Exploring Saudi Kindergarten Teachers’ Views and Uses of School, Family, and Community Partnerships Practices

Abstract

This study examined kindergarten teachers’ views about the importance and uses of school, family, and community partnerships (SFCPs) in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. We used Epstein’s model of SFCPs and explored the roles of teacher, family, and community support for parenting skills, two-way communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaborating with the community. The study sample of 266 kindergarten teachers completed a 39 question modified survey concerning their views and use of the six general practices in an Arabic version of the Measure of School, Family, and Community Partnerships as reported by Epstein et al. (School, family, and community partnerships: Your handbook for action, Corwin Press, Thousand Oaks, 2009). Two-way Multiple Analysis of Variance and Chi-square tests were used to analyze teachers’ responses to the survey. There were no significant associations for teacher’s years of experience or socioeconomic factors in terms of their views or uses of SFCPs. Teachers believed that all of the six practices were important, but to different degrees. The findings indicate that teacher-initiated practices that include parent education, helping to support learning at home, and promoting ongoing communication were more common. Practices that could be considered more family empowerment-oriented included community collaboration, volunteering, and decision-making and were less frequently implemented. Implications for practice are discussed.