Continuity

Continuity in the classroom can be defined as the uninterrupted flow of learning. This definition can be broadened to include the consistent allocation of staff who teach one group of children, the provision of additional services (such as speech therapy or before- and after-school care) within the classroom, and the carefully orchestrated transition of the child into the next program or school level. Continuity is important in providing a sense of stability for young children. When a child's psychological needs are met, good psychological development and high achievement are most likely to occur.

Early childhood programs with continuity have the following characteristics:

• Children have a daily schedule that provides large blocks of uninterrupted time so children can become engaged in complex, in-depth learning experiences.

• Children are grouped so that they stay with the same teacher for an extended period of time. For example, at the Valeska Hinton Early Childhood Education Center in Peoria, Illinois, children are part of a class for two years. They stay with the same teacher for two years within the five-classroom village unit.

• Children who need before- and after-school care have access to on-site day care. This provision limits the number of environments to which children must adjust. It also reduces the number of caregivers with whom children must interact.

• When additional services (such as speech therapists or resource teachers) are needed, children remain in the classroom instead of being pulled out. Service professionals work collaboratively with teachers.

• Children are carefully transitioned from preschool programs into kindergarten programs, and from kindergarten to the primary grades.

For additional information on continuity, refer to the following sources:

• Continuity for Young Children: Positive Transitions to Elementary School (California Alliance for Elementary Education, 1996)

• Continuity in Early Childhood: A Framework for Home, School, and Community Linkages [requires Adobe Acrobat software] (Regional Educational Laboratories, Early Childhood Collaboration Network, 1995)

References