students that this is the correct way to handle conflict. That is settling a bad example for them.

Steps to take to prevent reaching the yelling point:

Set Rules

Make sure that your students know from the first day that you have a set of rules and that you stick to them. Students do need to know what is expected of them.

Post the rules clearly in the front of your classroom. If you are teaching younger students who may consider your class as a home then refer to these rules often. Even the more senior grades from 10 to 12 will benefit from reminders of rules.

Advantage of regular routines.

This is particularly important when maintaining classroom control in elementary grades. Explain clearly and practice these routines with your students. Routine helps students to know what to expect and how to behave in given situations.

Maintain high expectations 

Make it clear to students that if they do not adhere to your rules and routines that there will be consequences. It is important that they are accountable for their actions. If for an example a student is mistreating a piece of school equipment then just quietly take it away from them whilst substituting it with something that will make their lessons harder. For example abusing a calculator can result in a student having to work out simple sums on paper .

Importance of not talking over students 

It is important that students realize that when a person talks,whether it is their teacher or a fellow classmate, that it is respectful to listen. The process works both ways .

Walk closer

A good technique when you may be frustrated and want to yell is to quietly walk closer to the student or class concerned and repeat your instructions in a quiet controlled way. Think about doing the complete opposite of yelling. Use as few words as possible. If necessary quietly turn and write a message to the class on the board.

Refocus

Find a way to refocus your energy in the moment; that will prevent you from raising your voice. Write notes on a piece of paper. Consider what your triggers may be. It will make it easier to identify and catch a feeling before it gets to the yelling stage.

Always remember ask yourself a question at the end of the lesson, am I proud of the way I as a teacher behaved ? If not think about how you could have acted differently. Let us know if you have any other strategies of getting students to listen without yelling.

Yelling is not the answer.

How to engage children and make a boring lesson exciting

It is very important that children while at school are able to study in a creative and stimulating environment. If a student is not interested in a topic and nothing is done to try and make the topic interesting, then little or no learning will take place.

One of the major factors in providing a stimulating environment and engaging with children of all ages is the attitude of the teacher. If children are interested in the lesson then the teacher will in  turn be stimulated. Below are some suggestions that may assist with keeping students attentive and excited about a lesson.

Surprise and Mystery

Learning can be fun. It will be more so if it is fun and and full of surprises. A teacher who just imparts knowledge without any extra information on the subject will not help their students to remember and understand what they are being taught. Start the lesson with an interesting and unusual detail about the subject to be taught. Get the students attention. Highlight any weird or strange facts.

Be involved in class projects

When a a teacher sets a project to work on in class, a good idea is to bring some materials that you as the teacher can also work with. With smaller children in elementary school, the teacher often has to walk around helping children. Make it fun for the students with praise and positive comments. With middle and high school students, teachers can work on a project themselves and show that they too are invested in learning the topic.

Start with a warm up

This tactic works for all grades. If you begin the class with a fun warm up whether it is physical (particularly with lower grades ) or a mental challenge it will get the students in the correct mindset and shape for the lesson.

 Allow Students a Choice

At the beginning of the lesson and also at then end, allow students the choice of how they would like to have the lecture structured. For example

  • Presenting the subject in a talk to other students
  • Making a newspaper article about the subject
  • Acting out a small play.

This works because students becomes an active part in planning the lesson. It also supports and encourages children to present a topic that may take into account their strengths and interests.

Link to current events or examples

If you can, try to link the lesson / subject to a current event in the student’s lives. At elementary school this could be as simple as tying it into a favorite break-time game. Even a Maths example can be made relevant and interesting if a teacher links children’s names and the activity together. At Middle and High School, current world events can be used as an example. Introduce bizarre facts and stories which will help the student remember this lesson and keep it fun for them.

Include any WOW factor  

Make the lessons fun and interesting by using Apps that you can find on the internet.

  • Show a specific part of the country on Google Earth .
  • Bring unusual pictures to school from a personal collection that help illustrate your lesson.
  • Play music that may be relevant to the topic
  • Play short video clips from YouTube or any video sharing platform.

Remember if it’s not fun for the teacher its not fun for the students ! If you have any brilliant ideas on how to engage children and make a boring lesson much fun and exciting, feel free to contact us.

How to discipline a teenager getting bad grades

When your teen brings home a bad report card, the first reaction by parents is usually disappointment and sometimes anger. It is important that you as a parent handle this very carefully. As a parent you need to understand your teenager and find a way to help and motivate them to improve their grades. Below are a few ways of disciplining your kids who bring home bad grades.

Talk to your teen

It is necessary that you set aside a quiet and comfortable time to talk to your child. Before disciplining them, try to understand why their grades are so poor. A teenager normally will be able to tell you why they are struggling with a subject. Listen to them. Try not too preempt  answers and give your teen time to articulate an answer rather than a shrug on their shoulders.

Questions that can be asked are :

Do they like their teacher ? Can they understand their teacher? Are they having problems understanding the subject matter ? Do they feel they lack the motivation? and so on

Set realistic goals

Set goals that both you and your teen feel are achievable. A  ‘D’ grade cannot be changed to an A grade in one term. Some children may be trying their best but still get low grades. If need be, get help for your teen .

Avoid restricting things your teen enjoys

Avoid taking away things that your teen enjoys as punishment. This relates in particular to hobbies. If you remove this from their lives it may actually demotivate your child. Rather work on seeing how limiting an activity may result in allowing your child more time to complete homework .

If you feel that your teen is spending too much time on social activities and texting with friends then try to restrict these for a period of time during the day before returning them. Try working towards a compromise with your teen.

Limit Social outings

Don’t allow your teen to go to any social events or parties until they have improved their grades. Missing out on dances and parties can be a strong motivator for a teen to put extra work into their studies.

Structure life at home

 Your teen should understand that they must finish homework before the television is switched on or before they can socialize with friends. If these home rules are applied fairly and consistently then a teen will be motivated to complete their work. Follow through with any disciplinary rules at home despite any pleading and moaning.

Natural Consequences

Allow your teen to suffer consequences of their bad grades. For some teens this will work and others it will not. Parents don’t want their child to fail. Sometimes though it is better to back off and let the teen fail. If your child ends up being forced to attend summer school it is likely that they will work harder to avoid having to attend again next year. Your teen should understand whilst you will help them in any way you can, if they continue to choose not too work they may even have to repeat a grade.

It is important therefore to be open and encourage your teen to bring their grades up. Get your teen extra help if required and be prepared to use  a variety of consistent disciplinary techniques.

How should parents react to a bad report card

As parents, we all want our children to perform well in every subject and bring home an impressive report card. Unfortunately the reality is that during your child’s K-12 years there are high chances that they will obtain a few disappointing grades.

How parents handle bad grades is very important as this can effect your child’s future approach to studying. A bad report card can lead to an emotional situation for both the child and the parents.

Here are some tips on how to react if your child brings home a bad report card:

Don’t rush -take your time to absorb

Chances are your child will already be aware that the report contains some red flags . Once you have absorbed the news take time to think about it all. It is important not to react instantly while emotions may be running high.If you are worried, tell your child that you need to look carefully at it and then you will discuss with them. Be calm and they will be too .

Praise the good aspects

It is important that any discussion begins with praise. Acknowledge the comments about their good behavior and the fact that they received a good grade in Music and Art. Even if its just a good attendance record praise it. It is important that your child understands that you are looking at everything not just the negatives.

Check the grading system

Make sure that you understand the grading system that your child’s school uses. Read the key. Sometimes a letter grade is tied to a numerical point system. What might look like a bad grade may not be as bad as first thought. Do not rush to conclusions at first glance.

Talk to your child, don’t lose your temper

It is alright to let your child know that you are disappointed and that you perhaps feel they could have done better. It’s important that you can discuss this calmly with your child and seek their opinion. You do not want to leave your child humiliated or ashamed.

Listen to your child’s point of view

There may be excuses brought up which you feel are invalid, but listen to them. Its possible that your child may have some insights into why they did badly in a particular subject. Maybe they can’t see the board or maybe they are just too tired from having a hectic day after the school schedule. Ask your child what they think is the cause. There are many reasons that could account for a child struggling with poor grades. Also check out how diet affects a child’s performance. We also have an article which suggests that poor sleeping patterns greatly affect a child’s performance at school.

Meet and Talk to the Teacher

It is important to meet regularly with your child’s teacher. This way you can be aware of their teaching styles and be aware earlier if your child needs some extra help with a subject.

Game plan

Discuss a realistic game plan with your child to try and improve their grades. Don’t punish for poor grades, it is better to try and identify problem areas and work with your child. Be realistic; a  child who is obtaining D and C grades is unlikely to be able to get an A for the next report card. Improvement will likely be gradual but praise that improvement. The trend is what matters in this situation, not the score.

Your child will be counting on you to help them out. Follow the above points and if need be, do not be put off to ask for help from the school. Remember children actually do not want to fail so help them get back on track.

Please share your thoughts with us on other better ways of reacting to children who bring home a bad report card.

How does changing Schools affect a child ?

During the course of their academic lives, children have to change school for a variety of reasons. For example parents may change jobs or separate and as a result their children have to change schools. Sometimes the changes may occur due to personal choices (e.g. search for a better quality of life) or social reasons (e.g. change in financial situation). Census data suggests that up to 18% of American school age children change homes in any given year. Most children will transfer to a new school or district at least once before they graduate from high school.

Although the reasons may be valid, changing schools must be handled with extreme caution since changes can have negative consequences on your child.

Academic changes and challenges

 The curriculum can vary within a grade from one school district to the next. Teachers may adjust their pace to fit a particular class. When a new child arrives they may be ahead or behind the new class. Teachers also have different styles of teaching and new students may have to take time to adapt. In the 1990’s a study by the American Medical Association, involving ten thousand students found out that children who move frequently are 35 % more likely to fail a grade. It can also put a child academically behind by up to six months. The statistics further show that changing high schools puts students at a higher risk of in fact dropping out.

Peer Relationships

 Interaction with their peers is extremely important to children .They may leave a school where they know most of their classmates and move to a new school where they have to begin allover to establish new friendships. This can be quite traumatic for a child.

Relationship between School /Parents and Child

An important part of the success of a school is that there is usually a strong collaboration and working relationship between schools and parents. This takes time to build. This makes it difficult and challenging for all parties to begin building a strong relationship. It can also take a while for records from the previous school to arrive.

Disruption to a class

A new student can have an effect on the class dynamics. It is not only that new students have to adjust, it’s the fact that their new classmates have to as well. In addition a teacher normally has to take time out from normal schedules to assess and assimilate new children.

Increases the risk of Psychotic Symptoms

 Recent research has found that children who had changed schools three or four times in their childhood were found to be at least 60 % more likely to display at least one psychotic symptom. Studies have also shown that changing schools can often lead to feelings of low self-esteem.

Sometimes it is unavoidable that a child must change schools. If this is the case then everything must be done to make the transition as smooth as possible.Whatever the reason for changing school, working closely and positively with your child and their new school will be in their best interest.

Some tips on helping your child through the challenges of changing schools:

  • Keep in touch with your kid’s best friends from the former school through phone or occasional vacation meetups
  • Teach your child social skills that will help them easily make new friends and connect with new classmates.
  • Identify areas where your child could potentially fall behind and assist them in those areas.
  • Constantly check your child’s progress and get updates from the school on their current situation.