A developmental psychology perspective in Germany: co‐construction of transitions between family and education system by the child, parents and pedagogues

Abstract

In Germany, there exists a traditional gap between kindergarten and primary school. Transition research has led to a new understanding of the need for cooperation between different educational institutions and the family at this time. This article emphasises that educational transitions affect not only the child but also the parents, who actively cope with a family transition. A team from the State Institute of Early Childhood Education and Research (Staatsinstitut für Frühpädagogik) in Munich has formulated developmental tasks for children and their parents during transition, based on interviews with children and parents as well as on the research literature. This approach to transition has informed initiatives at different administrative levels within Germany, as well as a European project for training transition experts in order to support children and their parents to cope with transitions, and enhance collaboration between families and educators in kindergartens and primary schools.

Keywords:

• transitions
• parents
• educational partnership
• kindergarten
• primary school
• developmental tasks