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After a positive completion of the lower level (secondary level I), students can switch to a secondary school type. There are many options here: the AHS upper level (general secondary school), vocational secondary schools (BMS), vocational secondary schools (BHS), polytechnic schools (PS/PTS), the vocational school (BS) and other branches.
New period of my life
Moving to high school is an important milestone on the path to adult life. Suddenly you enjoy privileges and rights that you have always envied your elders. But this time is also associated with more responsibility and pressure, after all, you are aiming for your high school diploma or your future professional life. Transferring also means finding your way in a newly mixed class. Overall, there are many new challenges facing the students; for example, more independence and self-organization are required, and things can get a little tricky. We have collected some advice for new “Oberstufler”.
Suddenly everything is different
Many high-performing students experience a little “shock” after the first exam phase at secondary school. You got used to getting good grades in lower school. Suddenly it may no longer work quite so “effortlessly” and after the first bad grade, frustration sets in. The students now have to admit that constant learning and more effort are necessary in order to keep up – even if they are talented and smart. When you move to secondary school, the learning material becomes more concentrated.
Forbearance and patience
The children slowly discover that their role as students is now changing and that they have to take on more responsibility. In this phase, the parents, in turn, are allowed to allow them to have failures from which they can learn. Especially now, understanding and forbearance are important until everything slowly settles down again.
In contrast to younger students, young people usually no longer want learning support from their parents because they are in the process of breaking away from them. It is therefore advisable to learn with classmates or to hire a tutor who can address the problems in the material in a targeted and individual manner. A study group can help you stay motivated, whether on WhatsApp or in real life in the library. When things are going really badly at school, young people often lack the experience of success in order to build healthy self-confidence. Failures at school can be compensated for with meaningful leisure activities.
Stay on the ball
It is helpful to think a little more about the material after class and ask yourself what you can do with it later or what meaning the respective subject could have for you. It is important to repeat the content in your own words and perhaps tell someone about it. In this way, you quickly notice how competent you actually are in a topic or where you are getting stuck.
Sometimes it also helps to go on your own “research trip” in a subject or in relation to a specific topic. In this way you deepen your knowledge and perhaps also discover your interest in one or another topic. Electives give you the chance to choose areas that suit you and thus improve your grades.
Keep an eye on the future
Nobody forces you in high school to immediately and finally decide on your future career path. But it can’t hurt to put your feelers out in a certain direction. Nevertheless, the top rule is not to put pressure on yourself! You can always redefine professional goals; they are not set in stone.
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