Analysis of student and parent satisfaction with the class teacher

Abstract

Introduction. In today’s reality characterised by the exacerbation of numerous social problems that are conditioned, among many factors, by the impact of negative experience of the child-parent relationship in the family, the teacher’s ability to diagnose the state of child-parent interaction is of particular importance, contributing to the harmonisation of child-parent relations. Purpose of the research: to identify the role and potential of the class teacher in the context of his/her pedagogical influence on the child-parent relationship. Materials and methods. To handle the set tasks, the authors undertook an analysis of a number of publications – those devoted to the problems of interaction between the school and the child-adult family community, along with the description of the most successful practices of combining the class teacher’s and parents’ efforts in creating a favourable educational environment. The following methods were also used: analysis of documents; questioning; observation; interviewing; processing of factual material by analysis of ideas, facts, mathematical calculation of percentage or graphic indicators; comparative analysis; generalisation, establishing certain regularities. The survey covered a total of 246 parents, 120 learners, 17 head executives of general education institutions. Of them: parents: 215 – from the Chechen Republic, 18 – from the Republic of Ingushetia, 13 – from other regions of Russia; learners: 102 – from the Chechen Republic, 14 – from the Republic of Ingushetia 4 – from other regions of Russia; head executives of educational institutions: from the Republic of Ingushetia – 14, from the Chechen Republic – 3. The survey was conducted using the authors’ methodology containing questions aimed at identifying the nature of the relationship between the class teacher and the parents. Results. The close contact between the class teacher and the family revealed during the questioning (to illustrate it, more than 90% of the parents recognised the class teacher’s involvement in solving the problems they had with their children) makes it possible to positively assess the class teacher’s role in harmonising the parent-child relationship. Modern communications allow parents and class teachers to interact more closely; for instance, almost 70% of the learners noted that telephone communication was a frequent method. Nearly 80% of the parents reported systematic communication support by the class teacher. At the same time, 40% of the head executives of general education institutions noted class teachers’ difficulties in building relationships with the learners’ parents. Conclusion. Professional assistance to the family by the class teacher is characterised by the integration of pedagogical, psychological and social tasks, which encourages the teacher to search for new forms and ways of psycho-pedagogical support of the family. The teaching community’s efforts should be aimed at the formation of “conscious parenthood” supposing self-development of a parent capable of solving problems independently through awareness of own attitudes and expectations, family values and character-building style. The most effective forms are psychological education and counselling aimed at the formation of a value-oriented attitude towards child’s upbringing by involving parents in educational, training, organisational and reflective activities. At the same time, the search for new forms of interaction with the family is of particular relevance; the efficient practices thereof should be duly interpreted with the view to generalise and disseminate successful experience.