Presentation - ECV2022-308
Parents’ experiences and expectations of children’s transition to the first year of primary school after the COVID-19 pandemic
Lara Fridani, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia(larafridani@gmail.com)
Nurbiana Dhieni, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia (dhieny.suriady@gmail.com)
Sri Wulan, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Indonesia (sri.wulan.paud@gmail.com)
Background: Children’s adaptation to the first year of primary school needs support, especially from families to manage their way in the process of transition. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most children in Indonesia had time away from school and were learning from home. Recently children have returned to school to learn face-to-face. As the transition to primary school is a demanding phase because of social, emotional, and intellectual factors, it needs parents’ involvement to facilitate children learning at school.
Aim: This qualitative study set out to explore parents’ experiences and expectations related to children’s transition to primary school. It also analysed parents’ challenges in supporting children’s transition.
Method: Fifteen parents with children entering primary school were interviewed at a convenient time to provide information about their experiences in supporting their children’s transition to cope with the learning and school routine after online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results: The results of this study found that parents had mixed feelings about sending their children to primary school and learning face-to-face. Parents expected that children would receive quality education, catch up learning, and have some friends at school. The findings also showed excitement as well as mothers’ concerns about whether their children could optimally learn at school.
Conclusions: The findings suggest different factors influence parents’ expectations and feelings in facilitating children’s transition to school after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Implications for children and families: This study contributes to the urgency of family’s engagement to support children’s learning at school, especially during the first days of transition to primary school.
Implications for practitioners: The results of this study provide knowledge for practitioners related to the importance of parents’ and teachers’ collaboration in supporting children’s first days at primary school.
Key words: children’s transition, families’ voices, parents’ experiences, qualitative method
This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
