开学头一个月，对任何新加入国际学校的孩子来说，都是一场“静悄悄的风暴”——有躲在被窝里想家的眼泪，有面对新同学新老师的新鲜与忐忑，有全英文课堂的懵懂，也有第一次独立完成作业的手忙脚乱。

作为家长，您可能每天都在群里“打探”孩子的状态，既盼着他们快快融入，又心疼他们独自应对陌生的一切。

其实，这些情绪，学校都懂。

一个有准备的成熟学校，不仅提前做好了周密安排，更愿意把“幕后”的做法摊开给您看——因为家校同频，才是孩子过渡期最强的“定心丸”。

今天，我们就请深圳曼校执行校长Benjamin Webster先生亲自分享：开学第一个月，我们到底做了什么，让孩子快速爱上这里。

开学第一天，曼校高年级的新生没有坐在教室里听校规，而是直接被拉去户外——水上运动 + 团队挑战。

为什么这么做？因为共同的“第一次”体验，比任何自我介绍都更能拉近距离。孩子们在互相推着浮板、喊着口号的过程中，自然而然就交到了朋友，归属感也悄悄种下。给家长的悄悄话： 如果孩子回家兴奋地聊起当天的“狼狈”和“搞笑”，请一定多听多笑——这是他们融入的第一个信号。您也可以鼓励孩子主动约新朋友周末一起做点事，把“水上友谊”延伸到校园之外。

曼校深知，独立不是一夜长大的，而是从每天的自律小习惯开始的。

开学第一个月，学校把重点放在学习常规的养成上：如何记作业、如何规划晚修时间、如何拆解大项目……老师们会手把手教，同时明确告知行为规范和作业要求的高标准。

但高标准不等于“放养”

教室里、宿舍里、晚自习时，都有老师随时答疑。学校相信：给出清晰的期望，再配上充足的台阶，孩子就能一步步走稳。

给家长的实操建议：

在家可以和孩子一起用一张白纸画出“一周时间饼图”，标出上课、作业、运动、休息的时间块，慢慢培养对时间的掌控感。如果孩子抱怨作业多，先别急着“救火”，而是问：“你觉得哪个部分最难？咱们可以怎么拆分？”——这正是学校在教的自我管理。

曼校最引以为豪的制度之一——导师制。每位新生都配有一位专属导师，每周固定见面15-20分钟，聊的可不止是学习：

学业：“这周哪节课最让你兴奋？老师讲得清楚吗？”

课外活动：“你参加了什么CCA？喜欢吗？想不想换一个？”

朋友圈：“最近和谁一起吃饭？有没有遇到让你不舒服的事？”

情绪状态：“1到10分，你这周的快乐指数是多少？”

这样的深度对话，让导师能第一时间捕捉到孩子的细微波动——比如某天情绪低落、某个科目吃力、某段关系紧张。小问题还在萌芽就被温柔化解，绝不会滚成大雪球。

给家长的小建议：

导师每周的反馈是您了解孩子在校状态的一扇窗，请一定重视与导师的沟通。同时，您也可以在周末聊天时，有意识地问：“这周和导师聊了什么？有没有什么话题你想多聊聊？”——这能让孩子感受到，学校和家庭是“同盟军”，不是“检查组”。

Ben校长在分享最后，特别感谢了全体教职员工的付出。从清晨的宿舍巡查，到深夜的备课改作业，从活动策划到一对一谈心，每一个环节都凝聚着团队的用心。

这份骄傲，也传递给了每一个孩子——因为开学第一个月的平稳落地，意味着他们有了一个安全、温暖、充满信任的起点。

写在最后：适应，是场“接力赛”

开学第一个月虽然忙碌，但曼校选择把“忙碌”变成“有序”，把“紧张”变成“兴奋”。

我们相信，孩子的适应力远比你想象的强大——只要给他们对的土壤、对的支持、对的人。

接下来的日子里，学校将继续通过晨会、班会、家长工作坊等形式，和您保持同频。

如果您有任何关于孩子过渡期的困惑，也欢迎随时联系学部办公室或导师——我们一直都在。

最后，送您三个“过渡期锦囊”：

1.多听少问——不要每天追问“今天怎么样”，而是分享自己的一天，孩子反而会主动开口。

2.接受“倒退”——适应不是直线上升，偶尔想家、犯懒、闹情绪，都正常，给孩子一点“缓冲期”。

3.相信专业——学校有成熟的系统，请放心地把部分焦虑交给我们，您负责在家稳稳接住孩子的情绪就好。

新学期才刚刚开始，让我们一起，静待花开。

The first month of school can be a quiet storm for any child joining an international school –tears shed under the duvet from missing home, the excitement and nervousness of meeting new classmates and teachers, the bewilderment of an allEnglish classroom, and the fluster of tackling homework independently for the first time.

As a parent, you may find yourself checking group chats every day for glimpses of your child’s mood – hopeful they’ll settle in quickly, yet anxious about them navigating so much on their own.

We understand these feelings.

A wellprepared school not only plans meticulously in advance, but also invites parents behind the scenes – because alignment between home and school is the strongest anchor during this transition.

Today, our Principal shares exactly what we have done in this first month to help our new students fall in love with Merchiston.

On that first morning, instead of sitting through rules and regulations, our senior new students were taken outdoors for water sports + team challenges.

Why this approach? Because a shared “firsttime” experience brings people closer than any icebreaker. As they pushed floating boards and cheered each other on, friendships formed naturally, and a sense of belonging took root quietly.“That quickly allowed students to make friendships, settle in, and feel a part of this community.”

We know that independence doesn’t grow overnight – it starts with small daily selfmanagement habits.

In this first month, we have prioritised learning routines: how to record homework, plan evening study sessions, break down large projects – teachers guide them step by step, while also clearly communicating high expectations for behaviour and homework quality.

But high expectations do not mean “sink or swim” –

“There’s a huge amount of support here to achieve that. We put all the support into place so students are able to do it.”

In classrooms, dormitories, and evening study halls, teachers are always available to answer questions. Our belief is: give clear expectations, provide ample scaffolding, and students will steadily find their footing.

“Every child here has a mentor. A mentor meets the child once every week for a 15–20 minute conversation that includes all aspects of their life at Merchiston.”

This is one of our proudest systems – the Mentor Programme.

Every new student is assigned a personal mentor who meets with them weekly for 1520 minutes, covering far more than academics:

·Academics: “Which lesson excited you most this week? Do you find the teachers clear?”

·Cocurricular: “Which CCA are you doing? Enjoying it? Fancy trying something else?”

·Friendships: “Who have you been eating with lately? Any uncomfortable moments?”

·Wellbeing: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy have you been this week?”

“This mentoring allows us to pick up on any minor issue and quickly resolve it.”

These indepth conversations allow mentors to detect subtle shifts – a low mood one day, a subject that feels tough, a relationship that needs attention. Small concerns are gently addressed at the bud, never snowballing into bigger problems.

Parent tip:

The mentor’s weekly feedback is a key window into your child’s life on campus – please do value that communication. At weekends, you might also casually ask: “What did you and your mentor talk about this week? Any topic you’d like to explore further?” – this helps your child see school and home as allies, not inspectors.

“I'm so proud of all members of our team here at Merchiston International School for such a strong start this month.

”In closing, our Principal expressed special gratitude to every staff member – from earlymorning dormitory rounds to latenight lesson preparation and marking, from activity planning to oneonone conversations – every detail reflects the team’s dedication.

That pride also reaches every child – because a smooth first month means they now have a safe, warm, and trustworthy starting point for the year ahead.

Final Words: Transition Is a Relay Race

The first month has been busy, but we have chosen to turn that busyness into order, and nerves into excitement.

We believe that children are far more resilient than we often imagine – given the right environment, the right support, and the right people.

In the coming weeks, we will continue to keep you informed through assemblies, class meetings, and parent workshops.

If you have any concerns about your child’s adjustment, please do not hesitate to contact the divisional office or your child’s mentor – we are always here.

Finally, three “transition tips” for you:

1.Listen more, ask less – Instead of “How was your day?” every day, share your own day first; your child will often open up naturally.

2.Allow “two steps forward, one step back” – Adjustment is not linear. Occasional homesickness, laziness, or moodiness are normal – give them some “buffer space”.

3.Trust the professionals – We have mature systems in place. Please feel free to leave some of the anxiety with us; your role is to provide a steady, loving base at home.

The new term has just begun. Together, let us wait patiently for the flowers to bloom.