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Starting School: Welcoming Young Children and Families into Early School Experiences
Abstract
Throughout the world, young children and their families anticipate the start of school with expectations and hopes, as well
as concerns. Although the approaches and customs differ from one nation, region, or culture to another, one constant is the
recognition that a collaborative effort is needed to welcome young children and their families into formal schooling experiences.
The transition process should be proactive and responsive to the children’s needs. This article addresses four key components
of appropriate support for young children who are starting school: (1) a consideration of the developmental characteristics
of young children, (2) a recognition of factors that affect adjustment to new situations, (3) the establishment of relationships
with families, and (4) the implementation of strategies that assist young children in making this important transition. Strategies
for assisting children who are beginning their school careers are shared.
... Transition practices are activities focusing on children, families, or teachers that are aimed at supporting and easing children's transitions to school (Early, Pianta, Taylor & Cox. 2001;La Paro, Pianta & Cox, 2000;Laverick, 2008). According to Corsaro and Molinari (2005), formal transition practices are initiated by adults or institutions, while informal transition practices are initiated by children and often take the form of play or spontaneous conversation (Ackesjö, 2013;Corsaro et Molinari, 2005). ...
... However, the transfer of information regarding the child from one institution to the next is only one example of a transition practice (Early et al., 2001;Einarsdottir, Perry & Dockett, 2008;La Paro, Pianta & Cox, 2000;Laverick, 2008). The vast majority of practices identified and evaluated in the research literature (e.g., home visits, welcome letters, orientation programs and visits to the school) are organised by schools or teachers (Laverick, 2008). ...
... However, the transfer of information regarding the child from one institution to the next is only one example of a transition practice (Early et al., 2001;Einarsdottir, Perry & Dockett, 2008;La Paro, Pianta & Cox, 2000;Laverick, 2008). The vast majority of practices identified and evaluated in the research literature (e.g., home visits, welcome letters, orientation programs and visits to the school) are organised by schools or teachers (Laverick, 2008). Little is known about transition practices organised by early childhood centres. ...
This study presents the results of a narrative inquiry into the roles of early childhood educators and centres in preparing four-year-old children and their parents for their upcoming transition to kindergarten (the first year of school), in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Participants were seven mothers and the seven educators working with their children. Results revealed four themes: preparing the child; supporting the parent; transition rituals; and a rupture. Educators and parents described formal transition practices, often discussed in the literature, as well as informal transition practices, rarely acknowledged in research studies; and educator and parent attitudes and perceptions regarding what children need in order to be 'ready' for school as well as what will happen once they begin school.
... La transition des services de garde éducatifs en petite enfance (SGÉ 1 ) vers l'éducation préscolaire et primaire est un moment clé pour les enfants et leurs familles, pouvant se répercuter tout au long du parcours scolaire des enfants (Burrell et Bubb, 2000 ;Entwisle et Alexandre, 1998 ;Ramey et Ramey, 2004). Afin de faciliter cette première transition scolaire, des pratiques de transition sont mises en place (Early, Pianta, Taylor et Cox, 2001;Laverick, 2008). La vaste majorité de ces pratiques rapportées et évaluées par la recherche sont organisées par l'école ou par l'enseignante de la maternelle (Laverick, 2008). ...
... Afin de faciliter cette première transition scolaire, des pratiques de transition sont mises en place (Early, Pianta, Taylor et Cox, 2001;Laverick, 2008). La vaste majorité de ces pratiques rapportées et évaluées par la recherche sont organisées par l'école ou par l'enseignante de la maternelle (Laverick, 2008). Par contre, les SGÉ aménagent aussi des pratiques de transition (Ackëjo, 2013 ;Bröstrom, 2002 ;Einarsdottir, Perry et Dockett, 2008 ;Gills, Winters et Friedman ;Schneider et al. 2014), mais aucun écrit scientifique n'aborde le rôle des SGÉ québécois dans cette transition, ni la compréhension et le vécu des éducatrices et des parents concernant le rôle des SGÉ dans la préparation de cette transition des enfants. ...
... Les pratiques de transition sont des activités centrées sur les enfants, les familles ou les enseignant-e-s mises en place afin de faciliter la transition vers l'école (Laverick, 2008 ;Early et al., 2001). Selon Corsaro et Molinaro (2005), les pratiques de transition formelles sont celles qui sont initiées par des adultes ou des institutions (la visite des enfants à l'école, la lecture des livres sur l'école, des rencontres d'information pour les parents, etc.) alors que les pratiques de transition informelles sont initiées par les enfants et prennent souvent la forme de jeu ou de conversations spontanées. ...
Cet article présente les résultats d'une étude multicas sur le rôle des centres de la petite enfance (CPE) au Québec dans la préparation de la transition vers la maternelle des enfants et de leurs familles. La recherche s'appuie sur un modèle de co-construction de la transition vers l'école et sur une vision d'une relation partagée des relations avec les familles. L'analyse des entretiens avec les éducatrices et les mères de sept enfants de quatre ans révèle trois thèmes de discussion : la préparation de l'enfant, le soutien au parent, et les rituels de transition. Ces thèmes font référence aux pratiques de transition formelles et informelles, aux attitudes et aux perceptions au sujet des besoins des enfants pour être « prêts » pour l'école et sur le fonctionnement de la maternelle.
... As children leave their home environments and enter groups that are different from these early experiences, they have to make adjustments and find new ways of interacting. Much of the research about transitions and children focuses on the preparation between the home and the group setting and the role of the teacher and parent in helping the child to adjust to the new environment (Dockett and Perry 2004;Laverick 2008). Another focus is the transition from preschool to kindergarten (Gill et al. 2006;Yeboah 2002). ...
... Engaging parents in the process of transitioning children into any early care and education environment is the key to making the transition work for the child (Dockett and Perry 2004;King 1988;Laverick 2008). However, we believe that, even when children have support at home, the transition into the classroom may be difficult because the burden for a successful transition is the responsibility of the child and family. ...
In this study, we examine the nature of teacher belief systems regarding preparing children for kindergarten using teacher-level data collected for 103 diverse early education programs serving low-income and linguistic minority preschool
-age children in Los Angeles County that were part of the Los Angeles: Exploring Children’s Early Learning Settings (LA ExCELS) study. Three main program types are represented: public centers, private centers, and licensed family child care homes. In addition, 57 kindergarten teachers participated in this study. We describe the range of belief systems these diverse educators have about working with this population of children at risk of school failure and preparing them for the transition into elementary school. Results indicate that early educators in preschool
and kindergarten settings strongly endorse the importance of a variety of school preparation experiences for young children, but there are differences among early educators in their beliefs about appropriate approaches to guiding the education of young children.
... Dockett and Perry's (2004b) findings articulated discernible differences between the experiences and perspectives of children and parents, and highlighted the important implications of this when creating partnerships between schools and families. Similar findings emerged in a study by Laverick (2008), which emphasised the need to account for these differences within the transition process. Both in terms of policy and practice, the repositioning of the parents and families as active actors and agents during the transition process now sees family involvement increasingly recognised and called for in the development of transition programs (Bonhan-Baker & Little, 2004;Dockett, 2008;McInnes & Nichols, 2011). ...
This paper reports on the systematic search and review of the literature relating to the health and wellbeing of young children across the transition to school. It identified 56 papers (including empirical studies, reviews, commentaries, and reports) relevant to the research questions and completed an interpretive systematic review to ascertain the current state of the literature. The review employed the Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) method to allow for a rigorous and systematic review of a disparate literature which stretches across several disciplines. The findings are presented in seven thematic categories: current conceptualisations of health and wellbeing, assessment and measurement, ‘school readiness’, service integration, transition actors, ‘at risk’ children, and child voice. These findings illustrate the ways in which concepts have been constructed, identified, and operationalised in early years research, practice, and policy. Moreover, it highlights that ‘what is known’ can be used to inform the review or implementation of services, practices, and partnerships that support child health and wellbeing during the transition to school.
... Children who experience a satisfactory transition period will be more likely to move on to the next step successfully, while others experience considerable stress (Ebbeck, Saidon, Rajalachime, & Teo, 2013). These transitions, whether positive or negative, greatly influence children's future academic lives (Bernard van Leer Foundation, 2011;Fabian & Dunlop, 2007a;Laverick, 2008). ...
Early care and education settings and practices vary widely across the world. In many cultures, it is most common for families to provide round-the-clock care for young children. Other young children are in private or religious preschools, child care, or—more rarely—public early childhood education systems. Wherever young children spend the first few years of life, those who are able to access their right to education often transition to a more academic setting (primary school) around age 6 or 7. This transition can be difficult for some children, as they leave their familiar homes, preschools, and child care settings to enter a new learning environment. Loving adults can ease this transition by listening to and understanding children's perceptions about what school will be like and how their lives will change. Adult caregivers can focus on the positive aspects of the change—new friends, teachers, and opportunities—while also respecting children's feelings about starting primary school.
... 7-gadīgā bērna pirmais pusgads skolā raksturojams kā īpaši sarežģīts, jo skolā, atšķirībā no pirmskolas, kad zināšanas apgūtas lielākoties nepatvaļīgi bērniem ierastās un interesantās nodarbēs, tiek noteikti citi zināšanu apguves mehānismi. Atkarībā no tā, kā noritēs 7-gadīgā bērna sociālā adaptēšanās pirmajā mācību gadā skolā, izriet skolēna sekmes turpmākajās klasēs (Налчаджян,1988;Yeboah,2002;Fabian & Dunlop,2006; Kane &Hayes, 2006;Laverick, 2008). ...
In the 21st century it is important to every child to belong to a certain society, to learn its cultural values, its norms and requirements, thus socially adapting and integrating. The first weeks or months in school are considered as a period of particular importance in a 7-year-old child's life, when is the period of the child's social adaptation. A 7-year-old child’s further education at school can be predicted by depending on how the social adaptation of the 7-year-old child goes on, based on the legality of child development. Unfortunately, there are no unified research criteria developed so far in school practice by which it would be possible to determine the 7-year-old child's social adaptation. Taking into consideration the analysis of theoretical policies, there are research criteria groups and levels of children's social adaptation named and formulated within this paper, in order to explore the 7-year-old children's social adaptation and to provide appropriate educational support.
... While further research is clearly necessary, it appears that the underlying factors motivating students to turn to online communities for emotional support and to engage in online interactions may have differential impact on college and high school students in terms of their school-related attitudes and motivations. Based on the vast literature concerning transitional periods in younger age groups, we are aware of the importance of children's progress from kindergarten to elementary school (Laverick, 2008;Seven, 2010;Yeboah, 2002), or from middle school to high school (Newman et al., 2007); although this latter body of research tends to focus primarily on problematic behaviours. The findings from this current study indicate that it is important to examine similar transitions at later stages of life as well. ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore teenagers' and young adults' use of social networking sites (SNS), in light of certain personal, social and educational outcomes and attitudes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered on the basis of surveys, and were analyzed through a series of multivariate models.
Findings
It was found that participants' reasons and motivations for online presence varied as a function of gender and age. Different degrees of Facebook usage were linked with different school‐related attitudes. More specifically, more extensive usage was associated with more negative school and peer attitudes; more so for females and for college students. Furthermore, greater reliance on online interactions for social and emotional support was found disadvantageous for college students, while neutral or in some cases beneficial for high school students.
Research limitations/implications
Gender and educational level appear to be important factors explaining some of the variation in school‐related attitudes, and thus should be explored separately.
Practical implications
The differential impact of online presence on school attitudes for college and high school students highlights the need for teachers and student advisors to be sensitive to such transitional groups.
Social implications
The authors found that more popular students, those often viewed as “opinion leaders”, tended to show more negative school outcomes than less popular students in general; a relevant point for organizations.
Originality/value
Facebook usage and school‐related attitudes were observed simultaneously in high school and college populations studying in Budapest, Hungary.
... The earliest and most influential evidence that preschool matters comes from studies undertaken in the United States which reported positive outcomes for children attending the Perry Preschool programme, Head Start and the Bureau for the Education of the Handicapped, begun in 1965 (Schweinhart, Weikart andLarner 1986). International evidence for the effectiveness of preschool provision is supported by studies exploring school readiness in Australia (Dockett and Perry 2007a, 2007b, the USA (Laverick 2008), Iceland (Winter 2011) and Ireland (Kiernan et al. 2008;O'Kane and Hayes 2006). ...
In contrast to a burgeoning literature examining the experience and management of children's start to school, much less is known about school readiness in rural Ireland. On this premise, a questionnaire survey was designed to explore the views of parents (n=145) on their child's preschool experiences and readiness for school. Due to a paucity of preschool provision in rural areas, attendance was mainly on a sessional basis with a small number having full weekly attendance and others no preschool experience. In consequence, a considerable number of children start school at four years of age, two years below the compulsory starting age. On reflection, almost one-third of the parents in this study believe their child was too young for school. An important feature of this research is the inclusion of young children (n=22) between four and six years of age in their first year at school. Although the children anticipated differences between preschool and school, the majority found it difficult to adapt to having fewer toys and play opportunities and to the formal curriculum which characterises teaching and learning in infant classes. Zeitgeist and global and national economic factors inform the interpretation of the results.
... Recommended practices for transition is defined as 'strategies and procedures that are planned and employed to insure the smooth placement and subsequent adjustment of the child as he or she moves from one program into another' (Hutinger, 1981, p.8). Using the broader systems perspective, numerous practices that can facilitate a smooth kindergarten transition experience have been proposed by many researchers and professional organizations (Laverick, 2008;Lillie & Vakil, 2002;Pianta & Kraft-Sayer, 2003). Pianta and Kraft-Sayer (2003) in particular have developed a comprehensive list of kindergarten transition practices based on the Ecological/Developmental Model of kindergarten transition, review of current literature and input from professionals which they organized into four broad categories: 1) family-school connections, 2) child-school connections, 3) peer connections, and 4) community connections. ...
Kindergarten transition is a critical experience for children because of its potential long-term impact on school performance. Recognizing this impact, the field of early childhood education has been making great efforts to facilitate children's smooth transition to kindergarten through various approaches. One of the most widely accepted principles of kindergarten transition that guides the field is that of establishing strong and positive relationships among the key factors - child, family, school, and community - is critical in achieving successful transition to kindergarten. Although the family-school connection is one of the relationships that have been emphasized in the field, current understanding of the level of family involvement in kindergarten and the specific outcomes of family involvement is still very limited. Using a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, this study aims to investigate the impact of family involvement in kindergarten transition on children's early school adjustment. Quantitative analysis was conducted using regression modeling. For qualitative analysis, constant comparative method of analysis was used to analyze the transcripts of individual interview with seven families who recently sent their child to kindergarten. Although quantitative result revealed that family involvement is not a predictor for children's early school adjustment, qualitative result suggests that families believe that their involvement in kindergarten transition has a positive influence on child's early school adjustment. In addition, qualitative results provided information on barriers that interfered with family involvement in the kindergarten transition process and suggestions for schools and other families. Finally, limitations of the findings and implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.
There is a dearth of literature about special education practices in international schools. However, literature reflecting
case study data on a school or regional practice does exist. Two quantitative global studies on special education practices
also exist (Gaskell, 2017; International School Collaborate [ISC], 2017). The current study compared its findings
with Gaskell (2017) and ISC (2017). Forty participants representing 33 host countries and 10 different affiliated countries
participated. The study found similar findings as the Gaskell (2017) and ISC (2017) studies. However, statistical
data could not be correlated due to inconsistency in disability language. A unique aspect of this study includes the
personal experiences of international school educators as they work with children with disabilities. This study found
recurring themes of belonging, support systems, and admission limitations in international schools. Personal experiences
show how children with disabilities change educators’ perspectives and/or how perseverance and open mindedness
create successful pathways for children with disabilities in international schools.
Keywords: international schools, special education, disabilities, inclusion, school culture
The transition to kindergarten is a period of change that can be challenging for many children and their families. While there is wide recognition for the need to support children before and during periods of transition, there is little research on the role of how supported playgroups assist children and families. This research tracked a cohort of children who attended a supported playgroup located on school grounds and their transition to kindergarten the following year. The study was conducted at a metropolitan school in a low socioeconomic suburb of Perth, Western Australia and included data from the children, families and school staff. The social and emotional development and learning dispositions of the kindergarten class were observed in the early weeks of the new school year. Interviews with the families and school staff examined perspectives on how the children transitioned into kindergarten. The supported playgroup and the relationships formed between all stakeholders were instrumental in the smooth transition to the kindergarten program.
p> The purpose of the study was to explore, describe and explain the transitions of individuals within a twinship from Grade R through to Grade 2, and to offer an in-depth description of their transition experiences and perspectives. The overall transitions were investigated and variables such as stress, stressors, emotions, coping and life skills were included. A case study research design was used and the research was conducted from an interpretivist and social constructivist point of view. The primary participants were two monozygotic boys within a twinship, their mother, their Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers. The findings suggest, that the transition was predominantly uncomplicated from Grade R through to Grade 2, and secondly, that the transition to Grade 2, was more stressful than their transition to Grade 1. The findings also indicated that although the life skills that were taught by the researchers helped them to cope with negative stressors, their overall support structures were probably the most important factors in easing their transitions from Grade R through to Grade 2. The life skills learned, mostly helped the two children to deal effectively with bullies, to contract and maintain satisfying friendships, and to control their personal emotions. </p
Systematic, mandated facilitation of school transitions is an important but understudied aspect of the Reggio-Emilia approach to early childhood education admired internationally as best practice. We studied the links between Northern Italian transition practices and academic achievement, school liking, cooperativeness, and problem behaviors. We followed 288 students across a transition from preschool to elementary school. Schools varied in their implementation of transition practices. High implementation of Reggio-type transition practices was related to significantly more school liking and significantly fewer problem behaviors after the transition. At follow-up at the end of the post-transition year, high-implementation schools were still characterized by lower levels of problem behavior. These data indicate that the facilitation of school transitions in the Reggio-Emilia tradition is associated with successful post-transition adjustment.
There is a growing awareness that some children transition into formal schooling more readily than others. Compelling evidence indicates that children familiar with the skills and knowledge associated with the dominant practices of literacy teaching in schools have an advantage. While families play a pivotal role in children’s early literacy development, there is often a disjuncture between the literacy experiences of children from minority backgrounds and those they encounter on entry into formal schooling. Quality teaching in the prior-to-school setting becomes increasingly important for these children. This paper first examines what research and the literature reveal about successful transitioning of children into formal schooling, successful early literacy practices, and the importance of a quality early childhood education. This sets the backdrop for a description of an early literacy initiative, which took place in six remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, Australia, where all the early childhood educators were under- or un-qualified. Significant aspects emerging from the initiative were: the engagement of the Elders in the community for the implementation of the initiative; the “two-way” learning between the non-Indigenous University mentor and the Aboriginal early childhood educator in each community; the necessity for making Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing a key pillar of the children’s literacy learning; the bilingual nature of the initiative; and the University mentors gradually stepping further and further away, moving from teacher, to coach, to mentor, as the skills and confidence of the early childhood educators developed.
The importance of home–school relationships between parents and practitioners in early childhood settings is widely accepted. This article discusses the effects of the level of involvement and the nature of practitioner–parent relationships in early years settings in England on the basis of a two part study that examined parents’ experience of home visits conducted before the children begin nursery. The first part of the study, a questionnaire survey of 52 teachers/practitioners from different nurseries in the south-east of England, established that 81 percent of these nurseries conduct a home visit before children began nursery. The second part of the study, based on one-to-one semi-structured interviews with eight early years practitioners and five parents, highlighted the tensions that seem to exist between them with regard to these visits. The main themes identified are: power, training and time. As a result of these findings, this article proposes that the nature of practitioner–parent relationships is determined by: 1) the training received by teachers and practitioners to work with parents; and 2) teachers’ and practitioners’ reflection on their practice.
This chapter will explore ideas about the role of the teacher in supporting successful transitions
for children. The teacher is a key element in creating successful transitions
for children and their families. At the core of meeting the transitional needs of children is the teacher’s ability to understand what they feel and know about transitions
. Appropriate strategies for successful transitions
are also included.
We report on the Italian component of an ethnographic study of children's transition from preschool to elementary school in Italy and the United States. In line with our interpretive approach to socialization, we introduce the notion of priming events. Priming events involve activities in which children, by their very participation, attend prospectively to ongoing or anticipated changes in their lives. We identify different types of priming events in the preschool and show how collective activities in these events affected children's representations of their coming transition to the first grade. We also present interview data on parents' representations before and after their children's transitions to the first grade, and compare these representations with the children's. We found that the children's earlier experiences in priming events in the preschool were important in their adjustment to new rules, schedules, and participant structures of instruction in the first grade. We discuss the significance of our findings for comparative research on early childhood education and for theory development on life transitions and status passage.
Optimal transitions to kindergarten for children are best supported by practices that are individualized and engage the child, family, and preschool setting prior to the first day of school. Unfortunately, these high-intensity practices are also the most time consuming and least likely to be used by kindergarten teachers. Encouragingly, teachers who have training in transitions are more likely to use all types of transition practices and teachers who get their class lists earlier and have smaller enrollments are more likely to use the higher intensity practices. Thus, teacher training, earlier class list generation, and smaller classes are all avenues to explore for improving transition practices. Other researchers have documented that how children adapt to their earliest school experiences has long-term implications for cognitive and social development and for high school dropout (Alexander & Entwisle, 1988; Alexander, Entwisle, & Horsey, 1997; Ensminger & Slusarcick, 1992). The findings from this study point to clear areas for intervention for schools attempting to create more "ready" environments for children entering kindergarten.
To examine relations between time in nonmaternal care through the first 4.5 years of life and children's socioemotional adjustment, data on social competence and problem behavior were examined when children participating in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care were 4.5 years of age and when in kindergarten. The more time children spent in any of a variety of nonmaternal care arrangements across the first 4.5 years of life, the more externalizing problems and conflict with adults they manifested at 54 months of age and in kindergarten, as reported by mothers, caregivers, and teachers. These effects remained, for the most part, even when quality, type, and instability of child care were controlled, and when maternal sensitivity and other family background factors were taken into account. The magnitude of quantity of care effects were modest and smaller than those of maternal sensitivity and indicators of family socioeconomic status, though typically greater than those of other features of child care, maternal depression, and infant temperament. There was no apparent threshold for quantity effects. More time in care not only predicted problem behavior measured on a continuous scale in a dose-response pattern but also predicted at-risk (though not clinical) levels of problem behavior, as well as assertiveness, disobedience, and aggression.
A national sample of 3,595 kindergarten teachers reported on their use of 21 practices related to the transition of children into kindergarten in the 1996-1997 academic year and 15 barriers to implementing transition practices. Use of practices related to the transition into kindergarten was nearly universal; the most frequently reported practice (talking with the child's parent after school starts) was employed by 95%, of the sample. Practices that involve in-person contacts with children or families were reportedly among those used least often, as were practices that involve contacting children or families before the start of school. The most frequently reported practices were those that take place after the start of school and/or involve low-intensity, generic contact (e.g., flyers, brochures, group open houses). As schools (or districts) became increasingly urban and had higher percentages of minority and/or low-SES students, teachers reported personal contacts less often, and low-intensity school contacts occurring after school had started were more common. The most commonly reported barriers to transition practices were class lists being generated too late, lack of support for summer work, and lack of a district plan for the transition into kindergarten. Teachers reported family-related barriers with increasing frequency as schools became more urban and had a higher percentage of minority students, or were located in high-poverty districts. Each finding revealed important aspects of whether the nation's kindergartens are "ready" and suggested a range of policy and practice implications.
Research on early school transitions is important because the reputations children establish at the outset of grade school may follow them through many years of formal schooling. The purpose of this study was to explore the transition from preschool to kindergarten and to identify factors that predict children's social and school adjustment in new school environments. A sample of 58 children was identified prior to their entrance into kindergarten, and parent and school data were collected at 3 times of measurement: late preschool, early kindergarten, and late kindergarten. Children's prior behavior and the kindergarten peer context were among the factors found to predict posttransition social adjustment. Children who were cooperative "players" in preschool were seen as more sociable by kindergarten teachers, and children who pursued more extensive positive contacts with preschool classmates tended to become well liked by their kindergarten classmates. In contrast, children who spent more time in aggressive behaviors and who had a broader pattern of negative peer contacts in preschool were more likely to be rejected by peers and to be seen as hostile-aggressive by teachers in kindergarten. Both experiential antecedents and concomitant features of the transition context emerged as predictors of school adjustment. Time spent in interactions with younger peers in preschool was negatively related to positive school attitudes throughout kindergarten, and the duration of children's preschool attendance and range of experiences with peers in other community contexts was negatively related to anxious behavior in the classroom and absences from school. Children who retained a larger proportion of their nonschool friendships during the transition had more favorable attitudes at the beginning of kindergarten, and those who attended class with a larger proportion of familiar peers tended to view school more positively and were less anxious at the outset of the school year.
The transition to kindergarten can be difficult for both parents and children. Teachers, administrators and community providers can help ease this process by developing effective transition programs and materials for families in anticipation of the school year. However, such resources are often time‐consuming and costly. To offer a solution, a team of graduate students conducted a service‐learning project in collaboration with a small group of parents whose children attend a preschool in central Florida. The resulting product of this partnership was an informative brochure designed and disseminated with the goal of assisting parents in easing their child’s transition from preschool to kindergarten. This project also serves to illustrate the utility of the service‐learning model as a means of supporting children and families within a community preschool context. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
The Starting School Research Project in Australia collected data from children, parents, and teachers to find out what they consider important as students start school--and how transition programs can help. A set of guidelines is provided for school programs that promote effective transition. (Author/MLF)
Analyzed parents' observations and perceptions of the transition process of their children into kindergarten. Found that even though most parents (two-thirds) reported satisfactory transitions, 47% of responses contained negative features, reflecting difficulties during transition. Parents found ongoing communication, agreed-upon performance standards, familiarity with school, and previous experience in preschool or childcare helpful in easing the transition process. (AMC)
Reviews research on young children's transition to kindergarten. Looks at three factors that affect early school adjustment: (1) children's skills and school-related experiences, including social skills, play behavior, and prior experience with peers; (2) parental influences, such as expectations and parent-child interactions; and (3) classroom characteristics, such as developmentally appropriate versus developmentally inappropriate practices. (TJQ)
This book provides teachers and parents with a quick reference on important childhood developmental issues. It explains what children should be learning and doing in the classroom at each developmental stage, ages 4 through 12. The book begins by discussing how developmental issues can affect administrative and classroom decisions regarding mixed-age grouping, ability grouping, retention, food, exercise, the structure of the school day, and racial and cultural questions. Each of the nine chapters, one for each age, begins with a narrative overview describing general developmental characteristics relating to behavior, emotional needs, and social interactions. The chapters conclude with sets of charts that allow readers to identify developmental "yardsticks" for a given age. The charts outline characteristic growth patterns (physical, social, language, and cognitive), as well as what to expect in the classroom regarding vision and fine motor ability, gross motor ability, cognitive growth, and social behavior. A set of curriculum charts summarizing the developmental continuum between ages 4 and 12 is also included, covering reading, writing, mathematics, and thematic units in social science, science, and current events. The book concludes with a list of over 100 favorite books for different ages and a 28-item bibliography. (TJQ)
The purpose of this review is to present factors that impede and promote successful transition to kindergarten, with a focus on the specific needs of students with problem behavior. The review addresses competencies that teachers report are critical for success in kindergarten, traditional transition practices, and challenges in implementing transition practices. Suggestions are provided to begin to attend to some of the issues affecting successful transition for children with challenging behavior and include an overarching framework to better support transition practices and specific suggestions for appropriate supports. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 42: 765–778, 2005.
The transition to kindergarten is a significant event for young children and their families. The methods teacher use to orient children and families to formal schooling can have a long term effect on academic achievement. This study examined the transition activities of over 3000 kindergarten teachers that participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The results show that most schools do not provide a comprehensive transition plan that allows teachers and parents to exchange important information about child development and school expectations.
Received 4 October 1999; accepted 3 October 2000This paper describes results of a collaboration among university researchers, preschool teachers and staff, elementary school staff, and parents to design, implement, and conduct research on an intervention to improve transitions to kindergarten. One hundred and ten families participated in this intervention along with a range of school and university staff. Descriptive results from preliminary analyses of data indicate that this collaborative effort is characterized by three themes: 1) that participants in the transition process differ in their views of transition practices; 2) that parents and teachers in the preschool year share mutually positive views of one another in relation to a range of activities and roles, and 3) that preschool staff increasingly are seen as an important and helpful source of support for parents. Narrative impressions from collaborators on the process of conducting this research confirm the importance of a shared mission, communication, and mutual respect, and highlight the value of collaboration for all involved.
This article examined teachers’ judgments of the prevalence and types of problems children present upon entering kindergarten. A large, national sample of teachers (N = 3,595) was surveyed by using the National Center for Early Development and Learning’s Transition Practices Survey (1996). Teachers reported they perceived that 16% of children had difficult entries into kindergarten. Up to 46% of teachers reported that half their class or more had specific problems in any of a number of areas in kindergarten transition. Rates of perceived problems were related to school minority composition; district poverty level; and, for certain behaviors, school metropolitan status. The effects of these demographic characteristics were independent and additive. Teachers’ ethnicity showed a significant relation to their rates of reported problems. Results are discussed in terms of risk factors that predict transition problems and the match between children’s competencies and teacher’s expectations. These findings confirm the view that entering kindergarten is indeed a period of transition for children.
The first of two introductory essays in this handbook presents a historical perspective on international early childhood education; the second provides a cross-national analysis of themes in late 20th century child care and early education. The bulk of the document consists of essays that review early childhood, preschool, primary, or elementary education in Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Yemen. Topics discussed in these essays include curriculum, teacher education, parent involvement and education, the historical background of education, special needs children, day care, school organization, and educational theories and philosophy. Most of the essays contain a reference list. The book itself contains a bibliography of approximately 300 works in English that present an overview of early childhood education in a particular country or compare early childhood education in two or more countries. (BC)
The potential role that children's classroom peer relations play in their school adjustment was investigated during the first 2 months of kindergarten and the remainder of the school year. Measures of 125 children's classroom peer relationships were obtained on 3 occasions: at school entrance, after 2 months of school, and at the end of the school year. Measures of school adjustment, including children's school perceptions, anxiety, avoidance, and performance, were obtained during the second and third assessment occasions. After controlling mental age, sex, and preschool experience, measures of children's classroom peer relationships were used to forecast later school adjustment. Results indicated that children with a larger number of classroom friends during school entrance developed more favorable school perceptions by the second month, and those who maintained these relationships liked school better as the year progressed. Making new friends in the classroom was associated with gains in school performance, and early peer rejection forecasted less favorable school perceptions, higher levels of school avoidance, and lower performance levels over the school year.
Easing children’s entry to school: Home visits help
- L Johnston
- J Mermin
- L. Johnston
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Home visits and more: How to ease the transition to kindergarten
- D M Laverick
Laverick, D. M. (2003). Home visits and more: How to ease the transition to kindergarten. Classroom Leadership, 6(8), pp. 3, 8.
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- C G Mooney
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Hands as warm as toast
- L Himle
Himle, L. (2006). Hands as warm as toast. Ann Arbor, MI: Ann Arbor Media Group
Countdown to kindergarten The kissing hand Rullie and Joey's first day of kindergarten: The adventures of Rullie and Joey
- A Mcghee
- A L Penn
McGhee, A. (2002). Countdown to kindergarten. New York: Scholastic
Penn, A. (1993). The kissing hand. Terre Haute, IN: Tanglewood Press
Pope, L. (2007). Rullie and Joey's first day of kindergarten: The adventures of Rullie and Joey. Charleston,
SC: BookSurge Publishing
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Rockwell, A. (2004). Welcome to kindergarten. New York: Walker Books for Young Readers
Rogers, J. (1999). Tiptoe into kindergarten. New York: Scholastic
Rose, D. (2003). The twelve days of kindergarten. New York: Harry N. Abrams
Rühmann, K. (2002). Who will go to kindergarten today? New York: Scholastic
Kindergarten kids My first day of school Miss Bindergarten gets ready for kindergarten On my very first school day I met Mouse's first day of school Tom goes to kindergarten The night before kindergarten
- E B Senisi
- N J Skarmeas
- N L N Stiles
Senisi, E. B. (1994). Kindergarten kids. New York: Scholastic
Skarmeas, N. (2001). My first day of school. Port Washington, NY: Candy Cane Press
Slate, J. (1996). Miss Bindergarten gets ready for kindergarten. New York: Scholastic
Stiles, N. (2005). On my very first school day I met... New York: Milk & Cookies Press
Thompson, L. (2003). Mouse's first day of school. New York: Simon & Schuster
Wild, M. (2000). Tom goes to kindergarten. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company
Wing, N. (2001). The night before kindergarten. New York: Grosset & Dunlap
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When you go to kindergarten
- J Howe
Howe, J. (1994). When you go to kindergarten. New York: William Morrow & Company
Franklin goes to school Look out kindergarten, here I come Will I have a friend First day jitters Kindergarten rocks My first day of school
- P Bourgeois
- N M K Carlson
Bourgeois, P. (1995). Franklin goes to school. New York: Scholastic
Carlson, N. (2001). Look out kindergarten, here I come! New York: Puffin
Cohen, M. (1989). Will I have a friend? New York: Aladdin
Danneberg, J. (2000). First day jitters. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing
Davis, K. (2005). Kindergarten rocks! New York: Harcourt
Hallinan, P. K. (1987). My first day of school. Nashville, TN: Ideals Publications
Yardsticks: Children in the classroom, ages 4-12. Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children
- C Wood
- C. Wood
Theories of childhood: An introduction to Dewey
- C G Mooney
- C. G. Mooney
Having friends, keeping friends, making friends, and being liked by peers in the classroom: Predictors of children’s early school adjustment? Child Development
- G W Ladd
- G. W. Ladd