Abstract
The kindergarten transition is a time when both children and parents face changes in routines, environments, and peers. The new cognitive and behavioral expectations for children at school may also require enhanced parenting skills. Thus, programming to support the transition to kindergarten for children requires a two-generational approach. This chapter describes the Kids In Transition to School (KITS) Program, an intervention designed to help both children and parents gain the essential skills necessary to make a positive transition to kindergarten. For children, this includes academic and social-emotional skills. For parents, this includes skills to support children's learning at home and school as well as positive parenting skills. Evidence from multiple randomized controlled trials and a large-scale implementation shows positive effects on both children and parents. Future directions for research are also explored.
TopBackground
The transition to kindergarten represents a large shift in expectations and contexts for both children and their parents. Children are moving from home or smaller preschool environments to classrooms full of unknown peers and adults and, at the same time, their parents must learn to interact with this new context. Studies have documented that parents often do not feel that they receive enough information about the transition process from either their early childhood care providers or the elementary schools (Malsch, Green, & Kothari, 2011; McIntyre, Eckert, Fiese, DiGennaro, & Wildenger, 2007).
Difficulties in accessing information about the kindergarten transition differentially impact families from low-income environments, those who experience high mobility, and those whose children have pre-existing behavioral or emotional issues (Malsch et al., 2011; McIntyre et al., 2007). Parents in higher risk groups are also more likely to feel that they are not able to become involved in their children’s school, either due to barriers such as needing to work when school activities are typically scheduled or because they feel dismissed by or anxious about approaching school personnel (Greene, 2013; Yoder & Lopez, 2013). On the other hand, children in higher risk groups may benefit most from transition activities (LoCasale-Crouch, Mashburn, Downer, & Pianta, 2008; Schulting, Malone, & Dodge, 2005) as well as parent involvement in learning both at home and school (McCoach et al., 2010; McCormick et al., 2020).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Inconsistent Parenting: A parenting style characterized by ineffective discipline techniques and parental failure to follow through on commands and requests.
Prosocial Skills: These are skills that allow children to be able to get along with other children and adults and include such behaviors as being able to share and cooperate with others.
Two-Generational Intervention: An intervention featuring components for and involving two generations, often parents and children.
Academic Skills: These include skills pertaining to literacy and reading as well as skills in numeracy, arithmetic, and math concepts.
Emotion Regulation: The ability to control and modulate one’s expressions of emotions.
School Readiness: Possessing the critical skills that increase the likelihood of a positive transition into kindergarten and subsequent positive school adjustment.
Parental School Involvement: A wide range of parental behaviors that show interest in and awareness of, as well as support, a child’s school adjustment, including such behaviors as helping with homework, attending parent–teacher conferences, and volunteering at school.
Behavior Regulation: The ability to control one’s behaviors and actions.
Inhibitory Control: This is an aspect of behavior regulation in which a person inhibits a prepotent response in favor of another response.