As people learn new strategies, they need to be ready to implement them (source). Readiness generally refers to one’s past experiences with specific topics, level of stress or comfort, self-efficacy, and openness to change.
Ask yourself the following to see how ready you are to take on your new goal:
- Do you feel ready to take on your goal? Use this link to take our readiness assessment. If your readiness score is low, don’t give up! Just think about picking a goal that feels more doable.
- If you have any hesitations, what are they?
Let's Talk Transition! Family Engagement During the Transition to School 
I believe that schools need to rethink the way they work with parents. Parents are ready for a change but need schools to take the lead. In my experience change is as much about being willing to take a risk and listening to the people involved as working on a more formal approach. The readiness quiz is OK but again, seems limited to an organizational structure rather than a parent centred approach.
Thoughts? Disagreements?
I could not agree more that readiness is largely about being willing to take a risk and to listen to those involved. The assessment is definitely more about whether an organization or a teacher is ready to take on a new practice—not about whether a parent is ready. I think many parents are ready for change and waiting for schools to partner with them. ——-If readiness is partially about being willing to take risks and listen to others, I wonder how we create more of that kind of climate in our schools?
Hi, I’m a kindergarten teacher. And I want to do something new and effective to help children adapt to new environment. But sometimes it is difficult to get parents’ cooperation. I think I need some help…
Interesting you say it is difficult to get parent cooperation. Patricia Porter and I were just saying (above) how parents often seem very ready for change. I wonder why not in this case. Maybe they do not see the new practice as helpful for their child. What do you think?
Think about WHY it is difficult to get cooperation from parents. Are they busy, stressed, uncaring, frightened of teachers,lacking skills to help their child, not sure what you want them to do, not sure what the new environment is like….?
It will be a mix of issues that is holding them back.
Then try and put yourself in their position, they are handing over their most prized possession to someone they hardly know, they may have no idea what happens in school, they may see you as a babysitter, they may be struggling with timing for pick up and drop off, they may not be able to park easily, they may have to walk to the school …….
Ask yourself what skills they have that they can use to cooperate with the school – or why they should be cooperating at all. What cooperation do you need/want? Is it what parents want? What activities can you arrange that meet both your needs.
Remember, it takes a while to build up trust and you need trust before any cooperation will happen. Food, Family and Fun – trust me, the work.
Please keep in touch and let me know what you think/do
Hi Coco! What type of activities do you or your district do to help kids and their families transition to kindergarten? Is kindergarten their first time in school, or do they go to pre-k too?
I’m not really sure what a “low” score on this survey would be, but it does help you to see the areas that are lower than others and therefore might need some work and attention. My goal was more of a personal goal that maybe could be implemented on a systemic level, but I feel as if it is obtainable.