WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT TRANSITIONS, PART II:
EASING TRANSITIONS FOR DUALLY ENROLLED CHILDREN

National Network for Child Care's Connections Newsletter

Mary Donegan, M.S. / Michaelene Ostrosky, Ph.D.,
Doctoral candidate / Assistant Professor
Department of Special Education / Department of Special Education
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign / University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Copyright/Access Information


This article is the second in a series called "What You Should Know about Transitions." The first article gave practical tips to help you ease the transitions when a young child moves from one group setting to another or when a child enters a group setting for the first time. This article considers another kind of transition: leaving and going to different programs each day. You will find out what these transitions may be like for young children. And you'll learn what you can do to help make these transitions positive experiences for young children.

You may work with families who have to piece together different part-time programs so their children can receive child care and special services. Most families who need full-time child care for their young children can choose from a variety of programs. Families of young children who are considered "at risk" for later school problems may also enroll their children in half-day Head Start programs. Some children may be eligible for special services at a public school's special education program. We refer to children who are enrolled in two or more programs as dually enrolled.

Let's look at a typical day in the life of a preschooler who is dually enrolled. Jason, a four-year-old child with speech and language delays, attends a child care center, a special education preschool, and Head Start in the course of each day. His parents, Andrea and Charlie, work full time so Andrea drops Jason off at the Sunny Time Day Care Center at 7:45 each morning. Jason looks for Sadie, his favorite teacher, who asks him what he'd like to do this morning. Jason notices his friend Paul is building a cage to hold a lion so he gets an elephant from the shelf and they play together.

Just then the bus arrives to take Jason to Lincoln School. Gary, the bus driver, is glad that Jason got on the bus today without any tears. At Lincoln School, Jason remembers there are no zoo animals at this place so he joins Teisha in the housekeeping area. During small-group time, Jason and Heriberta play sound games with Sally, his speech teacher. His favorite time at Lincoln School is outdoor play because there is a big fire-engine to climb on. After a few minutes outside, his teacher Millie calls Jason in so he can eat lunch with the two other children who will also go to Head Start at 11:45. Jason stomps his feet and says he doesn't want to eat lunch today. Millie hopes this isn't going to be one of those days for Jason. Inside, Millie reminds Jason to go to the bathroom before lunch so he won't be late for the bus, which is due in 20 minutes. Jason is not really hungry because he had a snack a little while ago, and he doesn't finish his sandwich.

Jason boards the bus that takes him to Head Start each afternoon. About halfway into the 20-minute bus ride, Alice, the bus driver, notices that Jason has fallen asleep again. Alice sighs because it is so hard to wake him up when this happens. As Jason stumbles off the bus, he ignores the hellos of his afternoon teachers, Marci and June. In the classroom at Head Start, Jason stands to the side and watches Henri and Robin building with blocks. Jason can't wait for snack because now he is really hungry.

At 3:15, it is time to get on another bus. The bus takes Jason back to Sunny Time where different kids are playing and different teachers are waiting for him.

Jason is fortunate to have so many chances to grow and learn in different programs. However, dual enrollment may be too much for some children to handle. It's stressful to change places so frequently. Because each place has different rules, expectations, children, and staff, some children misbehave, some become anxious, and some just take a while to adjust. Children who attend more than one program may experience one or more of these problems.

• It is difficult for children to stop playing when they are having fun.
  
• It is hard to enter into games that are already going on. Children may feel lonely or left out.
  
• If no time is set aside for naps, children may be tired and grouchy, especially later in the day.
  
• Children with busy schedules may end up skipping meals, eating their meals quickly, or trying to eat when they're not hungry.

Because dual enrollment can be difficult, attending a neighborhood child care program that offers special services on-site may be a better choice for some preschool children. If you are concerned that a child is not handling dual enrollment well, you may want to raise the issue with the parent.

When families and staff agree that dual enrollment is a good choice for children, you can help ease the transitions. Learn about the child's schedule by asking: Where does he go each day? Where does he eat, and where does he nap? Who are some of his friends and teachers at the other programs? You can also help by giving him time and cues to prepare for his transitions. You can make sure he has enough time and food to eat, and you can give him a chance to rest. It may help to set up a meeting between all the people who work with the child. Invite staff members from other programs, family members, and specialists who work with the child. Teachers and parents can use a notebook, kept in the child's bookbag, to share information about the child and his daily activities.

Try to work together with staff from other programs and with the children's families. It will help make these daily transitions between home and different situations a less stressful and more positive experience.

Thanks to FACTS/LRE, a federally funded project at the University of Illinois, for this article.