Poster #83 - Associations Between Caregivers’ and Teachers’ Use of Transition Practices and Children’s Outcomes in Colombia

• In Event: Poster Session 10

Abstract

Research has shown the relation between transition practices and children’s outcomes. An inadequate transition experience can lead to increased stress levels, affecting academic performance and emotional adjustments (Atchison & Pompella, 2018). Many countries, such as Colombia, face high drop-out and repetition rates, especially in the first years of elementary school (Arnold et al., 2008; García, Fernández & Sánchez, 2010; SED, 2006). The ecological model acknowledges the importance of key contexts and people in the child's life as sources of support for a better adjustment (Pianta, et al., 2001). Parental sensitivity and stimulation are linked to school success. Therefore, families directly impact children’s school readiness (Pianta & Rimm-Kaufman, 2008). Engage parents reinforce attitudes and motivations needed to learn and teach academic abilities to strengthen school-based practices (Pianta & Rimm-Kaufman, 2008). However, few studies analyze the transition practices from the caregiver’s viewpoint. Consequently, it is crucial to examine transition practices in school and family contexts and their joint efforts to provide better support for children (Wildenger & Lee McIntyre 2010).
This study aims to describe and analyze the association between caregivers’ and teachers’ transition practices and children’s outcomes. Data for this study derived from two sources. First, we used data gathered in 2017 (Maldonado-Carreño, Rey, Cuartas, Plata-Caviedes, Rodríguez, Escallón, Yoshikawa & MEN, 2018). This sample was representative of public center-based programs in Colombia and consisted of 588 teachers and 3087 boys and girls between the age of 3 and 5. Second, we used data collected in 2019 from the pilot to measure quality in kindergarten classrooms. This sample was composed of 137 teachers and 820 boys and girls aged between 5 and 7. The analytical sample for this study included 696 classrooms, 3912 children (50,45% girls), and their parents. The data set was collected through two instruments. Teachers and caregivers responded to a survey about the use of transition practices at the beginning of the school year. The International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) was used to assess children’s developmental outcomes (i.e., Logical-mathematical (α=.87), language (α=.75), socioemotional (α=.73), and executive functions (α=.84) (Pisani, Borisova & Jo Dowd, 2017). We estimated two multilevel models. In the first one, two indexes about the transition practices reported by teachers (α=.36) and parents (α=.67 were used as predictors of children’s outcomes. In the second one, each transition practice was used as of children’s outcomes predictors. Both models were controlled by children’s, families', and teachers’ characteristics.
We found a positive association between the parent’s transition practices index and three dimensions of children’s outcomes, logical-mathematical, language, and socio-emotional. The models showed that parents' transition practice of “talking to the child about how is the institution” was associated with high scores in logical-mathematical.

Group Authors

Tiffany Jiménez; Laura Rojas; Juliana Sánchez & Carolina Maldonado-Carreño

Authors

• Juliana Sanchez, Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)

• Tiffany Jimenez, Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)
  Presenting Author

• Laura Marcela Rojas, Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)

• Carolina Maldonado-Carreño, Universidad de los Andes (Uniandes)