TRANSITION FROM KINDERGARTEN TO SCHOOL

About the important role of the professionel cooperation

Before: A sporatisk knowledge of one another´s procedures and their importance. Only bound together by the "Gold dust" material.

Now: A greater understanding of each other´s practice, and we are now aware of the great potential of cooperation. Both in relation to the professionel knowledge sharing, and a better transition for children and parents, in which the children play an active role in relation to building bridges.

OUR STARTING POINT

1) Odense´s strategy on cross-cutting child and youth environments.

2) The existing cooperation on "Gold dust"

3) Knowledge sharing about what it means to be "ready for school"

STRATEGY ON CHILD AND YOUTH ENVIROMENTS

Binding coordinating cooperation and exchange of experience between the professionals in order to establish meaningful contexts for children

Inclusive environments where all children experience themselves as meaningful participants in communities

Children and parents are involved in the development of motivating learning environments.

GOLD DUST

A dialog tool that describes the child´s transition from kindergarten to Spring-SFO and school

A collaboration that has existed since 2008, but has been reviewed in connection with this project * we will elaborate on this later

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Knowledge sharing about what it means to be "ready for school". What would the school professionals prefer that the children are prepared for, and does this match the kindergartens are working with.

CONDITIONS FOR A GOOD TRANSITION

The child has a good foundation, that makes it prepared to learn and engage in new social relations

Awareness and curiosity about how the world around them works

Feels as an important participant that contributes something important to the group

THE WORK OF THE FIRST PROJECT PERIOD

Pilot project between Lisbeths and Bonnies class and Anettes preschool group

Focus on: 1) Professional knowledge sharing 2) Collaboration across school and kindergarten 3) The children played an active role

The pilot project ran from march 2013 to juli 2013

It consisted of: - common activity days - visits both at school and the kindergarten - an increased focus on "Gold dust" and the preparation of this - early cooperation between the kindergarten and school, on the children who had special challenges, this meant among other things, that a single child needed several visits to the school with his support teacher. - clear communication with the parents, in form of eletronic journals and newsletters

ATTENTION POINTS AFTER THE FIRST PERIOD

Signs of a more smooth transition for the children, and also the parents

More confident children, who looked forward to starting school.

The value of "Gold dust" increases when the professionals cooperates across kindergarten and school.

THE SECOND PROJECT PERIOD

We based our work on the successes from the first period

Our goal was to spread out the project to the 9 kindergartens that provide children for Provstegårds-school

We were aware that we needed to communicate very cleary to the other 8 kindergartens, because they did not have the same preconception of the project.

We needed to adjust the project to the new structure i Odense, because the children don´t move from kindergarten to school in august. They start march 1st in the spring-SFO at the school, where they have to attend until august, where the school begins.

JOINT STAFF MEETING IN THE KINDERGARTENS AUGUST 2013

We chose to work with childrens transitions

As a part of the meeting, we invited Bonnie and Lisbeth, to come an speak about the importance of "Gold dust"

GOLD DUST

Why is it important that all kindergartens fills out "Gold dust"

Why is it important that the "Gold dust" tells something about the child´s strenghts

How does the school use the "Gold dust" and how does it affect the childrens well-being in the transition, and how is it used later on in the schoolyear.

Renewal of "Gold dust"

“ Now I understand why it´s important to fill in the "Gold

dust"

" It gives a lot more meaning when the teachers have told

us how they use it"

"I´m happy to hear how seriously my work is used at the

school"

- quotes from the joint staff meeting

COOPERATION MEETING

Christine and Helene called a meeting in september 2013, where we invited representatives from both kindergartens and school, to talk about our plan for cooperation the next year.

We talked about the previous year´s results, and how we wanted to spread this out.

COOPERATION PLAN BETWEEN KINDERGARTENS AND SCHOOL

In september all 9 kindergartens receive a cooperation-plan

The 3 teachers in 0. class cooperates with 3 kindergartens each, and are responsible to arrange visits to each kindergarten

Each kindergarten gets a visit and will be visiting the school 2 times

All kindergartens fill out "Gold dust" on every child

The kindergartens hand over the "Gold dust" at a meeting with the school.

The kindergartens are responsible of communicating with the parents about the cooperation with the school and the use of "Gold dust"

THE SCHOOL VISITS THE KINDERGARTENS

The children from 0. class are ambassadors for the school, and help to build the bridge for a better transition

The teacher can observe the future students in their safe enviroment

visits are a learning both for school- and kindergarten children

THE KINDERGARTENS VISIT THE SCHOOL

The children experience the work in the classroom

They meet the teachers and the children i 0. class.

They can play at the playground

THE SECOND VISIT AT THE SCHOOL (SPRING-SFO)

The children visit the buildings where the Forårs-SFO are located.

They meet the staff of the Spring-SFO

EVALUATION MEETING AFTER THE SECOND PROJECT PERIOD

Helene and Christine invited representatives from the school and the 9 kindergartens who participated in the new cooperation.

We received very positive response from all participants

All would like to participate in the future

WHY HAS IT BEEN MEANINGFUL FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS?

Simple project design, we built on what we already had

Both kindergartens and the school are in a position where they get and give value to the project

cooperation takes place, physically, both at the school and in the kindergartens

It makes sense for children when they play an active part

Children get a smoother transition, when the professionals cooperate

Good and clear communication provides secure and confident parents. Confident parents are far more able to support their children in the transition

Inclusion in the school communities, starts out in the kindergartens

PLANS FOR FUTURE COOPERATION

Pamphlet to the parents

Further adjustments, so the cooperation plan fits the yearplan even better

Cooperation meetings every year i august, where we talk about year ahead, and introduce any new staff members to the work on childrens transition i our area

HOPES AND DREAMS IN RELATION TO THE FUTURE COOPERATION

Job-shadowing/job-swap between kindergartens and school

Employees who share their employment between kindergartens and school

joint education

joint staff meetings and seminars with knowledge sharing