Page 20 - PSPS: A Training guide

Unit 2: Understanding Families

Introduction

‘My daughter was lost in her new school. She was the only Nigerian child there so she
was an alien landing in a different world. But you know what her preschool teacher did?
She made a book all about Mercy and she gave it to me and I posted it to her new
teacher. It had photos of our home and the food we eat and the clothes we wear for
church. Everything you can think of! And Mercy’s new teacher? She did all her research
so on the first day of school she told Mercy how she liked her mamma’s agbada
[traditional Nigerian formal attire] so then boom, Mercy knows that this school
knows her family. No aliens here now, only our friends’
(Jumokée, Mom of 4)

As a professional involved in the transition of children from preschool to primary
school, understanding the diversity of families is essential. Each family has its unique
history, cultural, socio-economic, and emotional background and needs, which greatly
affect their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviour around dealing with change in
general and educational transitions in particular. Building rapport with family members
and understanding their needs can foster a safe and respectful environment that
promotes a successful transition for the child and helps families to feel included. This
can be achieved when all professional involved in the transition recognise it as a time
of significant change, during which families may experience a range of emotions. This
might include anxiety, excitement, uncertainty and a whole range of mixed emotions.
Many parents consider the start of school as ‘bitter sweet’ because they are excited by
their child’s increasing independence but nervous about this big change in their child’s
life.

In order to involve the family in the process of their child's transition from preschool to
primary school, professionals must develop cultural competence and respect the
differences that exist in families, in the form of beliefs, values, traditions, or economic
means. This is essential in order to create the most important factor for effectively
involving families in the transition process, namely building mutual trust and positive
relationships.
By gaining a deeper understanding of families, professionals can then
support a successful and positive transition for children and ensure
family members are valuable partners. This comes during a turning point
in the child’s life where there are many changes and stressors, in the
form of new routine, academic expectations, unfamiliar premises, new
social roles and responsibilities, the forming of new relationships, etc.
When professionals really understand families, they are able to recognise different
views and priorities as they work to achieve one common goal - to ensure minimal
stress to the child settling into their new environment and a fair and equal start to their
formal educational journey.