Sharing Information for the Transition to Kindergarten

Sharing Information for the Transition to Kindergarten

[Music]

Amber Escott: I know the transition to kindergarten has been successful when my kids are confident and meeting everything that they need to meet — their self-needs, they're confident in their skills. Another thing is knowing that they have built that trust with the teacher that they can move on to the next teacher.

Narrator: Head Start educators play a critical role in helping families bridge the transition from Head Start to kindergarten. Head Start educators support successful transitions to kindergarten by using evidence-based transition practices throughout the year.

Educator: Ta-da!

Student: [Gasps]

Narrator: These practices bridge the path from Head Start to kindergarten, creating a smooth transition for families, children, and educators. A successful transition is built on sharing information, building relationships, and program alignment. Educators in Head Start programs share information about the kindergarten transition by preparing children for what to expect — communicating with families in their home languages and sharing data with families and the receiving elementary school.

Educator: Her name is Miss Bindergarten gets ready for kindergarten.

Narrator: Preparing children for what to expect helps children move from their Head Start program to kindergarten, confident and ready for the transition.

Educator: Cindergarten ... Lindergarten.

Laurie Yarger: We did some school visits together if they were moving out of the school and kind of talk about what to expect, and also try to provide some resources.

Amber: We also put together a kindergarten readiness packet every year, because some of the kids don't stay with us through summertime. So, we put a big packet that has a lot of fun math activities and math games and even some dry erase little practice sheets for them if they wanted to — to go home with them so they still have that help through the summer.

Narrator: Let's hear about some ways educators might share information with families about the kindergarten transition.

Edwin Garcia Prieto: We do like a fun night with the families and we present the information, we invite people — they are experts, or they are in the public school — to come in and talk about kindergarten. And we try to help the parents and the children to be registered on time and have all the documentation ready for it. So, if the parents have any questions or any concern, they might get the answer from the resource.

Narrator: Sharing data with families, and the receiving elementary school, can help to sustain the learning gains children have made in their Head Start program.

Yan Dang: We do share some assessment datas. And for example, we have individual's profile, and then they get the TSG, teacher-parent conference, the tracking data.

Ann Tracey: Some of the data that I'm used to as a kindergarten teacher and as an administrator this year is viewing the teaching strategy's goal data. Not only do we get to view their social-emotional skills coming in, but also where they are academically. And that's a huge, huge benefit for teachers.

Katrina Jones: One of the other things we do is have a big transition meeting for students that have an IEP. And so, those transition meetings are with the school and then the support staff. We have invited our Head Start teachers to come in and be part of that also if the student is in a Head Start program. And that input, they can tell the kindergarten teacher, you know, "We have done this, this, this, and this. These strategies have worked really well. This strategy has not." So, that way, when the kiddos come in, there's already a plan in place for them.

Narrator: When Head Start educators ensure a smooth transition to kindergarten by sharing information with children, families, and the receiving elementary school, everyone succeeds.

Educator: Give me five.

[Music]