ERIC Number: EJ1430839
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1380-3611
EISSN: EISSN-1744-4187
Supporting Children and Families with Opportunity Gaps: Educators' Perspectives of a Summer Kindergarten Transition Program
Leigh Kale D'Amico; Xumei Fan; Sommer Garrett; Xiaofang Zhang; Janice Kilburn; Alexis Jones; Chelsea Richard
Educational Research and Evaluation, v29 n5-6 p366-386 2024
Effective transitions to kindergarten engage families and ease children into new environments. Countdown to Kindergarten (CTK), a program in a southeastern U.S. state that serves more than 1,000 children each year and is grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, partners kindergarten teachers and families to facilitate effective transitions for those who often experience opportunity gaps. Research partners surveyed 238 CTK educators (98% of participating educators). Educators indicated that CTK had a positive impact on increasing family awareness of school expectations, promoting smooth transitions, and developing positive relationships between teachers and families. The perceived quality of CTK and parent investment in CTK significantly predicted educators' belief that CTK exceeded its goals of enhancing connections between the blended systems in which children interact. The model provides curricular approaches, activities, and materials for six sessions prior to kindergarten entry that can be replicated to better serve children and families in need.
Descriptors: Summer Programs, Kindergarten, Young Children, Family School Relationship, Parent Participation, Expectation, Transitional Programs, School Readiness, Program Development, Program Implementation
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Administration for Children and Families (ACF) (DHHS)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 90TP00800200