"Everybody has got their own story": urban Aboriginal families and the transition to school

Cathy Kaplun, Rebekah Grace, Jennifer Knight, Jane Anderson, Natasha West, Holly Mack, Elizabeth Comino, Lynn Kemp

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

    2 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    The Gudaga Goes to School study described the early school experiences and transition to school for a birth cohort of urban Aboriginal children living in Sydney, Australia. A life course approach identified the complex range of factors involved in transition to school for this cohort and their families. This chapter presents parent perspectives, supplemented with information from children’s teachers, to show the range of experiences of parent involvement at school. Three case studies have been developed, drawing on a series of interviews conducted between 2011 and 2015, prior to the child starting school and up to the end of Year 2. Parents reported positive school experiences and support of their child’s successful transition to school. They placed importance on relationships, communication, a welcoming environment and school support of children’s learning and school engagement. Challenges and barriers to involvement, if and how these were overcome, and areas for improvement are discussed.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationFamilies and transitions to school
    EditorsSusan Dockett, Wildfried Griebel, Bob Perry
    Place of PublicationCham, Switzerland
    PublisherSpringer, Springer Nature
    Pages67-82
    Number of pages16
    ISBN (Electronic)9783319583297
    ISBN (Print)9783319583273
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2017

    Publication series

    NameInternational perspectives on early childhood education and development
    Volume21
    ISSN (Print)2468-8746
    ISSN (Electronic)2468-8754

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