First-Year Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers: Challenges of Working with Parents.
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: The significance of relationships between the parents and teachers of pre school and kindergarten children is well established. Teachers and schools are presumed to be responsible for lack of parent–teacher collaboration. Internationally, early childhood teacher education programs recognize this and offer courses related to parents and families. This study documented the views of preschool and kindergarten teachers in their first year of teaching, focusing on areas of concern about working with parents. This research utilizes the so cial exchange theory as its conceptual framework to examine if the absence of reciprocity from parents can result in problems for new teachers. Interviews conducted with 14 first-year teachers in New Zealand indicate that paren tal involvement remains challenging for early childhood teachers. The four constructs in the findings reflected the social exchange theory: lack of rec iprocity, difficulties of building relationships, power-dependence, and social identity of early childhood teachers. The findings reveal that, despite the new teachers’ efforts, some parents are not responsive. The successful functioning of this partnership requires active participation and willingness of not only the teachers but parents as well. Simply portraying the “ideal” image of a relationship that the new teacher should be establishing through preservice teacher education is inadequate. The rhetoric regarding parent–teacher relationships should reflect the reality of practice. To ensure the success of new teachers, the challenges of working with families should be part of the explicit discourse of teacher education.
Author: Sehba Mahmood
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W1552446742