Principals' and Teachers' Practices about Parent Involvement in Schooling

Abstract

Parent involvement has an influence on children's educational engagement for all school levels. The objective of this study was to examine public school principals' and teachers' practices for improving parent involvement in schooling. This study used a mixed method to identify the school administrators' and teachers' perceptions about parent involvement in schooling. Data was collected from 64 public schools' administrators and teachers of elementary, middle and high schools. Six hundred and sixty one (55%) of surveys returned from 28 elementary schools, 27 middle schools, and 9 high schools. Data was analyzed with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). For qualitative part, phenomenological research method was used to investigate principals' and teachers' experiences to promote parent involvement. Findings indicated that school levels and teachers' education levels had a statistically significant impact on combined factors of parent involvement. No significant differences were found in parent involvement among principals and teachers who are from different major, gender, and seniority groups. This study showed that educator' attitudes is the most significant factor on parental involvement in schooling. Additionally, this study claimed when principals offer different time schedule for parent and teacher meetings, parent involvement is increased. One of parents is selected by Parent Teacher Organization for each grade so parents might use social media for all of meetings, offers, events, and announcements.

Parents’ Perceptions of Their Involvement in Schooling

“…Parent involvement has an influence on children's educational engagement for all school levels (Erdener, 2016). Educated parents are involved in the decision making process about their children's post-secondary education plans, career plans, and parents think that students from high income families are more successful.…”

İlkokul Öğretmenlerinin Yaşam Boyu Öğrenmeye İlişkin Görüşlerinin İncelenmesi

“…It can be said that teachers who graduated from education faculties have higher competence in learning to learn, acquiring knowledge and digital competencies than teachers who graduated from other faculties. (Erdener, 2014(Erdener, , 2016. Eğitimin sadece kısmi zamanda değil, yaşamın her anında olması gerektiği ortaya çıkmakta, böylece yaşam boyu öğrenmenin gerekliliği de tam bu noktada önemini kanıtlar nitelik kazanmaktadır.…”

“…It can be said that teachers who graduated from education faculties have higher competence in learning to learn, acquiring knowledge and digital competencies than teachers who graduated from other faculties. (Erdener, 2014(Erdener, , 2016 destek olunmasını ve yeteneklerin keşfedilerek yenilikçi adımlarla imkânların genişletilmesini, öğrenmenin daha esnek bir yapı haline getirilmesini içermektedir. Yaşam boyu öğrenme, bireyin her tür öğrenme ortamından yararlanarak kendini geliştirmesi ve gerçekleştirmesine yönelik bilgi, beceri, tutum ve alışkanlıklar kazanması beklentisinde olan imkânlar sürecidir (Sönmez 2007).…”

Challenges in the implementation of character education in elementary school: experience from Indonesia

“…Parents' participation influence students' success such as academic achievement in school (Wei, Wu, Lv, Zhou, Han, Liu, & Luo, 2016)and students' educational engagement (Erdener, 2016). However, diverse educational backgrounds, social, economic families can cause different intensity of support and impact on students (An, Wang, Yang, & Du, 2018).…”