Mirela Albulescu

The transition stage to pre-primary school represents a key event, in which the support received from family and teachers is essential in facilitating the transition and in ensuring an effective adjustment to the school environment. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of mathematical prerequisites on cognitive development, compared to the impact of reading and writing prerequisites, from the perspective of parents and early childhood educators. Thus, we quantified the impact of reading–writing and math prerequisites on children’s transition from kindergarten to school, analyzing the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities that arise. The sample consisted of 685 parents and 188 teachers, using the preschool prerequisites screening standardized questionnaire developed by the company Cognitrom, a questionnaire-survey, and the focus group method. Initially, the fidelity of the research instrument was assessed by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The data distribution was tested using the skewness and kurtosis coefficients. Subsequently, descriptive analyses were carried out in order to provide an overview of the data collected by performing a multiple linear regression analysis. In addition, the Phi coefficient and V Cramer’s V coefficient were used to analyze the association between the research variables. By corroborating the obtained results, we can state that, from the parents’ and early childhood teachers’ perspective, math prerequisites have a greater influence on children’s cognitive development in the transition process from kindergarten to school compared to reading–writing prerequisites, confirming the general hypothesis.

The quality of teaching is a decisive factor in facilitating successful learning and academic outcomes in students. Teaching is also a complex task implying a wide range of comprehensive knowledge and skills teachers must ideally master to manage successfully the specific requirements of teaching in class. The professional development of teachers can be achieved by enrolling them in activities that are regularly and systematically organized by competent bodies in the field of education, such as those included in the continuous vocational training programmes. Teachers’ professional development can also be enhanced through constant self-study efforts, according to the needs of everyone, or by practising daily teaching activities. Many teaching skills seem to develop much better once teachers start conducting classes, rather than during the initial training or by participating in activities that are designed specifically for this purpose, such as training courses or tutoring. This article aims at presenting the perception of teachers who conduct primary school classes, on the context in which they developed the specific skills and expertise required for the successful unfolding of their teaching activities in the classroom, and optimal interaction with students.

Cet article illustre brièvement la façon dans laquelle le système d’enseignement roumain encourage le multiculturalisme, par l’intermédiaire des écoles et par les classes où les jeunes appartenant aux divers groupes ethniques étudient dans la langue maternelle. Par cette voie, il est possible que les minorités nationales s’affirment. En même temps, on peut défendre l’identité culturelle et la valorisation positive des différences au niveau de la société toute entière. D’ailleurs, nous mettons en évidence le fait que l’enseignement dans les langues des minorités ethniques en Roumanie, tel qu’il est conçu et mis en pratique, donne la possibilité de ségrégation sur des critères ethniques. Pour éviter un tel effet, nous avons soutenu le recours à l’éducation interculturelle, par laquelle l’individu peut être formé à percevoir, à accepter et à respecter le spécifique culturel de diverses communautés ethnolinguistiques. La coexistence en harmonie des citoyens et la cohésion sociale ne peuvent pas être obtenues par un communalisme enfermé, mais par une relation adéquate et par une connaissance réelle de ce qui est spécifique à chaque communauté ethnique et linguistique.