MODULE 4: How can professionals from different institutions learn from each other?
By embedding professional collaboration across institutional boundaries, staff can feel more competent and better supported to ensure warm and inclusive transitions for the diversity of children, families and local communities. To stimulate professional collaboration, installing inter-institutional professional learning communities in which staff from different institutions (childcare, preschool, ECEC centre and/or primary school) can share and critically interrogate their transitional practices in an on-going reflective, learning-oriented and growth-promoting way. Although broader society often gives different praise and acknowledgement (e.g. difference between childcare worker and a preschool teacher or difference between a preschool and primary school teacher), the various groups of professionals can feel more connected in their mission to develop educational practices that is suitable and meaningful for the diversity of children, parents, and local communities with whom they engage.
Below you will find materials on how to set up professional learning communities, preferably across institutions.
Inter-institutional professional learning communities
Inter-institutional professional learning communities as a basis
Inter-institutional professional learning communities (IPLC) consisting out of staff from different institutions (childcare, preschool, ECEC centre and/or primary school) are important ways to develop pedagogical continuity for children and families. Here you can consult an article about the benefits of IPLCs. IPLCs have influence on higher awareness of the importance of ensuring a smooth transition; they ensure transfer of good practices between institutions and professionals; they result in a higher level of trust and respect for each other's work. In the other documents, different tools are presented for a trainer to stimulate the dialogue and critical reflection in these types of communities.
(Part 1/2)
Tools used in the START project
Inspirational tools for trainers to stimulate dialogue and critical reflection in the different institutions (childcare, preschool, ECEC centre and/or primary school).
(Part 2/2)
Developing relational expertise
Relational expertise in preschool–school transition
In interprofessional work, professionals' different interpretations of the purpose of collaboration can bring challenges. However, common understandings can be achieved through building up relational expertise. This article describes a study done in Finland.
Setting up interprofessional CPD pathways
Value roadmap: Pathways towards strengthening collaboration in early childhood education and care
In the Erasmus+ Value project, a roadmap was developed to help set up interprofessional continuous professional development trajectories. Many of these building blocks can also be used when installing inter-institutional professional learning communities.
Coaching teachers on transitions and parents
Coaching teachers on transitions and parents
Supporting and coaching teachers in having closer relationships with parents to ensure smooth transitions, is not a simple endeavour. Internal conflicts, resistance, lack of knowledge and experience can hinder professionals to work in a democratic way with parents. In this chapter of a Belgian book — Warm, Welcome and Reciprocal — you can read more on how to coach and support teachers’ staff in a process, positive growth promoting way.
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