Both Sides Now: An Examination of the Relationship Between Researchers and Head Start Practitioners

Abstract

The relationship between researchers and practitioners is complex, affected by numerous factors, both internal and external. The present manuscript explores a unique practitioner-researcher relationship: that between Communities United, Inc., an agency overseeing the delivery of Head Start services in the Boston area and the New England Quality Research Center, a research project administered by the Education Development Center, Despite common overarching goals (i.e., the delivery of quality comprehensive services to children and families enrolled in Head Start), the partners in this collaborative venture approached the relationship with different goals, reporting hierarchies, and constraints. These differences affected the relationship in numerous ways, from questions addressed throughout the research process to implementation of the research program. The evolution of the relationship, both in terms of challenges faced and benefits received by both participants are explored.