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As an institutionalist, I have seen a trail of school traits that affect school-going children in more ways than one. Traits that, if not controlled, could ruin or build your child once they transition to secondary school. Most children in private primary schools perform exceptionally well, and there are many reasons for this. For one, such children receive personalised attention and hardly stray as both their parents and teachers are hands-on in their care and progress. Any new habits are quickly noted, and the child barely has room for mistakes.

Staggering transition

If this scenario is familiar, then you already know what to expect when your child goes to a public school, where they are expected to plan their time independently. My secondary school principal emphasised using our common sense, ensuring all our senses were common to all.

However, we noticed the struggle the lot that had come from a nearby private primary school went through, adjusting to rules, half of which could only be understood by the bell. While some were startled awake by their low performances, for others, it took the intervention of our teachers, who were forced to ban drama and music festivals and set a limit to our sporting activities to keep them in check.

Build your child’s discipline

It helps to have parents check on their children’s performance, especially when they transition to secondary school. If you notice a substantial decline, find out where it originates and fill the gap lest your child struggles to catch up in their final years of secondary education. If your child had assistance waking up, buy them an alarm watch and remind them to set it.

If your child never planned their revision timetable, remind them to prepare it as soon as they settle and, most importantly, to go by it. The bottom line is, don’t just send your child to school and expect the institution to pick up where their last school left. Your child may find new rules guiding their new institution, but it takes a well-disciplined child to make it out successfully.