The transition from pre-kindergarten to elementary school as seen by children, parents and educators

a phenomenological view

Abstract

The present article seeks to show how children, family and educators who have been through a specific school change process are affected by the new law that requires that children go to primary school one year earlier. A research has been developed at the request of two institutions (an early childhood education center and a primary school) in order to organize data about how people are affected by this change. The research is based on the phenomenological approach and on the meaning of the term “sense” according to Heidegger, in Being and Time. The methodological approach used in the research was the “reflexive interview”, that revealed, on one hand, that adults do worry about the lack of ludic area and the lack of reception for the children in the new space. On the other hand, children did not point to anything that had to do with hostility or lack of space to play. Therefore, different meanings for the changing situation have emerged on the speech of each participant, even though they are referring to the same process.