Comenius Foundation for Child Development 1 Different
Experiences In Children's Transition To School. The Polish
Perspective Monika Rociszewska- Woniak [email protected] EECERA
2007 Slide 2 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 2 Parent-
Teacher Partnership for Childrens Transition to School Slide 3
Comenius Foundation for Child Development 3 Parent-Teacher
Partnership for Childrens Transition to School Participants
organisations from the Czech Republic, Greece, Northern Ireland
Poland, Slovakia Project objectives Sharing information on adult
participation in programmes facilitating childrens transition to
school. design a training programme for parents and teachers to
help them to devise and launch transition-to-school programmes.
Slide 4 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 4 Project
realization Qualitative research developed by the members of
organizations participating in the project - collecting information
about the practices adopted in every country and presenting them at
a seminar in Poland Next phases developing training scenarios and
educational materials pilot scheme implemented in different
communities information guideline prepared. produce a guideline
(with examples of best practices) publicising the projects effects.
Slide 5 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 5 Survey
objectives Qualitative research developed by the members of
organizations participating in the project The research was
conducted in five language versions from December 2006 to February
2007. It was carried out among adults and children who participate
in various ways in the process of transition to school. Its purpose
was to analize needs of the potential participants of a training
which is being prepared within a framework of the project. That is
a basis for the training module Slide 6 Comenius Foundation for
Child Development 6 Survey methodology Questionnaires for parents,
teachers and children (from schools and preschools) School children
Do you remember what it was like to go to school for the first
time? What did you need to feel good during first weeks of school?
What could be done to make children feel good at the beginning of
school? Adults What is the most important experience of yours as a
teacher/parent/town councilor etc with transition to school? What
do you do during the transition to school now? What can you do for
the successful transition to school? Preschool Children How do you
feel at the thought of going to school? Do you remember your first
days in preschool? What can you do to feel good at school? Slide 7
Comenius Foundation for Child Development 7 Survey methodology Set
of questionnaires sent to all the parties involved in childrens
transition to school, Questionnaires were anonymous. Parents and
teachers were requested to conduct interviews with children basing
on the suggested questionnaire. Although documentation of those
interviews is barely objective for it was led by non-professional
researchers, It allowed to separate the main problems which must be
solved by all the parts involved in the process of transition
together. Slide 8 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 8
Survey methodology 42 preschool children 38 school children 25
parents of children in various age, (5- 8-year old ) 14 preschool
teachers 19 primary teachers 5 other school workers and local
authorities 200 questionnaires were disseminated 143 people
completed the questionnaire: Slide 9 Comenius Foundation for Child
Development 9 Survey outcomes Children with siblings, neighbors and
friends in better situation, They do not participate in enough
positive conversations about school at home. Children are mostly
left alone with their fears. They point on parents and older
children as important person Positive feelings Dominate joy and
eager expectation. Great, I'll go on long school trips, exactly
like Bartosz! excitement of reading, writing and learning, I will
be a good learner and will collect only good marks Release from
preschool I will not be with Tadek anymore he bits me. Children
Negative feelings: Uncertainty You needn't worry in advance Lack of
knowing how school looks like I do not know what to do at school,,
Solitude I don't know, when my parents will come to take me home, I
won't have friends, because I don't know anybody. Fear of hard work
I'm not happy, because I'll have to do my homework like my sister
Slide 10 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 10 Survey
outcomes Children receives that change very positively. usually joy
and excitement, will to work pride of being finally a pupil and not
pre-school child any more. feeling of loss of freedom: less time to
play and new duties. Difficulties with adaptation Children
negotiate with parents, asking them for sick leaves and demonstrate
dislike to school. Time extremely stressing for the parents,
Parents' anxiety is passed over to children. Both sides (children
and parents) feel a larger need of contact. Parents need close
contact with teachers: information about child's progress and
social contact (class team integration, cooperation during class
celebrations, trips, etc.) They are more involved in contact with
current school then with child's former teachers Parents Slide 11
Comenius Foundation for Child Development 11 Survey outcomes Time
to adapt to a new school depend on a child experience in preschool.
Important to have positive first experience in a new school They
feel they are involved in helping children to accommodate Need of
better contact and cooperation with parents. Preschool teachers
focused on cooperation with school teachers (lack of exchange of
information and weak nursery school-school cooperation), need of
more than attending school celebrations want to exchange
professional experience and share observations, lack of clear
information about primary school requirements. Primary school
teachers pre-school education at least for 5-year olds should be
obligatory. prior acquaintance with school, integration of
children, parents and teachers and cooperation with nursery
schools. Lack of collaboration between preschool and school
teachers (but both sides declare the necessity of cooperation)
Teachers Slide 12 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 12
Further activities Handbook for parents Everybody Ready? How to
prepare a child to school New training program for parents,
preschool teachers and school teachers together. Play in preschool
Victor 5 y.o Slide 13 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 13
Our thanks The project is funded by Socrates Grundvig 2 Learning
Partnerships Slide 14 Comenius Foundation for Child Development 14
Comenius Foundation for Child Development phone (+48 22) 881 15 80,
e-mail: [email protected] www.frd.org.pl For the beginnings
determine all that follows Comenius
