Changing schools for children: a decision that cannot be left to chance

If you went through a change of school in childhood, you will have felt at least one of these reactions: terror at being in an unfamiliar place, sadness at not seeing your friends, anger at your parents for a hasty decision, or joy at finally arriving at a place you felt was right. What does this depend on? Not lucky, say the educators consulted by this newspaper.

For fourteen years, your son will be tied to school life, before radically changing his routine when he enters higher education or starts his first job. in that span You will form some very significant bonds, both with people and with institutions, their value systems, principles, learning styles and social interaction..

Moving children from such an environment, unless they are also wanting or needing to, can create discomfort for them and the entire family. Some children will adapt quickly, but not all; Any parent knows that not even among his own children are there two whose personalities and ways of seeing the world are identical.

Under what conditions is it advisable to think about changing schools or colleges? In addition to external or non-modifiable situations (in the center there is not the level that the student should go to, the family has a change of address or some special situation), there are other common reasons, says the educator Mauricio Pinchevsky. And he names some very valid ones.

Some families arrive in January with the urgency of finding a new school; others are already thinking about it for the next school year.

“Today, many students need some kind of curricular adaptation, psycho-pedagogical accompaniment or, simply, the atmosphere of the center in which they are found is very tense due to other students or even the teachers”. Also consider whether you want your child to enter an institution with a particular orientation, such as a bilingual educational center, technical, artistic baccalaureate or international baccalaureate (IB).

Always think of the well-being of the child. “When parents feel that their child’s needs are not being met as expected or as promised by the institution, and the child is also expressing disagreement, it is time to dialogue with the child and the school to review the situation.” This is the approach of Andrea Sotomayor Medina, postgraduate academic coordinator at Casa Grande University.

“Yes the child presents academic, adaptation, relationship difficulties with their classmates or one of their teachers, and these affect their behavior, self-esteem and motivation, parents must immediately work together with the school and identify the most pertinent actions”. What if the problem persists despite dialogue and agreements? Then we would have to think about the change of school.

Make sure that the change does not happen from one moment to another, in the middle of the school year, but rather that it is natural; Allow (the child) to finish the study period, so that he can say goodbye to his friends, teachers and his school, in such a way that he closes that stage with serenity and gratitude.

How to integrate the child in the decision to find a new study center

In this matter, the age of the student matters a lot. If he’s already a teenager, Pinchevsky says, it’s important for him to be very active, ask for his opinion and present the reasons why it is convenient to transfer it. “In the case of children, it is important to have a common position between both parents or authority figures in the home.” The divisions will cause doubts in the child, who is usually very sensitive to home tensions.

“You always have to give the child or adolescent a voice!” it is the opinion of Sotomayor, who advises to communicate with them from the truth. “You must be aware of what is happening: why are you going to change schools, what do you expect from your new school, how do you want to feel there?” Show your children the options or look for new ones together, go on a visit, get to know the educational community.

At the same time, schools should be open to various conversational encountersdemonstration of learning situations, recreation, teamwork… “Allow them to experience one or several days on campus.”

Get good advice, with parents and educators

Finding a good educational center is like finding a good job, considers Mauricio Pinchevsky. You need to dedicate a lot of time, ask many friends and acquaintances, “and don’t rule out asking for a favor or other, especially if you want to find a good center on these dates, since most recognized centers open their admission process between August and September; in January there are few places left”.

Talk to those who have children in education or are connected to an educational center. If you know what you are looking for, you will be able to identify in the comments of others if that place is what you are looking for for your children. Sotomayor encourages search for an education specialist, educational psychologist or educational psychologist to accompany you in reflection and decision.

Now, when choosing, look at the following features of the new school or college:

• A classic proposal, with an accent on values, reading comprehension or thinking development.
• The management of bilingualismwhich Pinchevsky admits is not new, but not always well resolved.
• current proposals such as robotics or the intensive use of technology.

“All this has its virtues; however, what children value most is a healthy and happy environment in which to grow up”, says the teacher.

Be very curious, advises Andrea Sotomayor.

• Don’t be dazzled by the infrastructure or the institutional awards. These are not the only aspects that guarantee educational quality.
• Review the philosophy, mission, vision, pedagogical model, institutional valuestheir level of social responsibility and expand all that information in the meetings they will have.
• Find out who makes up the educational unit, managers, teachers, student welfare staff.
• ask about the pedagogical model, training in values ​​and emotional education.

“If the school claims to be innovative, ask them to explain what an innovative literature or math class looks like. If the school expresses that the most important thing for them is the emotions of their students, ask how they approach the situation when one child hits another, how they accompany the grieving process of a child who loses one of their loved ones or how they handle the student’s frustration with a low grade”, points out the educator.

Inquire personally, do not settle for the information on the website, and bring your children’s doubts. “Not only should the professional CV (of the teaching team) be of interest, but also have references on human quality. Howard Gardner has already said it: there must be a balance between commitment, ethics and excellence to be a good educator. This is an aspect that parents cannot ignore.”

Finally, how to make sure that the child does not feel a shock when arriving at a new place? Here the crucial thing will be the accompaniment that he receives. This is a recommendation for the school: Designate a special team that is in charge of the integration of the child and his family.

This team, lists Sotomayor, must have goals in relation to the child’s integration strategies in the classroom (teaching-learning process, relationship with their peers and teachers), development of the family-school bond (active listening, attention to needs, empathy), family participation in specific activities (Olympics, Grandparents’ Day), family interaction with others and with teachers. “After a while, the goals will have to be evaluated and determine what has been achieved, what needs to be improved or what they discovered about that child or adolescent and their family that seems interesting to document and work on.” (F)