A good cooperation between kindergarten and elementary school is considered a prerequisite to improve convergence between these institutions and to facilitate transition of children from kindergarten to school. In view of institutional differences between kindergarten and elementary school (Reyer, 2006) pedagogues are in challenge to overcome these differences to arrange a good cooperation. Currently, changes in educational and social functions, increasing similarity in teacher education at universities etc., seem to lead to a converging development of institutions and professions (Kucharz, 2012). Nonetheless, cooperation has to be constructed actively (Knauf & Schubert, 2006). These cooperation processes are always based on interaction processes between the cooperation partners. But which conditions lead to a cooperation which is considered as successful by the partners? In a qualitative investigation, preschool and elementary school teachers, who participate in the project Bildungshaus 3–10, are interviewed whether they experience the institution-covering cooperation as successful and which factors facilitate or hinder the process. The results show that all elementary school teachers and most preschool teachers describe the cooperation as positive. The experienced esteem by the cooperation partner is named as a core element for the success. A more detailed analysis showed specific differences between the professions: While the interviewed elementary school teachers develop a stronger functional appreciation for the work in the kindergarten, the preschool teachers esteem the elementary school teachers more personally. The esteem is influenced by school and kindergarten management and an in-depth insight into the work of the cooperation partner. The results can be discussed profession-theoretically and can have an influence on future projects, but also on the development of cooperation measures.

Keywords
Cooperation; Transition; Professionalization processes in education