School Blues

School Blues

For a child who is already comfortable and at ease with the normal routine of his school, transferring to a new one might be a lot difficult for him. Changes abound – he has to deal with a change of environment, meet new people, encounter a different school curriculum, follow new school rules, and even try to make his way around his new school.

These, among others, might be the ones that have adverse affects on the child – a sense of rejection, trauma, or even depression.

“There are different ways in which kids act in various situations,” says Professor Josephine Aguilar-Placido, a sociology professor. “There is the issue of non-acceptance, especially when the child doesn’t know that he is going to be transferred to another school. There is the rejection from the child – absenteeism, skipping classes and sometimes the child exhibits behavior, such as withdrawal which would be unusual if he is usually outspoken.”

So when a child exhibits unusual behavior, here are several ways on how to deal with the child and his school blues.

Talk to your child. Prior to the move, have a heart-to-heart talk with your child. Explain to him why he needs to go to a new school. Have a positive tone and be encouraging – explain to your child that the new school is different, but with effort, it will be better than the old one.

Tour the campus. Even before the school year starts, schedule a series of visits to the campus so that your child would know who his new teachers are, and where the rooms such as the canteen, library, and the teachers’ lounge are located. That way, your child may become accustomed to finding his way around and know to whom he can easily talk if he needs help.

Observe your child on school days. Don’t ignore your child when the start of the school year rolls around. Make sure you talk to him after each school day, asking him how his day is, how he feels about his new school and his classmates. This way, you can immediately grasp what your child feels. If you sense an immediate discomfort in the child, talk to him after school, and discuss this problem with him.

You might also want to pay a visit to the school and talk to your child’s teachers or the guidance counselor.

Go over schoolwork with him. If a child is experiencing some difficulty in his schoolwork as opposed to his previous schoolwork in a former school, make time to sit down him and help him study his lessons.