Page 7 - PSPS: A Training guide

There are many things that make a transition meaningful and they are contained in this
training guide. We say that a transition is ‘meaningful’ if the child has been an active
participant in the change process and benefits from it. That means (s)he knows what
to expect and is prepared for the change.

The two most important factors in planning for transitions is that this work is done in a
child-centered way and in partnership with parents.

Being child-centered (see Unit 1) simply means making
the needs and interests of children a priority. Working
this way means always putting the child at the centre
of the learning process and meeting the needs of each
individual child. It means looking at things from the
child’s perspective.

It teaches children that their opinions are valued and supports their holistic
development. For transitions, this means including children in the planning and delivery
of activities that will support their move between services.

Parents are the experts in their own child. They understand their child’s likes and
dislikes, know their learning style and are in tune with their emotions. When parents,
preschool practitioners and teachers work together, great things can happen. For
children, it means that some of the most important people in their lives are sharing
information about them. True partnership with parents (see Unit 2) is based on mutual
respect and clear communication.

It is important to keep in mind that the transition from preschool to primary school is
a journey, not a destination. It does not, for example, begin when preschool finishes
and school begins. It is a journey of many parts, involving lots of activities and people.
These include such things as talking about ‘big school’, including school uniforms in
the dress-up box, site visits between the preschool and school etc. Once a child starts
primary school, the transition is ongoing. Everything is still new to them so they need
time and support to adjust.

The key message here is that the transition from preschool to primary school is
a key milestone for every child. Planning it with their needs and interests at the
centre and in partnership with their parents means that we are helping to make
it a happy, playful process. By doing this, we are helping to create a strong and
safe base for their future development.