Transitions from Preschool to Kindergarten

The Essential Conversation: what parents and teachers can learn from each other, written by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, focuses in on the “essential” discussion that occurs between parents and teachers when it comes to a child’s education and life while looking further into the hidden meanings behind this exchange. Lawrence-Lightfoot describes how often times the dialogue that occurs between parents and teachers has hidden undertones such as anxiety along with parental ghosts from the past along with several other trajectories that may impact how effectiveness of parent and teacher discussion/collaboration. The theme of Lawrence-Lightfoot’s book can best be summed up in a quote she shared about parent-teacher conferences; “Beneath the polite surface

It is critical for a parent to be involved in their children’s education because it is important for a child to have knowledge. Parents often help toddlers develop early academic skills by reading books to them or helping them learn their ABCs and numbers. When a child starts school, parents should communicate with their child’s teachers and keep track of their academic progress. Parents of older children should focus on teaching their children independent study

The experiences of a child or young person when dealing with transitions will affect, positively or negatively, his development, and can have an important role in learning the skills to cope with other

Intellectual transitions include changes such as starting primary school, moving classes, key stages or up to secondary school. Also leaving school and moving on to further education or employment. These can all be very stressful changes for some pupils, others however, may be more than ready for the next big step in their educational lives. Obviously, these transitions are all planned, and known about in advance so parents and teachers are able to discuss any issue, and provide support to nervous children. Our primary school has policies and procedures to make each stage less nerve - wracking for children. In our last half term of the school year each child will be told which class room they are going to be in, with

This assignment will discuss the transitions faced by children and their parents including horizontal and vertical transitions. It will also explain planned and unplanned changes in children’s life and how children and their parents may influence by those changes as well as suggesting the most appropriate ways to respond to those changes using the

Through out our lives we are confronted by changes. People, places and even our own bodies change. We are faced by ongoing periods of transition as things alter from how they were to how they are now. Transitions can positively or negatively impact on children and young people’s development depending on how they are supported and the change is managed.

The place I observed was the Infant Development Program in their preschool program called Stepping Stones Preschool in Lock Haven, PA. I observed in one of their three to five year old preschool programs that is held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons from 11:30am to 2:30pm. This particular classroom had two head teachers; Mrs. Kate and Mrs. Lisa. The teacher call their students Owls this is because their class name is Owls. When they want to get the kids to listen to them or they want to get their attention a teacher will say “Owls Owls Whoo Whoo” and the kids will say “Owls Owls Whoo Whoo”. Another thing the teachers will also refer to the students as friends. In this classroom there was four boys and four girls. I observed two

During the placement I was able to spend time observing interactions between parents, children and staff. I witnessed many positive aspects in the schools approach to engaging parents and was particularly impressed by their open door policy for parents and the support provided to families in times of need by the learning mentors. As part of the admission process to the school, staff visit the parents and child at home and discuss the implementation of the home-school agreement (appendix 1.b). This agreement sets out the expectations of each of the parent, school and child in regard to their actions and attitude towards their time in school. This is often one of the first interactions teacher and parents have and Grayson (2011) suggests most teachers report these home visits to have a lasting positive effect on the child and parent-teacher relationship. During the school’s inspection in 2014 Ofsted identified relationships across the school and with parents as a key strength.

I have learned that the same transitions can be hard for some children to tackle while other children might not be affected too much by the transition. By undertaking research on this theme I was able to identify that some children may need an individual transition plan to follow when going through transitions while other children will follow the general plan. By knowing this in the future I will be aware that some children may need an individual transition plan and I will be able to accommodate a plan for the children who needs one. This will have an impact on the children I will be working with because I will be able to accommodate for their needs and identify children who may be more in need than others.

Transition within early years education is a major life event that a child and family go through together. Currently, educational transition is defined as the process of change that children make from one place or phase of education to overtime, Fabian and Dunlop (2002). Starting school is a huge step in a child’s life. For some

The early childhood years are crucial to a child’s development of skills necessary for success in school and in life. Data indicates that expulsion and suspension occurs in preschool at an alarming rate, and racial and gender disparities are of evident (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, and U.S. Department of Education, 2014). Asking a family to remove a child from a school or program, can produce lasting, negative effects for the child, as well as for the family. Expulsion should only be a consideration after all interventions have been attempted without success, and in consultation with outside professionals and the family (Lamont, 2013).

The symbiotic relationship between teachers and parents is crucial to the educational success of a student. Parents must be involved with their child’s education through consistent attendance of IEP meetings and advocate for their child and their needs at school. Teachers can encourage parent involvement through, traveling notebooks home and note home programs which establish an open line of communication between teacher and parent. Parent-teacher conferences are a great way for teachers and parents to be involved in the success of the student's educational experience.

Transition in education is a period of change that a child may experience when starting preschool, primary or secondary education. In this essay, the focus will be on issues faced in transition from preschool to primary school.

“We are open to all parents coming to the school but due to safety reasons there is a high level of security that can deter parents from being more involved. We view parents as a valuable part of a child’s early learning however in our title environment we often see a lack of involvement that hinders their child’s early learning.”

Parents are their child’s first teacher. The elementary age is the most crucial time for