Saturday, December 9, 2017

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

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