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Transition to School
Chapter

Transition to School

Abstract

Transition to school is one of the most important processes experienced by children and their families. In keeping with ecological models of child development, a broad spectrum of factors is postulated to impact children’s adjustment to school. In this chapter, the biological basis of early development as it impacts school adjustment is briefly reviewed, and a holistic, developmental concept of school readiness is introduced. A comparison of factors influencing school readiness between Canada and Mexico shows the consistent impact of socio-economic characteristics, family, and gender. Further, parents are considered the main agents in creating a unique early environment that fosters development of learning and social skills. Empirical studies investigating parent engagement in child’s home-based, and community-based activities show that these activities contribute to kindergarten outcomes in all areas of school readiness. Transition to school can be improved through family involvement in organized community-based activities that are not focused on the skills traditionally considered relevant for school success. These findings are considered to emphasize that, first, transition to school is a process encompassing many areas of child development; and second, a collaborative approach between families, schools, and communities is the one most likely to lead to improvement in children’s experience of transition and a successful school adjustment.

Authors

Janus M

Book title

Transitions to Early Care and Education

Pagination

pp. 177-187

Publisher

Springer Nature

Publication Date

January 1, 2011

DOI

10.1007/978-94-007-0573-9_15

Labels

Fields of Research (FoR)

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