Estonian preschool teachers’ views on supporting children’s school readiness

Abstract

Transition from early childhood education to primary school is a complex phenomenon. This situation, moving from one educational system to another, is exciting, but can also be stressful for the child, her family and preschool teachers. Smooth transition to primary school helps children feel secure, relaxed and comfortable in their new environments. The current study, highlighting how Estonian preschool teachers comprehend their pedagogical activities in supporting children’s school readiness, was conducted using semi-structured interviews. There were 15 participants, preschool teachers, who at the moment of research taught in groups where children were between the ages of 6 and 7. As a result of completing the above procedure, research findings highlight that there is a lack of collaboration between preschools, schools and local neighbourhoods, but teachers try different methods individually when introducing school environment to children.