Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, February 2007 ( 2006) DOI: 10.1007/s10643-006-0119-6
How Parents Feel About Their Child’s Teacher/School: Implications for Early Childhood Professionals Herman T. Knopf1,2 and Kevin J. Swick1
The purpose of this article is to describe the effects that parent perceptions of their relationships with teachers have on parent involvement. After providing a brief review of literature identifying the importance of parent–teacher relationship formation, the authors provide suggestions for early childhood educators that will help them establish and maintain productive relationships with the families that they serve. KEY WORDS: parent–teacher relationships; parent involvement; family involvement.
involvement. Unfortunately, most literature describing parent involvement strategies take a ‘‘schoolcentric’’ (Lawson, 2003) view of parent involvement which ignores the needs and perceptions of the parents we are encouraging to become involved. Too often early childhood professionals assume they understand parent perspectives and that they have established meaningful relationships with the parents that they serve. Many parents, however, indicate that they are rarely consulted on important issues regarding their child’s schooling and the family–teacher relationship (Epstein, 1992; Lawson, 2003; Swick, 2004b). A recent study (Mann, 2006) found that parents do indeed have different understandings of involvement in their children’s education suggesting that teachers acknowledge the need to communicate with parents regarding their perceptions of involvement so that teachers can use this knowledge when constructing avenues for parents to be involved and recognizing and valuing the ways that the parents are involved. What continues to be neglected is the importance of first establishing open lines of communication that facilitate the development of relationships that will enable these conversations to take place. Early childhood educators need more specific guidance for developing positive relationships and ideas for involving families in the community of the
The importance of establishing rapport with families and encouraging involvement in the daily operations of schooling has become common knowledge among early childhood professionals. Research has clearly shown that strong parent–teacher relationships lead to increased parental involvement (Ames, De Stefano, Watkins, & Shelden, 1995; Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 1997; Lawson, 2003; Mann, 2006) which has been shown to have a significant and lasting impact on children’s academic achievement (Ryan, Adams, Gullotta, Weissberg, & Hampton, 1995). Even though we ‘‘know’’ that relationships with families are important and lead to positive child outcomes, many early childhood educators find it extremely difficult to facilitate parent involvement at levels that will result in significant change. One key factor in the development of meaningful relationships with families is how teachers actually go about establishing partnerships that are perceived positively by parents and that lead to increased school
1
Department of Instruction and Teacher Education, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. 2 Correspondence should be directed to Herman T. Knopf, Department of Instruction and Teacher Education, University of South Carolina, Wardlaw 107C, 820 S. Main Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; e-mail:
[email protected]
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292 classroom. Through this article, the authors will review research that points to the important role of parental perceptions in the formation and maintenance of meaningful relationships and provide research supported strategies for framing interactions with parents and families that will help shape positive perceptions.
RELATIONSHIPS SHAPE PERCEPTIONS Through an examination of research conducted from several vantage points, it has become clear that the existence of strong relationships between parents and their children’s teachers significantly impact how parents feel about the care and education their child is receiving. Several researchers have found that trust in the teacher or caregiver significantly influences parents’ perceptions of the quality of care their child is receiving (Mensing, French, Fuller, & Kagan, 2000) and parents’ tendency to be responsive to teacher-initiated interactions (Dunst, Trivette, & Deal, 1994). The establishment of trust, of course, is dependent on the maintenance of a positive relationship and is only built through consistent positive interactions between the parents and caregivers (Swick, 2004a). Trust is based on a mutual respect which ‘‘is not something one can imitate, but is something one must embody. It is maintained by respectful acts of individuals’’ (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 1999, p. 57). Teachers who project a positive attitude toward the parent and the child and who are responsive to parent and child needs seem to create a respectful relationship with the parent (Olson & Hyson, 2005). When parents distrust the caregivers of their children they do not perceive the care and education that their children receive as high quality and typically dis-enroll their children from care (Gonzales-Mena 2006; Mensing et al., 2000). Positive teacher–parent relations seem to promote a recursive pattern of teacher–parent interactions that empower the teacher and the parent (Swick, 2004b). Once parents have positive experiences with teachers they are empowered to extend this initial interaction to multiple relationships with teachers that not only empower them but their children as well (Powell, 1998). Early childhood professionals can take the lead in fostering this recursive, empowering cycle of relationship and trust development by actively engaging in positive interactions with parents.
Knopf and Swick FACTORS INFLUENCING PARENT PERCEPTIONS A key understanding related to parent perceptions is that each parent or family member brings with him/her very diverse views and ideas regarding what is best for his/her child (Gonzalez-Mena, 1994), which in turn influences the way he/she frames interactions with the child’s teacher. It is crucial that we take the time and expend the energy to come to know each parent/family member as a unique and caring person and that we account for these differences in our relationships with them. Considering the unique values and ideas that parents bring to an emerging relationship with their children’s teachers, ideas concerning appropriate involvement are an important consideration. Some parents accept that it is their responsibility to be very involved in school activities by actually being present at the school site, while others believe that high visibility in the school is a signal of disrespect or a lack of confidence in their child’s teacher, and others still view their involvement in different ways altogether (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 1997). Respecting the style and type of interests parents have can help to forge trusting and meaningful relations. For example, Lawson (2003) reported that teachers and parents have different ideas about parental involvement. While teachers are more ‘‘school-based’’ in their thinking, parents have a broader ‘‘community view’’ of their involvement. These divergent views of the nature of parent involvement and the role parents should play in the process of education can lead to conflict and continued misunderstanding. Lawrence-Lightfoot (2003) also cautions that parents are likely to see relationships in a more specific sense, particularly based in their child and family situation. She emphasizes that parents are powerfully impacted by how early childhood professionals relate to their children. She states: When parents hear the teacher capture the child that they know, they feel reassured that their child is visible in her classroom – that the teacher actually sees and knows him or her – and they get the message that she really cares. (p. 104)
Thus, as Lawrence-Lightfoot (2003) suggests, the relationship parents have with early childhood professionals is significant and the relationship style professionals bring to the interactions with parents is a powerful factor. For example, in interviews with parents regarding their relationship with the same teacher Swick (2004c) found that one parent
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described her child’s teacher as warm, very helpful, and easy to work with, while another parent indicated that ‘‘I do not feel I can get close to this teacher––she seems to want us to be more in the background’’ (p. 111). Parental perceptions are influenced by the way we treat them. An interactive process that is mutually empowering needs to be nurtured so that parental constructs of us and our profession are indeed nurturing, warm, and meaningful. Comer (2001) has indicated that parental involvement increases when teachers and staff are inviting and supportive in their relations with parents.
feelings of many parents about schools and staff listening to what parents had to say:
PARENTAL EXPECTATIONS IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONALS
In so many cases the voice of parents is not heard or is misconstrued (Gonzalez-Mena, 1994; LawrenceLightfoot, 2003). Various stereotypes that some teachers hold to be true show the need for closer attention to teacher relations with parents and families (Swick, 2004b). As we review some of these stereotypes we need to be cognizant of how our connections with parents can change the culture of parent and family involvement. Parents do not care. This stereotype is rooted in teachers’ perceptions of what ‘‘caring’’ parents do to support their child’s education and classroom functioning. It also may reflect only our construct of what parent involvement should be and thus not inclusive of how parents view the partnership (Lawson, 2003). Teachers often perceive the failure of families to participate in parent/family involvement programs or in other school functions as supporting the idea that parents don’t care (Lawrence-Lightfoot, 2003). Yet, in cases where parents develop a measure of investment in their child’s school and in their partnership with teachers, they do indeed become involved (Comer, 2001). Further, as early childhood programs define parent and family involvement in ways that include many family values and functions, parental involvement increases. Our ‘‘caring’’ is most fully realized in environments that we trust and where we feel valued and empowered (Swick, 2004b). Another mistake is the line of thought that equates quantity of parent involvement in school functions with the level of interest that parents have. Unfortunately some parents, due to competing responsibilities, are unable to involve themselves in school-based functions despite significant interest. They may lack the resources, such as transportation or the time during the school day, to be involved at school. This does not however, preclude their
An important element in parent beliefs about their part in their children’s lives is their perception of what the parent–professional relationship should be. In effect, what do parents look for in their relationship with early childhood professionals? Swick (2004c) found the following: • Parents want someone who cares about them and their children. • Parents want respect and to be seen as an effective member of their child’s education team. • Parents want to have a part in shaping the agenda that impacts them. • They want to see their ideas respected and used in creating quality care environments. • Parents want competent early childhood professionals who deliver the services effectively and in ways that truly meet their needs. • Parents want to be a part of a relationship that is collaborative and communicative. • They want a close relationship with early childhood professionals.
Swick and Hooks (2005) found that parents of children with special needs wanted to be valued, to be sought out for feedback on how things were going with their child, and they valued having an important part to play in the parent–teacher partnership. Here again we see how the parent view of us is more ‘‘community centered’’––seeking more than just parental involvement in classroom or school activities; rather desiring to have a role to play in the decisions that impact them and their child. Very importantly, the parents in the Swick and Hook study said they wanted to be very involved in their child’s education. One parent summed up the
Teachers and administrators, listen to what parents are telling you. Let us try out our dreams. When our dreams don’t work, help us find the place where it will work or help us set new dreams ... Don’t write us off or out of the educational process. Just because we have a child with special needs doesn’t mean we should not be involved in his/her education. It doesn’t mean this should not be a priority of ours. (p. 6)
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involvement in other ways. Seeing beyond just the parent to other adults in the family is important to gaining more inclusive family involvement. When the entire family is involved parents report more positive feelings toward the school (Comer, Haynes, Joyner, & Ben-Avie, 1996). It is also important to include a ‘‘community-based’’ construct of parent involvement in our work. Many parents are involved in ‘‘caring’’ roles apart from school activities that are just as important (Lawson, 2003). Parents do not have the time or motivation to be involved (Epstein, 1995). This stereotype, on the surface, seems to appreciate the busy and demanding responsibilities that parents face, while at the same time discounting the importance that the development of meaningful relationships may have in providing motivation and helping parents ‘‘find time’’ to get involved. Numerous reports from ‘‘Comer Schools’’ show families who seek involvement in their children’s education (Comer, 2001). Epstein (1995) also notes that when parents and families feel connected to the school they take the time to be involved. Caring behaviors of teachers can make a difference when, for example, teachers involve parents in the planning of activities and events, or use parent leadership as an educational tool to motivate and educate. Rich (1992) also found that when parents were asked to give input on ways they could be involved, their participation in home learning activities increased. Parents are not interested in leadership roles (Swick, 2004b). Epstein (1995) found that when parents had opportunities for training and involvement in leadership areas, their participation increased. Parents tend to gravitate toward the expectations teachers have for them (Swick, 2004b). Thus, if we see parents as capable leaders we will achieve greater involvement. As Lawrence-Lightfoot (2003) notes, parents increase their sense of competence as family and family-school leaders when they are connected to caring and supportive teachers. Chrispeels and Gonzalez (2004) found that Latino parents involved in a parent education program were more involved when teachers were more culturally responsive to their situations and needs. As teachers validate parents by involving them in meaningful partnership roles at least three benefits emerge (Swick, 2004a): • Parents gain confidence in themselves as partners with teachers and view teachers and the program in positive ways. • Parents and teachers have more meaningful involvement with the children and each other.
• Teachers see parental involvement in more positive and diverse ways.
STRATEGIES FOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND DEVELOPING POSITIVE PERCEPTIONS Given the many benefits to having meaningful relationships with parents, it is imperative that we establish communication through the process of building relationships. To build strong parent– professional relationships we are advocating the following strategies: Decide that you will actively pursue meaningful relationships with ALL of the families in your classroom (Swick, 2004c). Simply deciding to engage in relationship formation is a major step toward developing meaningful and positive relationships with parents. The decision to actively establish positive relationships with parents changes your outlook and frames the nature and frequency of interactions that you will have. This tendency to interact frequently says to parents that you care about them and want their involvement in the program. Further, the action of communicating with parents regularly will effectively convey to them your desire to form a partnership. Make sure the initial contact with parents is positive and early (Seligman & Darling, 1997). The first interaction that we have with families sets the tone for the entire relationship. Trust-building is essential in this formative period of the relationship. If our first interaction with parents comes as a result of a problem, we are creating a negative perception in the mind of the parent. If, on the other hand, we contact the parents early after their child has enrolled in our class, just to introduce ourselves and to let them know we view them as partners in the process of helping their child develop; we set the stage for a positive relationship by making a supportive first impression (Gonzalez-Mena, 1994). We can further build on these early contacts by affording parents multiple opportunities to become involved in the daily life of the classroom. Communicate with parents consistently through a variety of means (Swick, 2004a). It is important when establishing and maintaining relationships with parents that we consistently engage in meaningful communication. The frequency of interactions doesn’t necessarily have to be every day (although if possible that would be great), but should be often enough that parents get the sense that they are informed members of your classroom community. Personal, face to face,
How Parents Feel About Their Child’s Teacher/School communication is preferable, but if that opportunity doesn’t consistently present itself, letters, phone calls, and e-mail will also help. This communication needs to be mutually supportive where parent and teacher respect and nurture each other. We should also be active in adapting our plans to the complex schedules of the families we serve. Share the small accomplishments and meaningful interactions that children have while in your care (Swick, 2004b). When the child attempts to comfort another sad classmate by sharing his favorite toy, he is showing his capacity to care for and nurture other children. This act is a source of great parental pride when shared in a timely manner. By focusing on and taking the time to share small but meaningful accomplishments with parents we are letting parents know that we know their child and we are focused on her/his individual development. Displaying children’s work in the classroom is another strategy for sharing the child’s achievement. In some cases you may want the child to present his new achievement to the parents. This shared pride, among parents and teachers, can have a powerful impact in both the life of the child and the development of a familial bond between these partners in education. Learn individual parent needs and communicate how these needs are being met (Swick & Hooks, 2005). Parent needs might be either the goals that they have for their child or other support needs that might be met through program enrollment. It is not always clear to parents that we are aware of their needs and that we are indeed focused on helping to meet them. When we are engaged in consistent communication, we must first elicit information about the needs and goals they have for their child. Once we have obtained this information we must then share with parents how we are helping to meet these needs. For instance, if a child’s parents were concerned about her academic preparation for the next grade we must focus our interactions on sharing her academic successes while citing specific situations where she has demonstrated proficiency. It is important to acknowledge that parents’ needs and goals shift as their children grow and learn, so our pursuit for understanding parents’ needs is ongoing. In helping to meet the needs of parents we must also accept the responsibility of helping parents to be aware of and sensitive to the developmental shifts in children’s growth and development. Through our discussions about children’s developmental progress we should also inform parents of appropriate goals, or what
295 new skills and abilities to expect in the near future for their children to develop. Listen to parents’ concerns and respond to them (Swick & Hooks, 2005). We might respond to parents’ concerns by either changing aspects of the program or simply explaining the state of affairs. When parents come to us with concerns we need to make sure that they know that we have listened to them. The best way to demonstrate this is by either remedying the situation that has caused the parent to become concerned or to simply explain to the parent what was happening in the situation. In either case it is imperative that we first listen to the parents’ concerns fully and then restate the concerns back to the parent, as we understand them, so that they indeed know we understand their concerns. As we discuss concerns with the parents it is likely that together we can address the issues effectively (Lawson, 2003). In our experience as program administrators we have found that parents often just need someone to listen to and then clarify their concerns. By providing that support the parents are much more comfortable in the program and are more likely to become involved. Ask for assistance when you really need it (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 1997). Sometimes in early childhood classrooms we inform parents that we want them to be involved in the process of providing care and education to their children, but don’t have an identified need for assistance. So when parents arrive at the classroom or school to help, we feel compelled to give them something to do, to make them feel like they are contributing, but often delegate unimportant tasks. This is likely to convey to parents that their assistance in the classroom is not really helpful, that we don’t think that they are capable of really contributing meaningfully to the classroom, or that we are not organized enough to use their help effectively. Instead, we should ask the parents to come in and help when we need assistance while at the same time maintaining an ‘‘open-door’’ policy where parents feel free to come in and visit with the children in the class (Swick, 2004a). Another strategy might be to identify times during the day when parents’ help would be most beneficial, for example during center time, when parents can assist the children by engaging with them while they are at play. Explicitly convey the message that you value parents as their child’s first and most influential teacher (Swick & Hooks, 2005). It is important for the parents to know, without a doubt, that we value the knowledge and pedagogy that they use when helping
296 their child learn and grow. As we engage in communication with parents and begin to establish relationships, we need to elicit input or insights that they have to be used to help meet their child’s needs. We can also show our commitment to the ‘‘parents as teachers’’ construct by offering parenting education programs that help parents discover the strengths and knowledge that they possess and build on that knowledge to give parents the sense of efficacy that will inevitably lead to positive child outcomes. CONCLUSION Through this article we have presented research findings that suggest that parent involvement strengthens the education that children receive, and that families’ proclivity to be involved is influenced by the strength of the relationships that we, their children’s teachers and caregivers, develop with parents. The suggestions provided here should not be considered a comprehensive list of the things that can be done to establish meaningful relationships with parents, but they are a very good beginning. The strategies we have described convey the attitude and dispositions that teachers must possess to establish and maintain meaningful and positive relationships with families. These relationships will in turn have a dramatic impact on the quality of services provided to children as well as the level of quality that the parents perceive. It is our hope that the suggestions outlined above will facilitate the development of synergistic partnerships between families and teachers that will ultimately increase parent involvement and children’s enthusiasm for learning. REFERENCES Ames, C., De Stefano, l., Watkins, T., & Sheldon, S. (1995). Teachers’ school-to-home communications and parent involvement: The role of parent perceptions and beliefs. (Report No. 28). Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins University Center on Families, Communities, Schools, and Children’s Learning. Chrispeels, J., & Gonzalez, M. (2004). Do educational programs increase parents’ practices at home? Factors influencing Latino parent involvement. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Family Research Project. Comer, J. (2001). Schools that develop children. The American Prospect, 12(7), 3–12.
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