Transitions occur throughout our lives and refer to any time that we make a change from one role or location to another. Moving to a new school, a new program or even a new classroom are all different types of transition. A young child going from home to preschool, entering Kindergarten, moving to elementary school, middle school or high school, or leaving school and entering the work force, vocational training or post-secondary education are all different types of transition.
What Does Transition Mean for Young Children?
It is important to begin thinking about transition at a very young age. While we don't usually think about employment or independent living with children in preschool or elementary school, the seeds for these skills are planted early in life. For young children, learning about different types of careers and community helpers, or doing classroom jobs or chores at home are ways to begin to begin to explore the world of work at a very young age. Similarly, while household management and budgeting may still be off in the future, learning to take care of oneself and one's possessions are a beginning step in developing independent living skills.
Transition for Older Students
The term "transition" is most often used to refer to the transition from school to adult life. It encompasses education (vocational training or college and other types of post-secondary education), independent living (housing, recreation, and community participation), and work (competitive employment, supported employment, community-based day support, volunteer work and any type of vocational placement). While the term refers to the period of life after high school, the process itself must begin much earlier than that.
