KINDERGARTEN TRANSITION – Planning for 2011-12
by Janet Shepard, Director
As you are greeting this year’s students it is time to think about next year’s students and their families. An early start in forming or renewing your kindergarten transition team will provide more time to reach out to all partners who can in turn help you begin relationship building with a larger number of next year’s students and their families.
Make note of questions parents have during the first few days of school. Jot down areas of concern for children. What do you as a teacher wish you had known prior to the student’s arrival? Are there patterns of who adjusts well? We expect children who have been in Head Start, Title I preschool, community day cares and Missouri Preschool Project sites to adjust more easily. Where were the children last year who are less well prepared for kindergarten this year?
A May 2010 guide issued by the National League of Cities says the majority of children under the age of six who have non-parental care are cared for in Family, Friend and Neighbor Care (FFN). Quality, cost, flexibility, and trust are some of the reasons parents choose FFN care. Research suggests, however, FFN providers often need information on child development and on early learning.
In Kindergarten Transition training we talk about identifying and reaching out to FFN providers, but there may be more we can do. The National League of Cities Municipal Action Guide, Promoting School Readiness by Improving Family, Friend and Neighbor Care may be downloaded. It provides rationale, research, resources and best practices. I have added a copy to my Kindergarten Transition notebook and would recommend that you do the same.
We will be scheduling and posting training dates in the next issue of the newsletter. Please let us know if you would like to see this training offered in your area.
