by Rena Hallam
4-year college faculty member Rena Hallam discusses how the most recent
CONNECT Module on Transition supports the new national EC priorities on transition.
Transitions can be times for both opportunity and stress for all of us. Transitions are often moments where we need additional information to make good decisions as well as support from family, friends, and others as we take on new risks and challenges. Young children and families are no different – a toddler who has stayed at home with his family and is about to enroll in preschool or a preschooler who is preparing for kindergarten – all require sensitive planning to support the child and family.
A new CONNECT Module addresses these transitions for young children with disabilities and their families. Designed to be embedded into college courses as well as in-service training, this module outlines early childhood research and policy that should be considered in transition planning. Further, specific tools designed to enhance practice both in home visits and in classroom settings are provided. This module is particularly timely as new efforts to improve early care and education are increasingly focused on planning for transition and improving collaboration among early childhood programs.
In particular, priorities outlined in the Blueprint for Learning which has been released as part of the Obama Administration's revision of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) identifies transition and increased coordination among early childhood programs as a top priority.
About the Author: Dr. Rena Hallam is Associate Professor in the Department of Child & Family Studies at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
COMMUNITY QUESTIONS
- How is your state responding to these new priorities?
- How could you use this module in your professional development efforts?