Young Children - May 2008 - (Page 10) Teaching and Learning thr Routines and Transitions Like many of my friends and colleagues, I am a creature of habit, a follower of daily routines that provide consistency and order to an often hectic life. Mornings begin with coffee and the daily crossword puzzle. In the background the television news plays, just loud enough to hear important information such as the weather or breaking traffic reports. By the time the Today Show team announces the headlines, it’s time to prepare for work. If I have to change this routine, I can cope—but, let’s face it, I am happiest when every day begins in the same way. support learning. Babies learn to trust and can explore interesting sounds when a teacher uses diaper changing as a time to get to know and babble back and forth with each child in her care. Toddlers master important self-help skills when they can serve themselves, even if it does make a mess and take more time than it would if a teacher did it for them. Preschoolers gain a sense of self and community by taking part in a small-group discussion about a new storybook related to a topic the class is exploring in depth. Children in kindergarten and the primary grades build important self-regulation abilities as they learn to complete daily journal entries or take turns reading aloud with a buddy. All of the authors of articles that appear in this cluster recognize the important role of routines and transitions in encouraging development and learning. They present research-based strategies that acknowledge that for young children there is nothing routine about routines. The cluster begins with “Calendar Time for Young Children: Good Intentions Gone Awry,” by Sallee J. Beneke, Michaelene M. Ostrosky, and Lilian G. Katz. These authors ask readers to think about what really happens as teachers lead young children through a calendar activity. They point out that preschoolers are still Adults also prefer consistent, predictable transitions—from home to work, from work to an evening class, from a week at work to a weekend at home. For example, some of us need to chat with colleagues for a few minutes before settling into a task. Others might begin the workday by responding to e-mails or checking a to-do list. The daily routines and transitions that characterize adults’ lives differ from the daily experiences of young children. Most adults have some control over daily events. They can determine what, when, and where to eat or whether to carpool, drive alone, or take the bus. To a certain extent, they can choose a workplace that is a good fit for their skills and interests. Young children, however, do not have as many opportunities to be in charge of their daily life experiences. Their families and teachers lead them through established schedules and may not always remember that for young children routines and transitions take up much of the day and can be wonderful opportunities to 10 Young Children • May 2008
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.