ED441597 PS028605
Title: Starting School: What Matters for Children, Parents, and Educators?
Author(s): Dockett, Sue; Perry, Bob
Author Affiliation: Australian Early Childhood Association, Inc.,
Watson.(BBB19908)
Source: AECA Research in Practice Series, v6 n3 1999 Pages:
25
Publication Date: 1999
Notes: Theme issue. Published quarterly.
Sponsoring Agency: Western Sydney Univ., Macarthur (Australia). (BBB34857)@New
South Wales Dept. of Training and Education Co-ordination, Darlinghurst
(Australia). (BBB35062)
ISBN: 1-875890-40-8
ISSN: 1440-5148
Available from: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from
EDRS.
Availability: Australian Early Childhood Association, Inc., P.O. Box
105, Watson, ACT 2602, Australia ($9.95 Australian dollars). Tel:
02-6241-6900; Fax: 02-6241-5547; e-mail: national@aeca.org.au; Web
site: http://www.aeca.org.au. Editor's note: This organization is now
Early Childhood Australia. Tel: 02-6242-1818; e-mail:
eca@earlychildhood.org.au;
Web site: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/
Language: English
Document Type: Collected works--Serials (022); Guides--Non-classroom
(055)
Geographic Source: Australia; Australian Capital Territory
Journal Announcement: RIENOV2000
Starting school
is a transition marked by excitement, trepidation, happiness, or
sadness for all involved. This issue of the Australian Early Childhood
Association Research in Practice Series discusses some of the issues
described as important by children, parents, and preschool and elementary
educators in an interview study of children's transition to school
in Australia. Section 1 of the booklet presents children's views
about starting school, focusing on their disposition toward school,
expected differences from prior-to-school settings, the importance
of friends, learning school rules, and the help children want from
adults. Section 2 of the booklet presents parents' views about their
children starting school, focusing on their child's social adjustment,
their child's disposition or attitude toward school, anticipated
physical demands of attending school, family issues, and concern
about the educational environment their child will encounter. Section
3 of the booklet highlights educators' viewpoints, focusing on social
adjustment issues, the importance of skill development, children's
disposition toward school, the role of chronological age in starting
school, their preference that children be over 5 years old when
starting, and the importance of children learning to work independently
at school. The booklet notes the importance of listening to the
perspectives of all participants and lists characteristics of effective
transition programs. A summary table of the issues raised in the
booklet presents implications for practice in planning and managing
young children's transition to school. (KB)
Descriptors: Childhood Attitudes; Educational Practices; Foreign
Countries; Parent Attitudes; *Primary Education; Program Effectiveness;
School Entrance Age; *School Readiness; *Student Adjustment; Teacher
Attitudes; *Transitional Programs; *Young Children
Identifiers: Australia; Beginning of School Year; Program Characteristics;
*Transitional Activities
