Introduction
Children tend to face difficulties in major transitions from home-based care into an external environment full of people from different backgrounds. These transitions involve moving children and other young people from their comfortable homes to a childcare setting and a set of early learning. It similarly involves transitioning from a childcare setting to prior and secondary learning. Such transitions tend to impact their lives and ways of doing things, requiring a deep understanding and well-structured procedures. It, therefore, requires a deep understanding, and the importance of teacher knowledge is stressed as they are the primary influencers during the transition period. Transition requires teacher-parent collaboration from the perception of transition to the role during the transition.
The transition policy involves various mechanisms to support children in their new learning environment. This transition involves preschool learning that prepares the children for future learning. These preschool centers and staff members have responsibilities in assisting children through the transition process. The services at St. Patrick’s Center (not the real name of the center) involve offering orientation processes where families come in with their children for familiarity.
The institution has mechanisms for supporting children and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds who need additional support. These transition procedures provide opportunities for the children to cope with the changes in the environment (Musfita & Setiasih, 2020). They will likely change, including separation from family and meeting unfamiliar people in an unfamiliar environment. These major transitions influence their behaviors, such as emotions, social relationships, and general perceptions.
Stakeholders’ View of Children’s Transition to School
Educators and learning centers play an essential role in supporting children during transition. They offer orientations for new families through time flexibility for the child to come in with family members to become familiar. The child can then have some time there without the parent or guardian. This helps in building relationships with educators and peers.
According to educators, children find difficulty in the transition process, which can be unpredictable. Educators try their best to support children in overcoming that situation through reassurance and role models. The orientation and transition are focused on listening to each child’s needs at this time. Classrooms are structured above the ratio to support children needing one-on-one direction or attention. Children tend to build relationships with peers and educators through a safe and secure feeling.
Parents’ main concerns are their children’s feelings about separation, behavioral change, people, and environmental unfamiliarity. Some children are fine with the transition and have no significant behavioral or social changes. On the initial days at the centers, the children are left without their guardians for some time to see their reactions, after which their time at the centers gradually increases.
Parents feel that educators and staff support the child in the new environment. This is done by obeying and following the parent’s instructions on handling her child in her absence. Many parents lack awareness of the guiding principles of the care services as they only consider location when choosing a center. They consider educators professionals and have total confidence in them to provide childcare. They prefer not to be involved during the child’s transition process but rather leave the work to the educators.
These issues raised by both the parents and educators have a significant influence on the transition processes and school policies. The parents are concerned with the emotional and social changes brought about by the new environment with new people, thereby managing the changes effectively. The parents can understand children’s significant physical and emotional changes and adjust effectively.
To the educators, the issues raised provide a platform for significant adjustments to improve care services. The challenges that early childhood care services face while providing support help shape the mode of care provision and effectively assist in the transition. Educators support a sense of belonging for children to help them build strong relationships with their peers and respective educators.
Literature Review
A successful early childhood education transition aids in building on children’s current experiences toward success in their future learning and school experiences. As noted by Berger et al. (2017), transition processes involve the major preparations at home, programs meant for orientations, and the early stages of attendance. Most of the early years transition research has focused on the roles of teachers and educators and the roles played by parents during the transition period (Berger et al., 2017).
Much focus has been placed on the teachers and educators and their knowledge and skills to enable transition (Berger et al., 2017). This research focuses on reviewing relevant research on two major themes from the stakeholders’ discussions. The evidenced themes include educators’ attitudes and knowledge towards influencing the transition process and the perception of parents on transition.
Teacher Relationship with Children
It is essential for all children that schools be more open to all the necessary knowledge and that they expand on students’ prior experiences and knowledge. The institutions and teachers adopt The Victorian Early Years Learning and Development, which involves a comprehensive framework for child development. The VEYLDF provides a shared lexicon for discussing the development of young children’s learning and a set of rules for implementing that language in the classroom.
According to Pratt (2019), the connection between students and instructors or teachers is crucial to a child’s incorporation of ideas (Pratt, 2019). Educators should appreciate the Aboriginal communities’ historical, cultural, and future contributions (Suntheimer, 2020). children’s well-being is both a precondition and a consequence of their ability to learn positive relationships with caring adults. Some children may need more help than others, and there is no single approach to achieving the five desired results.
Using the VEYLDF approaches is essential to ensure that learning institutions are receptive to children’s learning requirements and that children are actively involved in their education during the formative years. Children have rights and are capable learners with the ability to learn from birth, a principle that the VEYLDF strongly supports (Department of Education and Training, 2016). The results of several large-scale longitudinal studies were used to compile a number of active messages for schools’ consideration while implementing age-appropriate pedagogies in the classroom (Berger et al., 2017). High-quality conversations are essential for deep consideration, shared education, adult guidance, and support for promoting reasonable challenge and the growth of top-end cognition. Positive teacher-learner associations are more likely to be motivated to learn, work together effectively, actively engage in their education, and enjoy it.
Teacher Relationship with Parents
During this time of transition, it is essential that schools, ECEC providers, and families work together to ensure that children’s learning can be supported in multiple contexts. Dockett (2018) supports this by explaining that collaborations with families and communities effectively foster learning continuity and ease transitions for all children. In research conducted by Docket (2018), involvement in school transition activities and chats with reputable teachers before and after school helped families feel more at ease with their child’s school move.
Unsatisfied families worried about unclear procedures and a lack of specialized care for their children. Parents have requested more information about the curriculum, student expectations, and ways to integrate schooling into daily life. Information sharing aids a smooth transition, and families can help by supplying schools with written materials on a child’s existing knowledge, abilities, and skills.
Teachers find it far simpler to develop a relationship with their family than others. Teachers believe that certain teachers are superior to others when it comes to developing and sustaining great connections with the parents of their students (Nolan et al., 2019). The idea that instructors maintain an open-door policy was a recurrent theme in our conversations and interviews. They make it clear that they are available to families to address any issues. Many teachers are hesitant to form a true partnership with parents due to the time commitment required to maintain such a relationship (Cook & Coley, 2019). It was reported that educators saw themselves more as specialists in their fields than as collaborators with parents.
Parents’ Roles During the Early Childhood Transition
Parents drop their children off at learning centers in the morning, have them back when the day ends, and give less thought to what their kids are learning. To maximize the benefits of early childhood education, parents should consider how they may reinforce their children’s day-to-day classroom experiences (Puccioni, 2018). Some of a child’s most important brain development occurs in preschool.
Having an influential role in the kid’s early learning, guardians may warrant that their children have the adequate care required to reach their full potential (Pacholík, 2019). Parental participation promotes students’ success by encouraging them to continue learning outside class. Knowing what is going on at preschool or daycare helps parents tie together what their kid’s learning at home with what they’re doing in the classroom.
Family involvement is a strong and reliable predictor of performance because it provides children with a key social support system as they transition to school. McDowell et al. (2018) state that involving the whole family in a child’s education is beneficial since it strengthens the parent-child link and the learning environment at home. This makes returning to the academic environment less of a shock (McDowell et al., 2018).
How smoothly a child and their family adjust to a new school is a clear sign of a smooth transfer. Youngsters who have acclimated to their surroundings can take on responsibilities within that world and demonstrate proficiency in language and behavior. Participation in services, planning, decisions, communication, and teamwork are all signs of family adaptability.
Conclusion
Children tend to face difficulty in their transition to preschool for several reasons. The environmental shift from family care to an unfamiliar environment with unique people affects them significantly. It is, therefore, the role of both parents and preschool teachers, as well as the learning centers, to offer an enabling environment for them to transition adequately. Teachers are the primary influencers throughout this time of transition, and it is, therefore, crucial that they have a firm grasp of the subject at hand. Beginning with their attitudes, teachers, and parents must work together during the transition. When a child begins formal education, they must assume new responsibilities and roles. By the time they reach kindergarten, kids have greater independence and accountability.
Previous literature has stressed the importance of a successful preschool transition and the major influencers on such transitions. It is considered a milestone for kids, families, and teachers due to its potential impact on a child’s future success in school. As important as it is for parents to be actively involved in their children’s education, a smooth transition can lay the framework for good collaborations and relationships with families.
Many aspects of family, school, children, and community contribute to the effective preschool transition. Such transitions can be made possible through various mechanisms. These include a favorable home learning mechanism, a welcoming school and classroom environment, top-end early childhood education, and open lines of communication between early childhood providers, schools, and families. By effectively coordinating these aspects, children can experience an effective and smooth transition to preschool.
References
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