Turkish Preschool Children's Perceptions and Expectations Related To 1st-Grade Education

Abstract

Early care and education settings and practices vary widely across the world. In many cultures, it is most common for families to provide round-the-clock care for young children. Other young children are in private or religious preschools, child care, or—more rarely—public early childhood education systems. Wherever young children spend the first few years of life, those who are able to access their right to education often transition to a more academic setting (primary school) around age 6 or 7. This transition can be difficult for some children, as they leave their familiar homes, preschools, and child care settings to enter a new learning environment. Loving adults can ease this transition by listening to and understanding children's perceptions about what school will be like and how their lives will change. Adult caregivers can focus on the positive aspects of the change—new friends, teachers, and opportunities—while also respecting children's feelings about starting primary school. ©, Copyright Association for Childhood Education International.