Top 10 skills junior secondary school students need to thrive, and how parents can help
Pick the right friends, be organised, don’t get emotional, indulge your passions, recognise your limits – these are among the tips for successfully navigating the early years in high school
In primary school, I was too shy to address my teachers when I had a question. I also was the new girl, and the existing cliques seemed impenetrable. To make matters worse, I was a late reader.
By junior secondary school, I was ready to throw myself into the mix. It wasn’t always pretty. I got tossed out of classes for giggling uncontrollably. I navigated earning my first “D” and getting demoted in maths. I had a knack for choosing overly dramatic and bossy friends.
On the plus side, I figured out how to connect with teachers, and learned I could solve maths problems when I made an effort. I discovered that books kindled my imagination and provided a mental escape. Sports played a useful role too, allowing me to burn off excess energy and improve my focus. I shifted social groups more than a few times. Overall, it was the typical junior high experience, one I relive frequently as a school counsellor and as the parent of children in seventh and eighth grade.
There is no manual to develop “soft” skills like perseverance and resilience. Just as I did, most children learn through trial and error. As parents, our quest to protect our children can be at odds with their personal growth. It can feel counter-intuitive, but we mainly need to take a step back. I have come to believe that certain social emotional skills are particularly useful as kids navigate junior secondary school and beyond. Here are my top 10 skills, and ways parents can help without getting in the way.
1. Make good friend choices
