Navigating New Classrooms & CHS’s Approach to Seamless Transitions
Whether you are three years old, or 93, most people feel some trepidation about facing the unknown. As educational professionals, we all have coping mechanisms for the challenges posed by, for example, a new academic year, or new faces, new classrooms, and new lesson plans. As we set up our rooms, sort our supplies, and try to familiarize ourselves with the names on our classroom list, we are carrying out activities that boost our confidence, manage our stress, and banish some of the fear of the unknown.
However, children are still building executive function which includes inhibitory control (the ability to control impulses), working memory (short-term memory that involves temporarily storing and manipulating information), and cognitive flexibility (the ability to switch between thinking about different topics). This means change is significantly more challenging for children. The transition from family life to an Early Childhood Education (ECE) or Kindergarten setting can be stressful for young children as they navigate unfamiliar faces, locations, and routines, and once they have become used to that huge change, another school year and a different teacher and classroom may be on the horizon.
A child who is experiencing emotional turmoil may have their learning impacted, and it could undermine their emotional wellness. Strategies to help with the transition can include introducing the new teacher ahead of time, having some activities in the new classroom, and holding” celebrations such as graduation ceremonies, a class photo, a party, or a school trip. Keeping communication open with families is crucial and giving them guidance about the road ahead may help them boost their child’s confidence. Resources which help families manage their child’s emotional state can also be shared, along with encouraging them to discuss any concerns they may have with the new teacher.
It’s important to remember that empathy is one of a teacher’s greatest assets. You might assume that an unhappy child is missing their family, when, in fact, they are worried about being able to find the bathroom in the new location. For the very early years, we don’t even have the luxury of asking our children what’s wrong and getting a coherent answer. Their frustration with their inability to understand and communicate what they are feeling can manifest itself with challenging behavior and regression. For children from under resourced and overburdened communities, or those with additional needs, the impact can be even greater.
Studies show that children are more successful when they have consistent caregivers, as it is through the quality and reliability of relationships that children learn. The approach at Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning is to implement a looping model, in which children remain with the same educators and children from their infant classroom through their older toddler classroom. They then transition to their preschool classroom and remain with the same teachers and children until they leave their early years setting for kindergarten. This provides children with a family-like atmosphere and a sense of comfort and stability which helps form deeper connections with teachers and peers that aid in a child’s development. This model is endorsed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and others.
Whichever model your early learning center uses, setting the groundwork for the move into the next classroom can make all the difference for the children – and families – who are heading onto the next stage of their exciting learning journey together.
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