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| Easing the transition to school
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| Research from Harvard |
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As we approach the end of the year most early childhood services start focusing more on helping the oldest children in the service prepare for the transition to big school.
These preparations may include conversations with parents on whether the child is ready for school, a more deliberate focus on structured literacy and numeracy activities and helping children practice independence including being responsible for their own lunch boxes and belongings.
According to the Harvard Family Research Project, the transition to school should be viewed as a rite of passage in the lives of children and their families.
The researchers claim this transition to big school is an important process which begins in the preschool years and continues right through until Year Three, with children making a lot of development changes as they adjust to the new environment and the new people which populate that environment including new teachers, friends and peers.
The team at the Harvard Family Research Project have put together an interesting Research paper which highlights four observations the team have made regarding the transition to school:
- Transition is a matter of equity
- A smooth transition to school makes a difference for children's outcomes
- Families play an important role in the transition to school
- Relationships among families, early childhood programs, schools, and communities are the foundation of effective transition practice
The overarching theme of the research is that a successful and productive relationship between early childhood settings, schools and families is the key to helping children transition to school effectively and leads to an increased chance of a child's success in the long run.
To read the report in full click here. |
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