Home-school Partnerships Research Articles

Towards home-school partnership: parents’ perspectives on school-based parent activities in childcare centres in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Childcare centres are increasingly recognised as educational institutions, and the current study examined parent’s perspectives on school-based parent activities provided by childcare centres. Through surveying 266 parents, we found that both structured activities (e.g., training workshops) and unstructured activities (e.g., parent-child tours) could meet parents’ needs. Activities that benefited parents practically and allowed them to cope with work and family demands were more attractive. How to deal with children’s emotions was the most needed topic. Finally, parents’ interest and participation varied depending on demographics and their children’s in-care history. Practical implications for centre supervisors, policymakers and parents are discussed.

Enhancing Reading Motivation of Kindergarten Pupils through Home-School Collaboration: A Causal-Comparative Approach

The purpose of this study is to examine how home-school collaboration affects kindergarteners' reading motivation. The researcher chose 100 kindergarten teachers in Talomo A District, Davao City, as study participants. Respondents were chosen using stratified random sampling. A causal-comparative quantitative research design was used. Data was analyzed using these statistical tools: Mean Percentage Scores, Frequency Distribution Percentage, Mean, Independent Sample T-Test, and Eta-Squared Univariate General Linear Model. One category (n=50) was assigned to home-school collaboration and the other to non- collaborative groups by simple random assignment. The results showed that kindergarteners in Talomo A District, Davao City, had extensive reading motivation. Additional results demonstrated a substantial statistical difference in kindergarten students' reading motivation between home- school collaboration and non-collaboration groups. The results also demonstrate that home-school partnership improved kindergarteners in Talomo A District, Davao City. Thus, home-school partnership made this issue easier to teach. The study was done to publish findings in a recognized academic journal.

Home–school connection framework: Elevating multilingual familial engagement capital to build bridges

AbstractSchool readiness research points to familial assets as tools for enriching home–literacy and home–school partnerships. This research informs an urgent call for reimagining educator preparedness relative to bridging students' lived experiences at home and school. Developing a multidimensional approach to effectively partnering with multilingual families that centers families as knowledge holders has potential to interrupt persistent opportunity gaps for ethnoracially and linguistically diverse learners. This conceptual paper presents a reconceptualizing of educator preparedness through what we call a home–school connection framework. This framework situates seven principal tenets—asset‐based culturally sustaining foundations, bilingual and bicultural mirrors, authentic cariño (Curry, 2021; Kwon, 2020; Martínez‐Álvarez, 2020; Valenzuela, 1999), reciprocal collaboration, anti‐bias awareness, community valuing of multicultural literature, and familial capital. This framework is applied in practice across each tenet. Preliminary findings suggest the importance of shifting dispositional stance away from educators serving families and toward educators purposefully partnering with families honoring familial engagement capital to inform multilingual multiliteracies in educational spaces.

The Associations Between Parenting Self-Efficacy and Parents’ Contributions to the Home-School Partnership Among Parents of Primary School Students: a Multilevel Meta-analysis

High-quality partnerships between families and schools can bring enormous benefits to the development, learning, and wellbeing of children. Decades of research has identified parenting self-efficacy as a key factor influencing parents’ contributions toward effective home-school partnerships. However, the strength of this association has varied significantly across studies with the aggregated strength remaining unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the associations between parenting self-efficacy and various aspects of parents’ contribution to the home-school partnership, namely home-based involvement, school-based involvement, home-school communication and relationships, as well as parental expectations and aspirations among parents of primary school students. Moderator effects were also examined. Through systematically searching six databases and screening papers, we included 50 independent studies involving 185 effect sizes (N = 20,043 children). Results showed a small to medium correlation between parenting self-efficacy and the multidimensional construct of home-school partnership outcomes (r = .189). The associations were stronger for education-focused parenting self-efficacy (r = .183) than general parenting self-efficacy (r = .114) and were stronger still for home-based participation (r = .248) and parental expectations and aspirations (r = .248) than school-based participation (r = .124) and parent-teacher communication/relationship (r = .090). We detected limited moderating effects of child gender, parent gender, ethnicity, sample type (general or targeted), and socio-economic status and publication bias. Overall, this meta-analysis provides evidence to support the positive relationship between parenting self-efficacy and parents’ contributions to the strength of the home-school partnership. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Examining The Impact of Parental Involvement On Preschooler's Early Learning: A Case Study at The ECCE Demonstration Centre in Jigawa State College of Education and Legal Studies Ringim

This research examines the influence of parental involvement on the early learning experiences of preschoolers in the ECCE Demonstration School at Jigawa State College of Education and Legal Studies. Through a case study approach, we investigate the various forms of parental involvement and their effects on children's academic, social, and emotional development. Data were collected using surveys, interviews, and observations involving parents, teachers, and preschoolers and analyzed to identify patterns and themes related to parental involvement and its impact. Our findings reveal that active parental involvement significantly enhances preschoolers' early learning experiences. Home-based activities, communication with teachers, and participation in school events emerge as crucial aspects of parental involvement that positively influence children's cognitive development, social skills, and emotional well-being. The study underscores the critical role of parental involvement in early childhood education. Educators, parents, and policymakers should recognize the importance of fostering strong home-school partnerships to better support the holistic development of preschoolers and lay a solid foundation for their future educational journey.

The Home-School Partnership in Early Childhood Education: Understanding The Challenges and Obstacles

The Home-School Partnership in Early Childhood Education: Understanding The Challenges and Obstacles

Factors Influencing Peer Victimization from the Perspective of Home-School Partnership: A Moderated Mediation Model

This study aims to explore the overlapping influences of the home and school on peer victimization in adolescents under the notion of home-school partnership and to investigate how the parent-child relationship, teacher-student relationship, teenage depressive symptoms are related to peer victimization by constructing a moderated mediation model. It surveyed 1,710 students in 5-8 grades, using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (brief version), Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (brief version). Research findings show that the parent-child relationship had a direct impact on peer victimization and indirectly affected peer victimization via the mediation of teenage depressive symptoms; and that teacher-student relationships had moderating effects on the three paths in the mediation model, playing roles in enhancing the protection effect of the parent-child relationship against peer victimization, weakening the possible impact of the parent-child relationship on teenager depression, and alleviating the predictive effect of depressive symptoms on peer victimization. The research suggests that home-school partnership is a viable avenue for the prevention of school bullying.

Promote the Quality of Parent-Teacher Relationships through Home-School Partnerships

Promote the Quality of Parent-Teacher Relationships through Home-School Partnerships

Less Is More: Proposed Home-School Disaster Risk Reduction Plan

Disaster happens anywhere and anytime. It hampers economic growth, undermines social stability, and changes geographical characteristics. This research focused on crafting a home-school DRR plan through the collaborative initiatives of the University of Batangas and its students and families, thus strengthening the home-school partnership. Just like what is mentioned in the title, the less that is done through a home-school partnership, the more meaningful the impact. Specifically, this research determined the respondents’ DRR knowledge, practices, and strategies and measured the impact of the said strategies. The DRR plan and possible integration of DRR themes into the curriculum will improve the DRR efforts being made in every community where university students live. The target participants were 507 college students of the University of Batangas, selected via stratified random sampling with a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence interval. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the gathered data, such as the weighted mean, percentage, frequency count, and standard deviation. The in-depth information gathered from the interview was integrated into the results. The findings were as follows: the DRR knowledge of the respondents and the DRR practices applied were observed to be of great extent. Meanwhile, the impact of such practices was evident for most items but strongly evident for items that concern family living and home routines. The DRR plan crafted out of the home-school partnership is intended to assist the barangay in the implementation of some identified initiatives. Of equal importance is the integration of DRR themes into the identified university courses (NSTP, STS, and PE).

Identifying and Navigating the Barriers of Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Education

Parental involvement in early childhood education significantly impacts children's academic, socio-emotional, and behavioral outcomes. Extensive research indicates that parental involvement plays a more influential role in a child's academic success compared to socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or educational background. However, a noticeable gap exists between the desired and actual levels of parental involvement, often attributed to identifiable barriers. This study aims to delineate these obstacles and proposes cost-effective, actionable steps to overcome them. We introduce specific strategies that enhance the home-school partnership and recommend that schools actively teach and promote these activities. These practices highlight the dual importance of parental support for school-based learning and school support for home-based activities.

중학생이 지각한 교실목표구조와 성장 마인드셋, 성취목표, 자기조절학습 간의 구조적 관계

This study aimed to explore the structural relationships among middle school students’ perceived classroom goal structure, growth mindset, achievement goals, and self-regulated learning. To do so, 373 students at S Middle School in D City participated; 348 of them were used for preliminary analyses, structural equation model analyses, and bootstrapping. The results showed that mastery goal structure had a positive effect on self-regulated learning through the mediation of the mastery approach goal and of the performance approach goal, respectively. Also, the mastery goal structure had a significant effect on self-regulated learning by sequentially mediating growth mindset and mastery approach goals. On the other hand, the performance goal construct had direct effects on only performance approach goals and performance avoidance goals. A growth mindset predicted mastery approach goals and performance approach goals. These results suggest the importance of understanding the structural relationship between environmental factors, such as classroom goal structures, and intrinsic factors in order to promote adaptive academic behaviors. This study also identified a consistent mastery goal structure in classrooms for enhancing a growth mindset and mastery approach goals, along with the necessity for teacher capabilities, home―school partnerships, and policy support.

Special Education Experiences of Parents/Guardians of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities

ABSTRACT The present document reports a qualitative study that examined the perceptions of parents and guardians of students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities (EBD) regarding (a) obtaining special education services for their child, (b) the IEP process and implementation, and (c) home–school collaboration and partnerships. Ten participants from the United States completed interviews which were analyzed using grounded theory methodology to develop an emerging theoretical model describing their experiences. In general, parents and guardians who perceived schools to be responsive to their concerns and the needs of their children discussed trusting relationships with educators, positive experiences with IEP development and implementation, and student skill development. Parents reporting positive experiences and outcomes also discussed overcoming significant challenges to achieve them. Parents who perceived a lack of transparency regarding procedures and support options, an unwillingness or inability by schools to provide services, and failing to implement the agreed upon IEP reported high levels of stress and a general mistrust of educators. Parents also noted a number of barriers that constrained advocacy efforts, school practice, and home–school partnerships. We describe implications for practice and future research.

“It felt a bit wartime”: Teacher perspectives of social and emotional well‐being support in primary schools during Covid‐19

AbstractAlthough primary schools in the UK were required to provide access to remote learning for pupils during Covid‐19 mandated school closures, there was less clarity for teachers and school leaders about expectations and priorities relating to the provision of social and emotional well‐being support for children at home during this period. Using an existing whole‐school approaches (WSA) framework we aimed to understand the extent to which well‐being support was a priority for primary schools during closures, what structures were in place to support well‐being, what factors facilitated or inhibited provision of remote pastoral care, and how schools supported pupil reintegration following school reopening. Twenty semi‐structured qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers and school leaders in primary schools in three counties of southern England during February and March 2020. A hybrid inductive‐deductive thematic analysis approach was used with a critical realist approach. Findings indicate that school closures were associated with radically disrupted home–school partnerships. Lack of national and local policy guidance limited the extent to which schools adapted remote well‐being provision and maintained contact with families. This disruption contributed to a decline in children's emotional well‐being, particularly for those children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Covid recovery recommendations center on a renewed emphasis on universal, ethos‐focused interventions and a strength‐based focus on curriculum change.

FOSTERING INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE: STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT IN SCHOOLS

This article emphasizes the benefits of effective diversity management in schools, highlighting how it contributes to positive intergroup relations, reduced incidents of bullying and discrimination, and improved student engagement and achievement. By creating inclusive learning environments, schools prepare students for the diverse and globalized world they will encounter beyond the classroom. To achieve effective diversity management, the article suggests several strategies. First, it emphasizes the importance of engaging families and communities from diverse backgrounds by collaborating with parents and guardians and partnering with community organizations and resources. These collaborative efforts build strong home-school partnerships, facilitate cultural understanding, and provide valuable support to meet diverse needs. The article also emphasizes the significance of hosting diversity events and celebrations that showcase different cultures and identities. These events offer opportunities for learning, appreciation, and intercultural dialogue. Additionally, workshops and seminars on diversity-related topics promote understanding and inclusive practices among students, families, and community members.

From Preschool to Senior High School: Understanding Followership Training Strategies of Teachers

This phenomenological study investigated followership training strategies employed by teachers across educational levels from preschool to senior high school. Using in-depth interviews with eight public school teachers in Davao City, the research identified three key themes: using effective teaching strategies, managing the classroom and disciplining students, and overcoming challenges in followership training. Findings revealed that teachers adapt their approaches based on students’ developmental stages, employing strategies such as play-based learning for younger children and more complex, interactive methods for older students. The study highlighted the importance of establishing clear rules, differentiating instruction, and building trust with students. Implications suggest a need for flexible, responsive teaching methods, stronger home-school partnerships, and the integration of technology in followership training. Future research should focus on evaluating long-term impacts of these strategies, exploring their effectiveness in diverse settings, and investigating how emerging technologies can support followership development in educational contexts.

The complexities of delivering a home-school based comprehensive sexuality curriculum to visually impaired learners

Following the ongoing study to develop a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) curriculum for visually impaired learners in South Africa, teachers reported hesitance from parents/guardians to inform their visually impaired children about sex. As such, this study sought to explore parents/guardians’ involvement in their children’s psychosexual education. Five parents/guardians were engaged in a focus-group discussion. Data were analysed thematically, while home-school partnership theory underpinned this study. Parents felt confident that they had prepared their children with enough psychosexual education to make healthy sexual choices, and therefore blamed teachers, security guards, and hostel caretakers for their children’s early sexual debut. However, no blame or accountability was assigned to the learners for their own sexual behaviour and decision-making. Interrogating the complexities within these socio-educational spaces suggested that there was confusion in the roles and responsibilities assumed for the capacitation of visually impaired learners with CSE. More importantly, the problem was not that parents were worried that these learners were not having safe sex, but that they should not be having sex at all now or in the future. The study suggests that a supportive, non-judgemental, and collaborative home-school partnership is necessary to recognise and guide the sexual agency of visually impaired learners.

Parenting and Learner Support in Rural South African Schools: Home Involvement as a Conduit for Strengthening Home-School Partnership

For the delivery of effective and quality education, active parent participation regarding learning support both in schools and at home is crucial. The study, hinged on Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model sought to analyse School Management Teams (SMTs) and parents’ views on and interpretations of parental school involvement. Interviews were used to collect data from fifteen (15) purposively selected participants from three Junior Secondary Schools in the OR Tambo Coastal District in the Eastern Cape Province. The data was analysed using Atlas. ti and presented thematically and through network diagrams. The findings revealed that while parents were valued stakeholders in schools, there was a lack of viable partnerships between parents and schools. It emerged that effective home-school partnership was hindered by communication challenges as most parents were illiterate, hence children received minimal learning support from home. The low socio-economic status of the parents drove them towards tilling their land to provide food rather than actively participating in school activities. It was concluded that while parents had a clear and consistent understanding of parental involvement in school activities, the high poverty diminished their motivation for school involvement. Recommendations include the need for the Department of Education to foresee that school governing bodies ensure collaboration between homes and schools. Also, there should be intervention programs to enhance active parental participation in schools. This study adds to the existing literature on inclusive education in South African schools. Keywords: Effective Education, Quality Education, Parent Participation, Team Spirit, Learner Performance.

Parent involvement in teacher education in South Africa

Parent involvement in South African schools has been primarily limited to financing schools and parent volunteering. Legislation extended the right to parents and the community to participate in the school’s governing structures. This creates a framework for formal parent involvement but home-school partnerships should not be limited to this practice. A comprehensive model of partnership can provide a broader view of family, community and school relations. In order to prepare teachers to implement effective school, family and community partnerships, a Certificate in Parent Involvement was introduced at the University of South Africa through distance education. The curriculum is designed around the Epstein model of family, community and school partnerships. A brief review is given of the theory underlying the Epstein model and the typology comprising six types of parent and community involvement. A qualitative inquiry explored the implementation of this model in a small sample of schools. A document analysis was made of assignments written by teachers as part of their course work. Rich data (personal accounts corroborated by supporting material) was elicited by the assignment which required teachers to describe the implementation of one type of parent involvement in their school. Findings show how teachers adapted the model in pre-primary, primary and high schools in diverse communities in South Africa. Teachers created family friendly environments for parent encounters; used various strategies to communicate with the home; employed an expanded view of parent and community; introduced innovative volunteering; and illustrated positive results for teachers, learners and parents.

Reading between the lines: exploring the assumptions and implications of parental involvement

Parental involvement in the Northern American literature has been portrayed as the newly discovered way of improving school effectiveness and academic performance. However the cultural assumptions behind ubiquitous calls for parental involvement have been left largely unexplored. Critics of current notions of “parental involvement” argue that the term itself has been poorly defined in the literature and that it has often been described as an aspired ideal whose demands on the parents and the implications for the nature of home-school relations remain un-scrutinized. This paper seeks to explore existing literature on parental involvement though a cultural lens and draw on theoretical arguments that problematize the assumptions behind the discourse and practice of “parental involvement” or “home-school partnership”. The discussion focuses particularly on the implications that culturally- and class-specific assumptions about parental involvement may have for minority and immigrant families who run the risk of becoming marginalized while being held responsible for getting “involved” (de Carvalho, 2001).

Mobile-mediated home-school partnership: attitudes and expectations of teachers, parents and students

In the past decades, mobile communication has been one of the fastest growing businesses in the world. In Italy, like in others European countries, there are more mobile phones than inhabitants. Everyone is able to use a mobile phone (contrary to a computer, the simple training necessary to use a cell-phone is done quickly and informally). Mobile communication has become an important part of our everyday life. In schools, mobile phones are generally considered to be a nuisance; but given their pervasive diffusion, they could also be used as a means to foster parent-teacher communication. In our paper, the results of three focus groups are presented, showing different and sometimes conflicting expectations and attitudes of teachers, parents and students toward a mobile-mediated home-school partnership.