Transitions to School: Perspectives and Experiences from Latin America

Angel Urbina-Garcia has specific experience in doing research from a mixed-methods approach working in educational scenarios from a psycho-educational perspective. His Master's research focused on the design and implementation of an intervention programme to facilitate the transition from preschool to first grade in one preschool centre in Mexico City (i.e., mainly working with preschool and primary school-aged children as well as teachers, parents headteachers and teaching assistants), whilst his PhD research focused on exploring the perceptions and practices of parents, teachers, and headteachers during this preschool transition from 20 public schools in the same city.

Emeritus Professor Bob Perry is an experienced researcher with over 45 years of work in mathematics education and educational transitions, with particular emphasis in both on early childhood, education of Indigenous children, social justice and community capacity building.

Professor Benilde García-Cabrero is Professor in Educational Psychology based in the Research and Graduate Division of the Faculty of Psychology at UNAM. She holds a M.A. in Educational Psychology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and a PhD. from UNAM and McGill University in Canada. She participated as a member of a team of consultants, both for the National Institute of Educational Evaluation (INEE), and the Construye T Program, where she has designed, adapted and validated instruments to measure socioemotional skills for teachers, elementary, secondary and high school students. Her current research interests are related teaching and learning in basic education (K-12), civic and citizenship education, and to the affective dimensions of teaching and its relationship to students' socioemotional skills, situational interest and academic engagement.

Sue Dockett is Emeritus Professor of Early Childhood Education, having recently retired from Charles Sturt University, Albury, Australia. Over more than 30 years, she has been actively involved in early childhood education as a teacher, academic and researcher. Much of Sue's current research agenda is focused on educational transitions; in particular, transitions to school and the expectations, experiences and perceptions of all involved. This research has been published widely, and has had substantial impact on policy, practice and research. Complementing her research around educational transitions is research that incorporates children's perspectives, engages with families in diverse contexts, reflects upon the practices of educators, and explores the importance of working with communities.

Professor Divya Jindal-Snape is Chair of Education, Inclusion and Life Transitions in the School of Education and Social Work. She gained her undergraduate and masters qualifications in India. She taught in an all-through school and lectured in Education for a few years before moving to Japan to do a PhD at the University of Tsukuba. After living in Japan for nearly five and a half years, enjoying research and teaching, she moved to Dundee. Her research interests lie in the field of inclusion, and educational and life transitions. A significant proportion of her work has been with children and young people with additional support needs, especially children and young people with visual impairment, autism, learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural needs, and complex life limiting conditions. Her research has led to creation of educational resources to enhance inclusion and facilitate transitions through drama (inspired by Boal's Theatre of the Oppressed), stories, games and other creative art forms.

This book showcases the quality work that Latin American researchers have done on transition to school in Latin American countries by offering the English-speaking world, first-hand access to some Latin American transitions research, practices, and policies. This book shows the work carried out in countries such as Brazil, Chile, Cuba, and Mexico with regards to the way in which the transition to primary school is experienced from different stakeholders' perspectives, and how Latin American educational policies and cultural practices shape such an important process for stakeholders. This book was importantly framed by the COVID-19 pandemic which placed the world in a global health emergency, and it is our hope that this book will trigger future international collaborations between researchers, policy makers, and practitioners interested in transitions which could help produce a wealth of empirical evidence to inform educational policies and transitions practices across the world. Building networks where diverse experiences are valued and respected, as well as analysed, can help provide a platform that supports educators and researchers as they continue their work and branch out in new and challenging directions.

1. Introduction.- 2. Play-study unit: Pedagogical introduction to the first year of elementary school.- 3. Transition in a Waldorf school: A process under construction.- 4. Where's the kid who was here?.- 5. The transition from early childhood education to fundamental education in São Paulo City, Brazil: Formative and political (dis)agreements?.- 6. Play, participate and learn at school: What do children say?.- 7. Three transitions in the Chilean early childhood years.- 8. Background on continuities and discontinuities in the transition from early childhood education to primary: The Chilean case.- 9. Characteristics of Cuban's early childhood. Educational and scientific experience.- 10. Does automatic promotion equate automatic education? : A critical analysis of Honduras' Ley Fundamental de Educación.- 11. Lessons learned on the transition from preschool to primary school in Mexico.- 12. Early Childhood Transitions in Chile: Children's and Teachers' Agency during the Transition toSchool.- 13. The transition from pre-school to kindergarten and first grade for Latino children in the USA: A review of the literature.- 14. Holding back for a head start? Correlates and outcomes of delayed kindergarten entry among predominantly low- income, Latino children in Miami.- 15. Conclusions: What do we now know and what future research and development might be possible?.