Abstract
In early childhood education, a long-standing debate exists around issues related to school readiness and the transition to school. This paper describes an action research project implemented by teachers in an urban Australian preschool which gathered multiple stakeholder perspectives about school transition. The project was initiated to support more collaborative partnerships across the local community in which the preschool was located. Data were gathered from children, parents and local school personnel. Specific research objectives included locating similarities in perceptions about school readiness between stakeholders to use as a basis for strengthening collaboration. Further, identifying ways to form connections between a play-based programme implemented at the preschool and the more didactic teaching and learning approaches within local schools. A blueprint on school transitions was developed that considered how local systems operate in both cooperative and opposing ways. The project identified multiple and complex factors that require consideration within the community to support children’s successful transition to school.
Résumé
En éducation préscolaire, les questions liées à la maturité scolaire et à la transition vers l’école font l’objet d’un débat depuis longtemps. Cet article décrit un projet de recherche-action mis en œuvre par les enseignants d’une école maternelle australienne en milieu urbain, dans lequel ont été recueillies les perspectives de multiples intervenants sur la transition vers l’école. Le projet a été lancé pour soutenir des partenariats plus collaboratifs au sein de la collectivité où l’école maternelle est située. Les données ont été recueillies auprès des enfants, des parents et du personnel de l’école locale. Les objectifs spécifiques de la recherche comprenaient l’identification de similarités dans les perceptions de la maturité scolaire des différents intervenants pour les utiliser comme base de renforcement de la collaboration. Un autre objectif était d’identifier des façons de créer des liens entre le programme basé sur le jeu de la maternelle et les approches plus didactiques de l’enseignement et l’apprentissage des écoles locales. Un modèle des transitions vers l’école a été élaboré, tenant compte que les systèmes locaux fonctionnent de façon à la fois coopérative et opposée. Le projet a identifié des facteurs multiples et complexes qui doivent être pris en considération dans la collectivité pour favoriser une transition réussie des enfants vers l’école.
Resumen
Durante largo tiempo ha existido debate en el tema de la educación temprana en cuanto a problemas relacionados con la preparación y la transición a la educación escolar. Este estudio describe un proyecto de investigación activa, llevado a cabo por profesores en un establecimiento pre-escolar urbano de Australia, donde se recopilaron diversas perspectivas de diferentes personas interesadas en el tema de la transición a la escolaridad. El Proyecto se inició con el fin de garantizar una mayor colaboración de toda la comunidad local donde se encuentra ubicado el establecimiento pre-escolar. Se recolectó información de niños, padres y el personal empleado por la escuela local. Los objetivos específicos de la investigación incluyeron el establecimiento de similitudes en las percepciones de los participantes sobre la preparación para el inicio escolar con el fin de ser usados como una base para fortalecer la colaboración. Adicionalmente, se buscó identificar formas para crear conexiones entre un programa lúdico implementado en la escuela pre-escolar y otros métodos más didácticos de enseñanza y aprendizaje en las escuelas locales. Se desarrolló un plan de acción para la transición escolar, teniendo en cuenta la forma de como programas locales operan, tanto en forma cooperativa como de oposición. El proyecto identificó factores múltiples y complejos que requieren consideración dentro de la comunidad para garantizar una transición exitosa a la etapa escolar.
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Hugo, K., McNamara, K., Sheldon, K. et al. Developing a Blueprint for Action on the Transition to School: Implementation of an Action Research Project Within a Preschool Community. IJEC 50, 241–257 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-018-0220-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-018-0220-1