Student Voice Series: My transition to Nadeen School – a new secondary student’s perspective by Jude in Year 9
I enter the new school building at 7:45 in the morning, which is usually when I arrive. I receive a lovely greeting from the teachers and a great, big smile and walk up the stairwell to my new form class. As I enter, I walk through the spacious corridor, I see the beautiful view outside the window of the running track and playground, as well the brand-new grassy terrace. One of the reasons this is so special is because during the mornings, it is the best time to go outside and have a breath of fresh air, and to feel a warm breeze brush past you.
I’m not usually someone who is open minded towards change, especially if I am comfortable where I am, but I realised, no one can reach their full potential somewhere in which they are comfortable. I have been in the same school for eight years, it was where I spent most of my days, it’s where I made the most memories and where I met my oldest friends. However, just in my first month here at Nadeen, I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. To begin with, I was somewhat unhappy to move somewhere new, my parents had trouble convincing me it was for the greater good, which it was. Nadeen was very good at getting me excited for the new school year. At every orientation I’ve been to, I’ve gotten more and more excited. You could see the genuine excitement and enthusiasm in the way teachers talked about their subjects and the new campus. Once I saw everything for myself, I remember the bright smile on my dad’s face when I said I couldn’t wait for the new school year to commence.
As I enter my form room, Miss Stephanie, Head of Secondary catches my attention.
‘Good morning, Jude’.
‘Good morning, Miss. How are you?’
Miss Stephanie is one of the reasons my transition to Nadeen has been so smooth. She constantly checks in with us, asking us how the staff can make our learning experience even better. For example, one of the privileges of being in Year 9 is that we have our own Morning Break Area, where it’s calm, spacious and we can enjoy a few moments of reflection, eat and laugh.
It was very easy for me to make friends because students here are friendly, approachable and have strong, individual personalities. During break times, I’m always laughing with my new friends, so happy the overwhelming feeling of making new friends has passed. We always share jokes and are always smiling, and school is always fun when you have friends to laugh and enjoy your time with. To me, school isn’t only about the academics or the extracurriculars, it’s also about enjoying my time as a kid, to experience new things and to have fun with my friends.
It’s after break and I’m in History class. We’re looking at the Titanic and considering who was responsible for the accident. We’ve looked at a cross section of people who worked on board, or contributed to the design of the ship and have been able to narrow it down to a few people.
Mr Rich teaches us how to see the past from different perspectives and encourages us to share our personal thoughts. This is similar to English where we use spider diagrams in a class discussion, so we can visually see everyone’s ideas and how everyone’s thoughts are connected, even though they might be different. In Maths, practice makes perfect. Miss Stephanie can take any mathematical concept and simplify it in a way that is easy and understandable. Practising my maths skills helps me remain sharp and focused. My teachers are very patient and very clear in their explanations.
At Nadeen, everyone has a chance to participate and everyone is appreciated. There are endless opportunities that are different for everyone. There are many roles in sports, culture and academics, and it’s always good when students sign up or show interest. This is because at school, everyone wishes to establish roles, at least one role for everyone. I was recently elected Head Girl, however, at first, I never thought I would apply to be. But I received encouraging words from my teachers that not only made me rethink my decision, but also got me excited. As a Head Girl, I get lots of opportunities to work closely with my teachers, to organise and delegate events and to be an ambassador for my school, which I am very proud to be.
Note: Thank you to Malak, Rana, Rian, Rayan, Leon, Lola and Eylul for making my transition to Nadeen so much easier.
