The transition from Kita to school
What happens to the children – so eager and hungry to learn, so capable of learning – during the transition from Kita (German facilities for early childhood care and education) to school? Why do some children suddenly show attention problems, learning difficulties or behavioural problems when entering German school?
A changed learning environment
Perhaps it is not the children who are suddenly changing, but the new learning environment with its significantly increased demands?!
When they start school, young children are suddenly confronted with (new) unfamiliar learning situations. Their Kita life, filled with free play and self-directed learning, is often suddenly over for them.
New requirements for young children
Stay seated. Remain silent. Listen. Show attention, hold on, concentrate. Follow instructions. Suddenly, children are required to perform fine motor skills like holding a pencil, using scissors, paintbrushes and glue sticks, instead of freely and independently handling the props. Performance requirements. Performance pressure.
An unrealistic change
How are small children supposed to suddenly meet demands for which they have not been properly prepared for during their entire time in Kitas?
How are young children supposed to have made progress and acquired school-relevant (cognitive, linguistic, mathematical, motor, social-emotional) precursor skills without progressive learning units?
How are young children supposed to suddenly follow school rules if they have not previously experienced structured, classroom-like practice and training opportunities?
Through “Big Magic” or a sudden super-fast “transformation” when school starts?
This logic doesn’t fit together for me. How does this feel for you as a parent or an early childhood professional?
Reasons to prepare children for the transition to school
So why prepare young children for school in Kitas:
- Because the start of school confronts every child with realistic demands and expectations.
- Because implementing an age-step-based educational program can ensure additional developmental support for all Kita children. By an educational program, I mean a teaching and learning plan that includes learning activities from various areas such as writing, reading, math, physical education, science, social studies and arts for a specific age group throughout the Kita years.
- Because implementing an educational program can also serve as a preventative measure, enabling children from different family and cultural backgrounds to confidently master the transition from Kita to school. It can also help identify deficits or areas for developmental support early on.
Challenges for teachers
I can imagine that some primary school teachers face significant challenges at the start of school: they have to fulfil the curriculum, to teach a class composed of children with very different starting conditions and skill levels. I ask myself: How can and should a primary school teacher teach academic content while simultaneously she/he has to compensate for a lack of school-relevant precursor skills?
Starting in early childhood
Why not make the transition to school a little easier by preparing children in the Kita for school-like learning situations in a playful but continuous way?
The first years of childhood fly by; why don’t we use this time to specifically promote school-relevant precursor skills of the children – in addition to free play and self-directed learning (which should continue to have their place in facilities for early childhood care and education!)?
It’s possible. And it can be more than just fun for kids.
