Grade 9 to 10 transition

Written by Suhana Batchu

Introduction:

Transitioning between different grades each academic year is always challenging, especially when you start getting closer to DP/CP (Diploma program &/or career program). The transition between grades 9 to 10 is one of the most crucial parts of an IB school, which unfortunately is not talked about a lot. Grade 10 is one of the most important years,, in terms of work and how the teachers grade. In grade 10 almost everything that is done is set to the DP/CP standards, everything from formative assessments to summative assessments. This is done so that we are well-prepared for grades 11 & 12, therefore, making the transition from grade 10, to 11 and 12 easier.

It is important to note that it is going to be hard to adjust to grade 10, it won’t just get easier within a week, it will take time. In grade 10 you will be working on Personal project, which is one of the most important things you will be doing in grade 10.Therefore it is more important that we settle things, by this I mean, making a timetable, setting deadlines for each project and task you need completed or finding a method that works for you, which keeps you organized and prepared for the upcoming classes. I know we hear this every year, “to make timetables or a calendar to keep track of work”, but this year we actually mean it. To fully get used to grade 10

and for one to prepare themselves for grade 11 & 12 it's important that we get used to these things, and put it as daily to-do’s. Now this is not meant to scare anyone, it is meant to inform, it is obvious that as we progress through school years, the workload will get harder, and we are the ones who have to adjust because things won’t change by complaining or just sitting and not doing anything.

There are many things I wish I knew before coming to grade 10, which is one of the reasons why I think this is an important topic to cover, to inform you about the things I wish someone had told me, so I would have been better prepared for grade 10. Foremost, please! Start brainstorming ideas for your personal project from now on, make sure it is something that you are passionate about, don’t do something too complicated or something that does not make you excited since you will be working on this throughout grade 10. For example; if you are interested in arts you could make a comic or an animated short story, if you are interested in technology and coding you could create an app and if you are someone interested in fitness or PHE you could make a workout video/plan for people to follow for a ‘healthy’ life. Most importantly don’t do something because others are telling you to, do it because you want to do it!

Grade 10 is when university applications processes really start to pick up, it will feel extremely overwhelming to start filling out your portfolio, and do activities you don’t want to, to “fill in the gaps.” Remember you still have time, and it will be easier if you start in grade 9, do activities you enjoy and are passionate about, so that you can bring the best out of yourself in the activity and excel in it, which looks better in university applications, rather than doing activities to the bare minimum to “fill in the gaps.”

Grade 10 is also one of the years teachers start grading you like you are in DP/CP, for example, a ‘8’ in grade 9 would be the same as getting a ‘6’ in grade 10. So at the start of the year, if you are not getting the expected grades don’t worry, it just means you need to work harder for grade 10 because the expectations are very different.

Now this happens every year, but especially for grade 10 since you would have to choose a lot of subjects, and you won’t always be with your friends for homeroom, math, science, languages and electives. That means you may start driing apart from your friends, because of homeroom assignments and class choices. Know that it is normal, and it is not anyone's fault, because it is

beyond anyone's control, it is important that you still keep in contact with your friends outside of school or in group chats, you can even plan meetups. However, it is important to understand that everyone is growing up, and they can have friends outside the friend group as well, everyone is entitled to their choices, and you don’t know what anyone is dealing with, so make an effort to be kind.

Grade 9 itself might be hard, every grade you go up by is going to be the hardest grade you have done so far, so it is important to start preparing and getting into a good routine from now itself, so that the transition from grade 9 to 10 would not be so difficult or the transition between any grade itself would be easier, since you would already be used to a routine, and you would just have to change it accordingly to that school year and the amount of work. I know it’s going to be difficult, and at the beginning it seems unbearably hard, but as the months go by, things will get easier.