How Teachers and Guidance Counselors Can Help
Sue Carney, a school counselor at Upper Moreland Middle School in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, points out that “teachers need to be aware of the fact that for many kids who transfer midyear, family upheaval may be one of the factors.” However, teachers will probably only know what is in a new student’s file. To truly ensure that teachers know everything, it can help for parents to start a discussion with a guidance counselor. From there, they can reach out to teachers, whether on the phone, in person, or during parent-teacher conferences.“Teachers can also help recognize that transfer students, especially those who move around a lot, may have gaps in their learning that require extra attention,” explains Carney. If parents can help teachers identify these gaps, everyone can work together to see that they are filled.
There’s another possibility that may make moving to a new school easier. Teens are in the business of reinventing themselves (as can be seen by their frequent changes in dress, style, and online avatars). A move means another possibility to become someone else. So if your teen was exploring drama in his old school, he might just try out for a sports team in his new school; if she was on the school paper last semester, she could enter an art contest this semester. With a little luck, patience, and encouragement from parents, a teen may well flourish in a new environment.
Melanie 05/07/08
My husband is in the army, and we have moved around a lot since our kids, 12 and 15, were born. They are used to the drill – when we tell them we’re moving, they have a system of getting involved in their new schools. First, we ask the principal for the directory of all the students, and then we get the names of students who are in particular clubs my kids are interested in joining. They write an email to one person in the club, and ask for some information. It’s a way for them to make a “buddy” before they enroll.
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