A Workshop for Engaging Families in Children's Transition to Kindergarten

Transitioning for this project is defined as going from one setting to another setting that contributes to children's development (family, classroom, community) and the connections among these settings (family-school relationships) at any given time (Pianta & Cox, 2002). This project resulted in the development of A Workshop for Engaging Families in Children's Transition to Kindergarten to support Spanish-speaking families during their children's transition from preschool to kindergarten. The workshop is designed to provide parents information about (1) the importance of engagement in their children's education and how to communicate with teachers (2) key developmental preschool and kindergarten milestones (3) how parents can support their children through the transition process and (4) the benefits of being engaged. This project is grounded in the understanding that all families, especially minority ethnic families, have a need to know that participating and engaging in their children's education and transition process to kindergarten have positive benefits for children's school readiness in the areas of social, emotional, language, literacy, and math development (Durand, 2011; Malsch, Green, & Kothari, 2011).