Assignment 1: Fostering Classroom Communities

Title

Activities to Support Young Children in their Transition from Preschool to Kindergarten

The objective of this dissertation study was to motivate Pre-K students (4 and 5 year olds) towards positive transitions to kindergarten. The study included an activities handbook facilitated by preschool teachers, parents and students working in the early childhood community. Feedback was given on activities to stimulate positive motivation for pre-k students (Roach, 2017).

Method and results

The study used a quantitative approach to analyze their findings. The activities handbook was conducted by 14 preschool teachers six months before children transitioned into kindergarten (Roach, 2017) The study analyzed findings from a survey that there were consistent issues reported on a scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree. Out of 37 teachers from 3 different preschools, 14 teachers responded (Roach, 2017).

The results came out to be that the teachers would use the activity handbooks in their classroom. This project would conclude that the activities would be very effective in motivating 4-5 year old student transitions to kindergarten. The most negative concerns from the data collected was the lack of parental involvement (Roach, 2017). This result was collected from the survey.

Three resources used:

Choi, D., Kim, J., & Murdock, T. (2005). Investigation of parents' beliefs about readiness for kindergarten: an examination of national household education survey (NHES: 93). Educational Research Quarterly, 29(2), 3-17. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ739378

Daniels, D. H. (2014). Children’s affective orientations in preschool and their initial adjustment to kindergarten. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 256-272. doi:10.1002/pits.21748

Duncan, G. J., Dowsett, C. J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A. C., Klebanov, P., Pagani, L.S., Feinstein, L., Engel, M., Brooks-Gunn, J., Sexton, H., & Duckworth, K. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Developmental Psychology, 43(6), 1428-1446. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1428

Each of these resources are useful because as educators we want to clarify our understanding of the structure of transitions and our parents beliefs about pre-k transitions into kindergarten. Kindergarten readiness is a highlight for further future success. Even after their transition to kindergarten we need to evaluate their adjustment in kindergarten so see how much of an impact pre-k had on them to aid in being somewhat successful in kindergarten. The activities hand book was a great idea to get viewpoints from parents and teachers to see what works for their children. School readiness is vital. I always say that early education sets the foundation.

The information from this dissertation will help further my interest and research in fostering supportive learning environments by looking at what is best for the students as they transition. Many of them are not ready and lack very important skills. I want to find ways to help improve quality success and school readiness so we can avoid future delays in academics. It also take having more parents involved.

Another thing I would like to research and gain more knowledge of is families of different cultures. Sometimes for example we have Hispanic families that migrate here only knowing their native language and work long days and nights to be better providers for their families. Learning about their culture and things they do to adapt and learning what they are open to will help me to understand their children and help that family be more attuned with their child’s academics.

Reference

Roach, D. (2017). Activities to support young children in their transition from preschool to

kindergarten (Order No. 10286913). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (1972566618). Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/1972566618?accountid=14872

Scholar Practitioners as Program Evaluators

When I think about evaluating and supporting early childhood education, I think about the long term effects for young children’s outcomes. There needs to be constant evaluation, research and support in all areas of the field such as teachers, learning centers, parents, children and the community. Of course the state, local and govern will have a hand in this. I look at what can be done better. I look at what is already working.

I am hoping for this course to impact me in ways of training, supporting and guiding teachers to be successful in classrooms. I want teachers to enjoy what they do. I want teachers to appreciate the experience and roles that they play in families lives as they set the foundation for primary grades. I would like teachers to show effective practices that promotes healthy learning and development for young children.

Questions that arise my curiosity is why aren’t teachers aloud much flexibility in teaching? I get that we have to follow policy and accreditation and curriculum, but does it have to be the way of the book.

In my past experiences, I would do the lesson plan the way it’s asked of us teachers but I would not necessarily follow it because my students were not benefiting from it. I knew my students and how they learned. I knew what worked for them and what did not. My students performed much better when I taught and parents very much so appreciated it. I’m not saying I completely disregarded the lesson plan, however majority of it was taught for the best of the students.

We all can be impacted and impact the process of program evaluation. We are scholar practitioners in this field, so the fact that we are already in this programs say’s we want to do more and we want to be more. We are constantly doing research in this field and most of us work in this field and practice new knowledge. We are advocating for families, we are bringing new program evaluations and support and most of all we are promoting positive social change.