The Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) are finally over!
Many parents and their children will use the time after PSLE to go on holidays and take a breather from the stressful examinations that have just passed. This period is not just perfect for holidays, it is also the best time for your child to get ready for his or her secondary school education, Integrated Programme (IP), or even the International Baccalaureate (IB) education if you decide to put your child through any of these programmes.
Spending the whole post-PSLE period for leisure activities can be detrimental to your child’s education as it could be hard to get back into the full swing of things when January comes. Here are a few ways secondary school education, IP and IB programmes are different from the primary school education:
• Longer school hours
• More commitment and time required for activities outside of the curriculum
• More subjects (from four subjects in primary school to about eight or nine in secondary, even more so for IP and IB)
• More emphasis on critical thinking skills
• Greater independence on the part of the student
• Greater peer influence
• More homework
Due to the differences, the first couple of weeks in the secondary school, IP or IB programmes may be overwhelming for your child. To ensure your child starts his or her secondary school education on the right note and develop the confidence to excel, they can engage in mentally stimulating activities during the post-PSLE break such as taking up new hobbies, learning new skills, or taking up tuition classes to prepare for secondary school (or IP / IB) subjects. This will help ensure that they do not lose the momentum during the post-PSLE break as they progress from primary to secondary school education.
Taking up new hobbies
Taking up a new hobby is more than just a way to have fun. It has many other benefits:
- A hobby can give your child a sense of self-efficacy which can boost his (or her) confidence level.
- A hobby can help your child express himself or herself through creative means
- Having hobbies will keep your child’s brain stay engaged.
- A hobby can give your child something to be passionate about or look forward to.
Hobbies such as reading, exercising, dancing or chess are perfect ways to stimulate your child’s mental capacities.
Learning a new skill
There are many skills that your child can learn. One way is to check out your nearest community club for holiday classes. Our community clubs offer great, beginner classes at competitive rates and these are perfect for your child to discover new interests. Some of the classes you can find at community clubs include:
– Drawing
– Piano
– Dancing
– Speech and Drama
– Cooking
and much more.
academics.sg is here to work hand in hand with parents to ensure every child fosters the right path towards education excellence.
