Descontinuidades e possibilidades na transição da educação infantil para o ensino fundamental: um relato de experiência de uma educadora-pesquisadora

Abstract

This experience report is based on an action research study conducted by an educator with a first-grade class in a private elementary school in the city of Maceió, Brazil, from August to October 2025. The study aimed to understand the transition process from Early Childhood Education to Elementary Education through a critical perspective on the organization of spaces, the reduction of children’s movement, and the decrease in time allocated for play. To this end, the research sought to identify conceptions of childhood and the child in national and city legal documents; analyze how the transition is portrayed in these documents and in academic literature; and, finally, describe possibilities for a respectful transition based on the experience. The findings indicate that, in Brazilian official documents, the child is viewed as an active subject and a holder of rights (Brazil, 2010, 2018; Maceió, 2015, 2020), and that childhoods are plural, as they are shaped by different contexts (Maceió, 2015, 2020). Children should have their specificities respected throughout their development in educational institutions, including during transitions between stages, such as from Early Childhood Education to Elementary Education, which is marked by discontinuities inherent to the distinct objectives of each stage (Braga & Carvalho, 2024). Therefore, a closer articulation between these stages should be pursued (Moss, 2011), whether by bringing elements of Early Childhood Education into Elementary Education or by reformulating traditional elementary school practices. The “Two Groups” strategy (Dove; Honigsfeld, 2018) and additional time for free play are considered respectful practices that may support this transition. After all, although they become students, children do not cease to be children upon entering Elementary Education (Motta, 2011). Finally, it is concluded that an action research study led by a reflective teacher can positively influence these discontinuities, making the educational process more welcoming for children—and perhaps more magical for the teacher as well.