Transitional preschool: Difference Between Preschool, Pre-K & Transitional Kindergarten

Опубликовано: January 20, 2023 в 8:11 pm

Автор: alexxlab

Категории: Miscellaneous

Difference Between Preschool, Pre-K & Transitional Kindergarten

We all want the best for our children, especially when it comes to their education. If you have a little one who is getting ready to start their schooling journey, then you want to make sure that they get the best overall experience possible. Since going from no school to kindergarten could be a shock to your child, it is essential to enable them to become more accustomed to the school system and be prepared for what is to come. The best way you can achieve that is by enrolling them in early childhood education. Though it may sound easy on paper, there are a few different options you can choose. Aside from the various school features and locations, something you should take into consideration is how the school is structured. Does it have a preschool or pre-kindergarten curriculum, or does it have a transitional kindergarten?

If you are doing this for the first time, it can be a bit overwhelming to really understand and nail down what you should do when it comes to enrollment. To shed some light here is an easy breakdown of each system so you can determine which would be the optimal one for your child.

Preschool is the very first step in your child’s educational journey. Though this is incredibly important, it is not mandatory to enroll your child. It is also something that is very rarely offered by public school systems. You will generally be able to find a program in private owned locations or other places such as community or religion centers.

When your child is at least age three and fully potty trained, then they can start attending preschool. As an official preschooler, they will be able to work on perfecting their vocabulary and language skills as well as an abundance of other elements, such as learning to collaborate with others and gain confidence. They will be able to learn and develop through a playful environment and socialize with their peers who are around the same age. Though play is the majority of their day, it does work wonders in sharpening their cognitive abilities and emotionally preparing them for the classroom setting that they will be heading into.

Pre-Kindergarten is also not mandatory and still considered preschool, though the structure is slightly different, with less play and more kindergarten classroom focused. You may find it hard to land on a public school that offered a pre-kindergarten curriculum.

Pre-kindergarten is a stage that is integral for children to gain rich experiences. When it comes to enrolling your child, you can expect them to be entirely ingrained in a curriculum that is specifically focused on preparing them for actual kindergarten. These classrooms work with children in a classroom setting that is nearly identical to that of kindergarten and is done so to prepare them for the next educational stage adequately. This enrollment would build your child’s skills and give them guidance on how to complete more challenging projects, both independently and in teamwork settings. The outcome from this will provide your child with abstract thinking tools, enhance their problem-solving skills, and give them the confidence that they can handle kindergarten next year.

Transitional Kindergarten is set apart from preschool and pre-kindergarten as it’s a part of the public school system, meaning you will be able to have this feature without having to look elsewhere. However, just like the other options, you are not required to have your child attend if you choose not to or if you feel like they are not ready yet.

Often referred to as TK, Transitional Kindergarten is derived from the California law called the Kindergarten Readiness Act. It is a schooling grade that allows a bridge between both preschool and kindergarten. The system gives children aged four, who turn five between September 2nd and December 2nd, the ability to work on developing their fundamental skills to be fully prepared for school when they reach the appropriate age. Since transitional kindergarten comes after preschool, those children who are enrolled can begin regular kindergarten classes the following year when they hit the age requirements.

A key thing to note here is that transitional kindergarten is not a mandated curriculum. However, it will powerfully enhance your child’s skillsets if they are ready for school but missed the kindergarten age cut off. The curriculum is generally a modified version of what your child would have experienced in an actual kindergarten setting. Though many schools that offer this have some flexibility with their implementation of it, they still must follow the California standard guidelines when developing the foundation of their instructed guidelines.

Highlighted Differences

Though preschool, pre-kindergarten, and transitional kindergarten all sound like the same thing, they do have their differences that should be mentioned, with the biggest one being their age. The age when you can enroll your child in preschool is as young as three, pre-kindergarten is four, and transitional kindergarten is for children who are four, but will be turning five between
September 2nd and December 2nd.

Another key difference is the environment for each. Preschool is very playful, and children are able to use their imagination and learn through their play. Pre-Kindergarten is much more engaging and focused on similar areas of the standard kindergarten curriculum.
When it comes to transitional kindergarten, the TK environment is a mixture of preschool and pre-kindergarten. It strategically uses play along with classroom organization and learning centers to prepare children for their futures.

Highlighted Similarities

Now that you understand the differences more clearly now, if you are still unsure about what to do, you can be confident that no matter what, your child will benefit. This is because all three options are excellent in their own way but have the same mission. Classroom set up, age requirement and restrictions and style of the curriculum are all unique, but all have one thing in common, and that is their mission to help children become fully prepared and thrive in school all the way to graduation day and beyond.

Each of these programs are incredibly beneficial for young children who are about to embark into the school system. Even though they may address it in their own way with factors such as the cognitive development approaches based on each child’s abilities and age, they all aim to prepare children and give them the tools to reach their full potential. Whether it is preschool, pre-kindergarten, or transitional kindergarten, your child will undeniably gain immense skillsets and enhanced preparation for their schooling years to come.

Conclusion
As you can see, there is quite a bit that goes into kindergarten preparation and deciding what path would be best for your child. Since every child learns and develops at their own pace, you need to strongly consider the emotional, physical, and educational needs of your child to really determine what would be the best option for them. Regardless of what you decide, both preschool, pre-kindergarten, and transitional kindergarten curriculum are great options for children to learn and grow in, depending on their ages and particular academic needs. As long as the environment is safe and your child feels comfortable, then they will have excellent building blocks to reach their full potential and thrive.

Deciding Between Transitional Kindergarten Or Another Year Of Preschool

For kids whose birthday misses the cut-off date for kindergarten, parents need to determine if transitional kindergarten or another year of preschool is best for their kids. While both provide kids with an education and help to prepare them for kindergarten, there are very real differences between the two. And because of these differences, parents need to do their due diligence to determine whether their kids will better thrive in a second or third year of preschool or transitional kindergarten instead.

Parents have quite a decision on their hands when it comes to choosing the best place of education for their kids who miss their district’s birthday cut-off for entering kindergarten. This is because there is no one right answer for kids across the board as to whether they would excel spending more time in a preschool format or if they are ready to move toward a kindergarten format instead. The right answer comes after parents have been able to research their local programs, see what the pros and cons are for each and which makes the most sense for their kids. Then and only then will they be able to determine the best educational route for their kids for the year leading up to kindergarten.

RELATED: Helping Your 5-Year-Old Who’s Never Been To School Transition To Kindergarten

Here is how parents can decide between transitional kindergarten or another year of preschool.

What Is Transitional Kindergarten?

via Wikimedia Commons/woodleywonderworks

Transitional kindergarten is a “stepping stone” between preschool and kindergarten, according to EdSource. It allows for kids who are “young fives” to be put into a school setting that is similar to that of kindergarten but allows for this younger age group to still develop social and emotional skills they may still need help honing.

Currently, only California, Massachusetts, and West Virginia offer transitional kindergarten classes via the public school system, according to EdWeek. By being funded by the states, these transitional kindergartens follow the curriculum set forth by local school districts.

Other states have transitional kindergarten programs but they are offered through private schools or centers. Because of this, they may not follow the same curriculum that local school districts have developed for kids. This means that some kids will be very prepared for kindergarten while others may be lacking in a few educational areas that may or may not prove to be important as kids enter kindergarten.

Differences Between Transitional Kindergarten & Preschool

While both preschool and transitional kindergarten will prepare kids to enter kindergarten from the standpoint of kindergarten readiness, the way that each school program does so is different from one another.

Curriculum: The main difference between the curriculum of transitional kindergarten and preschool is that transitional kindergarten follows a schedule much more akin to kindergarten than preschool does. As such, there is much more structure to the day than there is in preschool.

According to Tootris, preschool is very focused on learning through play. Kids are encouraged to use their imaginations, follow directions, work on sharing, play cooperatively with others, and more during their time in the preschool classroom.

Kids who enroll in transitional kindergarten, on the other hand, use some principles from preschool, such as play while learning, but that is done in shorter spurts than they are in preschool. Per the publication, what transitional kindergarten uses more of is “centers” where different types of learning activities occur to introduce kids to the subjects they will be covering in more depth the following year in kindergarten.

Teacher credentials: When it comes to teaching credentials for preschool teachers, each school has different requirements for its teachers. According to Teacher Certification Degrees, some preschools require that their teachers have nothing more than high school diplomas, while others require a college degree and certification to teach preschool kids.

Those who teach transitional kindergarten, according to TKCalifornia, need to have the same teaching credentials those who teach kindergarten have. As such, they are just as qualified to teach kindergarten as those teaching that age group and in some instances, older kids as well. And in many instances, board-certified teachers get better results from their students than those who do not have credentialed degrees at all.

Teacher to student ratio: The teacher-to-student ratio at preschools is much less than that of public schools. As a result, kids in the preschool programs get more one-on-one attention and are better able to work on specific areas that need strengthening before entering kindergarten.

Kids in transitional kindergarten are going to be in classroom sizes that are very similar to that of kindergarten. This is because kids are working on being more independent and following the rules. As such, not the same level of supervision is needed.

To put into perspective the ratio of students to teachers, according to American Institutes for Research, on average, transitional kindergarten is one teacher for every 17 students. According to Noah’s Ark Child Center, the average preschool ratio is one teacher for every 10 students.

While these numbers may fluctuate slightly, there is always going to be a smaller number of students per teacher in preschool than there is in transitional kindergarten. And if kids thrive in an environment like that, that should be factored into the decision of where to send kids who are not yet ready for kindergarten.

Both Preschool & Transitional Kindergarten Will Have Kids Prepared For Kindergarten

via Winnie

When it boils down to deciding what the academic year before kindergarten will look like, there truly is not a bad decision between a quality preschool program and a transitional kindergarten program. The biggest factors to look at are where kids are socially and emotionally and whether they can handle kindergarten-level work or not.

Both transitional kindergarten and an extra year of preschool are designed to make sure that kids have a foundation built to help them succeed in kindergarten. Because of this, parents need to assess where their kids are at and make a decision at best where they will thrive and that will determine whether kids will go into transitional kindergarten or another year of preschool.

Source: EdWeek, EdSource, Tootris, Teacher Certification Degrees, TKCalifornia, American Institutes for Research, Noah’s Ark Child Center

Mastering the Federal State Educational Standards for Educational Relations by the Participants of Educational Relations is a Task of the Transitional Period in the Education System – Journals for Preschool Educational Institutions

Erofeeva T.I. ped. Sci., Professor of the Department of Preschool Pedagogy Moscow State Pedagogical University, Moscow The processes of standardization of preschool education are an important turning point in the education system. nine0010

The regulatory status of the Federal State Educational Standard for Preschool Education is established by order of the Minister of Education and Science on the basis of Federal Law No. 273-FZ
of December 29, 2012 “On Education in the Russian Federation”. All previous documents: concepts, provisions, letters – did not have such a status. It defines the legal status of participants in relations in the field of education and emphasizes the obligation to fulfill them.

As is known, GEF DO is aimed at achieving the following goals:

— improving the social status of preschool education;

— provision by the state of equal opportunities for every child to receive a quality pre-school education;

– providing state guarantees of the level and quality of preschool education based on the unity of mandatory requirements for the conditions for the implementation of educational programs for preschool education, their structure and the results of their development;

– maintaining the unity of the educational space of the Russian Federation in relation to the level of preschool education. nine0010

The standard, on the one hand, provides freedom for preschool workers to create an educational program for their kindergarten, determine the scope of the content of education, fill in its variable part, etc.; on the other hand, it also defines the boundaries of responsibility in the implementation of the developed educational program and in creating conditions for its implementation.

In his speech at the All-Russian Congress of Preschool Education Workers, held in Moscow in 2013, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, full member of the Russian Academy of Education, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Education, Doctor of Psychology, Professor A.G. Asmolov focused on the main mission of the Federal State Educational Standard for Education: the formation and development of the child’s personality. The standard sets the following as a priority task: “Not so much to teach a child to read and write, but to “teach” him to study throughout his life. The developed standard does not allow the transfer of the educational and disciplinary model of education to the life of a child of preschool age. nine0010

The ideology of the standard is “child-centrism” (A.G. Asmolov) the ideology of development, maintaining the diversity of preschool childhood. It should be emphasized that in modern sociocultural conditions the ideas of L.S. Vygotsky, A.V. Zaporozhets, D.B. Elkonina, V.V. Davydov, which are the core of the whole ideology of the education in transition.

Emphasis is placed:

— on the priorities of personality development, the disclosure of its potential;

— maintaining the child’s ability to self-development, self-actualization, self-realization; nine0010

— preserving the diversity of childhood by creating conditions for the social situation of helping adults and children to develop the abilities of each child.

Intensive updating of the regulatory framework in recent years focuses on the implementation of the cultural paradigm in the upbringing of a preschool child. In this regard, it becomes methodologically important that in the process of interaction with an adult, the child must have the necessary degrees of freedom both in the manifestation of existing qualities and in comprehending new developmental opportunities. nine0010

“Real teaching is a constant self-renewal, which over time becomes more and more meaningful and conscious… Knowledge is only a tool for all this difficult work. The ability to learn, by and large, coincides with the ability to think,” notes V.T. Kudryavtsev [2].

The meaning and significance of such education is not to accelerate development, but to enrich it, to maximize the use of all the possibilities of children’s activities in which the child is most successful. It is the preschool stage of life that provides these opportunities. nine0010

Amplification – enrichment of the development of all types of children’s activities – the theoretical position of A.V. Zaporozhets, expressed in the 70s. of the last century, have not lost their relevance for modern preschool education.

It is this interpretation that will make it possible to overcome a purely pragmatic, prescription approach to the organization of pedagogical work in a preschool educational institution and see the meaning of pedagogical activity in the development of the personality of a preschooler, the formation of a child as a subject of the educational process, free to choose an activity, its content, volume, partner. As V.T. Kudryavtsev, a filled preschool life in its specific forms, and not those brought in from other ages, becomes the key to success with the longest return. nine0010

It is necessary to form a children’s play community that creates conditions for the development and self-development of the child, who is given freedom of choice and at the same time the opportunity to manage his choice in accordance with the accepted norms of life in a team. According to V.T. Kudryavtsev, “it creates a deep and extremely broad basis for any teaching” [2].

For the first time in the Federal State Educational Standard, it is emphasized that parents and families are participants in educational relations. A mandatory component of the educational program of preschool education should be, according to the Standard, a characteristic of the interaction of the teaching staff with the families of children. Parents get acquainted with the program, coordinate interviews and examinations of children, change individual educational tactics with them. nine0010

However, pedagogical interaction should go not only in one direction (from kindergarten to parents), but towards this movement: from parents to kindergarten.

This means that parents, in accordance with the Federal Law “On Education in the Russian Federation” and the Federal State Educational Standard, must also provide the necessary conditions for the harmonious development of the child in the family. To create not a static, but a dynamic diverse subject-developing environment, an enriched educational atmosphere for the cognitive and personal development of the child. How prepared are parents for this serious work? It is in this that the interaction of participants in educational relations will help parents in solving such an important issue. nine0010

Despite the fact that modern parents in most cases strive for self-education, their psychological and pedagogical culture is formed mainly spontaneously, under the influence of random information from the media, creating the illusion of psychological literacy. In accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard, it is necessary to create an attitude of teachers to work with parents as like-minded people, take care of building both psychological and technological conditions for interaction, take into account the needs of various families, and create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation in kindergarten. nine0010

The results of the educational program are presented in the Standard as targets. A.G. Asmolov said: “There is nothing more terrible than evaluating a child. The child should be valued, not judged” [1].

Therefore, the Standard evaluates the conditions, the educational process, which is created for the socio-cultural diversity of the world of childhood. We need a cultural calendar – the teacher must know how and how the child lives, what worries him. For this, the methods of working with children must fundamentally change in order to ensure the implementation of an integrated approach in the development of personality, support for the subjective position of children in various activities. nine0010

In accordance with the requirements of federal legislation in the field of education, a transitional period is established until January 1, 2016, which allows preschool educational organizations not only to prepare the necessary program and methodological documentation, but also to create conditions for the implementation of targets for preschool education. In this regard, there is an interest in how practitioners are oriented in matters of requirements for designing conditions for organizing educational activities in preschool educational institutions. nine0010

A teacher of preschool education should have an idea about modern requirements for the goals, content, results, technologies of preschool education. An analysis of the difficulties in planning and implementing the main aspects of educational work in accordance with the introduction of the Federal State Educational Standard, conducted by the Faculty of Preschool Pedagogy and Psychology of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, showed:

— “confusion” of the methodological service at different levels;

— teachers’ unwillingness to give up organized forms of educational work, gravitation towards an educational and disciplinary model; nine0010

– insufficient preparedness of teachers themselves and / or unwillingness of educators (especially with a long work experience) to accept changes and rearrange their work in accordance with new requirements, to overcome previously established stereotypes;

– lack of understanding of the need for change;

— confusion of practitioners due to the lack of a register of programs that comply with GEF DO;

– fear of returning to a single exemplary program (although the Standard refers to the variability of programs). nine0010

Teachers expect parents to reject the main provisions of the Standard, which, from their point of view, reduce the level of preparation of children for school. However, the Federal State Educational Standard of DO prescribes an orientation towards the development of motivational readiness for learning, the formation of curiosity, responsibility, independence, communication skills, which allows the child to make a painless transition to the level of school education.

At the same time, new strategic guidelines in the development of the education system should be taken positively. nine0010

First, the system of pre-school education must develop in accordance with the demands of society and the state.

Secondly, the creation of conditions is laid for the educator to take into account the peculiarities of development, the interests of his group, the specifics of the national-cultural and natural geographical conditions in which the educational process is carried out.

Thirdly, the recognition of the significance and weight of preschool childhood will ensure a more attentive attitude towards it at all levels. nine0010

Fourthly, the changes will entail an increase in the requirements for the quality of preschool education, which should have a positive impact on its development and results.

Fifth, the change in pedagogical interaction in the system “child – adults – peers ” involves the establishment of a new psychodidactic paradigm in preschool education.

In fact, the preschool education system, in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard, will organize its activities taking into account the change in the educational paradigm, the strategy for modernizing education, promising ideas for variable preschool education, innovative approaches to its content and technologies, and the expansion of the institution of family education. nine0010

Literature

1. Asmolov A.G. Federal State Educational Standard for Preschool Education – Development Standard. Speeches at the All-Russian Congress of Preschool Education Workers. M., 2013.

2. Kudryavtsev V.T. Education: in anticipation of the unexpected // Preschool education – developing and developing. A new look at the foundation of the educational system. Sat. No. 1. M., 2014.

Educational standards and requirements

Educational standards and requirements

“Federal State Educational Standard Preschool Education”

September 1, 2013, the new law “On Education in the Russian Federation” entered into force, in which preschool education has for the first time has a pre -school education status, more precisely, is the first stage (level) of general education. In accordance with new trends in education, it became necessary to develop a federal state standard for preschool education. nine0007 What does this mean for preschools?

GEF is the main document.

The standard contains principles, of which the most important is the preservation of the uniqueness and intrinsic value of preschool childhood as an important stage in the overall development of a person. The key line of preschool childhood is familiarization with the values of culture, the socialization of the child in society, and not teaching him to write, count and read. And this initiation occurs through the leading type of children’s activity – the game. nine0010

On the basis of the standard of preschool education, programs (in the language of professionals it sounds like this: the main educational program of preschool education) and software and methodological support will be approved. Now the kindergarten is working according to the “Educational Program of the MDOU Kindergarten No. 72”, compiled in accordance with the FGT and on the basis of the exemplary basic general educational program of preschool education “From birth to school”. The transition of an institution to the Federal State Educational Standard takes time, which is called the transition period, during which a new educational program will be developed. Each parent will be able to get acquainted with its content in kindergarten. nine0010

Introduction GEF will go in stages, now all preschool institutions are living in a transitional period and 2014 will be the so-called “pilot” year, internship or testing sites will be created, where the provisions of some documents will be clarified and changed. Starting from 2015, the GEF of preschool education will be introduced in every kindergarten.

GEF preschool education consists of three requirements:

nine0002 requirements for the structure of the basic educational program of preschool education,

requirements for the conditions for the implementation of the program

requirements for the results of mastering the program of preschool education.

The standard does not allow any assessments, intermediate and final certification of children, exams. The document defines only target guidelines, these are social-normative and psychological characteristics of children, such as initiative and independence, self-confidence, developed imagination, creativity in drawing, developed large and fine motor skills of the hand, the ability to volitional efforts, curiosity, etc. They are guidelines for parents and teachers in order to solve the problems of professional activity and develop a program. nine0010

Regulatory support for the transition to the introduction of the Federal State Educational Standard DO

Federal Law of December 29, 2012 N 273-FZ “On Education in the Russian Federation”

Order of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated October 17, 2013 No. 1155 “On approval of the Federal State Educational Standard of preschool education”

Prospects for the development of the system of preschool education within the framework of GEF

Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for the device, content and organization of the work regime in preschool organizations (SanPin 2.4.1.3049-13)

Up-to-date information on the introduction and implementation of GEF DO on the websites: FIRO, IRO YAO, Department of Education of the Mayor’s Office of Yaroslavl, MOU GTsRO

http://www.