Parent-pre-school teacher relations during the COVID-19 pandemic ‒ Promoters and undermining factors

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic compelled teachers to grapple with the challenge of distance learning and remote communication with pre-school children and their parents. This study examines how student-teachers perceived their and the teacher’s relations with the pre-school children and parents during the first lockdown. The study is based on a mixed-method, quantitative and qualitative, research design among ten third-year student-teachers in Israel. 56% reported that relations with parents during the first lockdown were strengthened, which they attributed to several factors (e.g., parental desire to establish a routine and maintain the child’s connection with their friends and teacher, and a desire to advance their children). Other factors were perceived to undermine parent-teacher relations (e.g., number of siblings, busy parents, economic and emotional stress, technological illiteracy). The study underscores the importance of a holistic and ecologic approach to relations among early childhood education teachers, student-teachers, parents, and children, and the critical need for partnership and transparency between the pre-school teacher and student-teacher.