Abstract:

The transition from kindergarten to primary school is a critical period for children to adapt to society and future education. Kindergarten teachers and primary school teachers are important participants to ensure effective two-way coordination and support the smooth transition. Based on the perspective of multi subjects’ collaborative participation in the transition practices, this study investigates the transition beliefs and practice of kindergarten and primary school teachers. Participants were 9,872 kindergarten teachers and 7,411 primary school teachers from 11 provinces and cities. The findings revealed that there were conflicts in the belief and understanding of transition to school between kindergarten and primary school teachers, and there was inconsistency in the organization and implementation of curriculum and teaching. They faced such practical difficulties as weak belief in cooperation, low implementation rate of cooperation, limited external support, and insufficient internal understanding. These findings highlight that it should promote the coordination of kindergarten and primary school teachers to support the smooth transition of children in such aspects as establishing a consensus on two-way coordination based on children’s position, realizing the continuity of curriculum and teaching, building an interactive platform and forming a supportive guarantee system.

Key words: two-way coordination, kindergarten teachers, primary school teachers, practical difficulties, collaborative ways