FROM COOPERATION TO FROM COOPERATION TO PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS

AND PRESCHOOL TEACHERSAND PRESCHOOL TEACHERS

The 17th EECERA Annual conferenceThe 17th EECERA Annual conference

Pirjo-Liisa PoikonenPirjo-Liisa PoikonenUniversity of Jyväskylä, FinlandUniversity of Jyväskylä, Finland

(M. Kontoniemi, H. Rasku-Puttonen, M-K. Lerkkanen, A-M. (M. Kontoniemi, H. Rasku-Puttonen, M-K. Lerkkanen, A-M. Poikkeus)Poikkeus)

BackgroundBackground

International research has consistantly International research has consistantly found that good staff-parent relationships found that good staff-parent relationships in early day care centers and schools in early day care centers and schools benefit children, staff, and parents benefit children, staff, and parents ((e.g.Fantuzzo, McWayne, Perry & Childs 2004; Christenson e.g.Fantuzzo, McWayne, Perry & Childs 2004; Christenson 2004) 2004)

Finnish national guidelines Finnish national guidelines (2000, 2003)(2000, 2003) emphasize parents involvement in early emphasize parents involvement in early childhood education and partnership childhood education and partnership between parents and teachersbetween parents and teachers

The transition to school is a period in The transition to school is a period in which social supports are particularly which social supports are particularly important: successful transition plays an important: successful transition plays an important role in later school success important role in later school success (e.g. (e.g. Dunlop & Fabian 2002; Dockett & Perry 2003; Johansson Dunlop & Fabian 2002; Dockett & Perry 2003; Johansson 2002)2002)

Finnish national quidelines Finnish national quidelines (2000)(2000) emphasize smooth transition from emphasize smooth transition from preschool to school and cooperation preschool to school and cooperation between teachersbetween teachers

PartnershipPartnership

consious commitment consious commitment combines the knowledge and experiencecombines the knowledge and experience create a common strategy for supporting create a common strategy for supporting

the childthe child cooperation between parentscooperation between parents staff have the primary responsibility for staff have the primary responsibility for

employing the partnership approachemploying the partnership approach

The aims of the pilot studyThe aims of the pilot study

What kind of experiences parents What kind of experiences parents have about cooperation between have about cooperation between preschool teachers and other preschool teachers and other parents? parents?

What kind of cooperation do What kind of cooperation do preschool teachers and parents preschool teachers and parents emphasize in the transition from emphasize in the transition from preschool to school? preschool to school?

Design and MethodsDesign and Methods

First Steps pilot study: 139 preschool First Steps pilot study: 139 preschool children and their parents and teachers children and their parents and teachers (mothers N=107, fathers N= 94, teachers (mothers N=107, fathers N= 94, teachers N=16)N=16)

Participants were voluntarily selected from Participants were voluntarily selected from one municipality one municipality

Data were collected by questionnaires Data were collected by questionnaires (structured/open questions) first time at (structured/open questions) first time at October and second time at April October and second time at April

The analysis combines both quantitative The analysis combines both quantitative and qualitative approachesand qualitative approaches

Results 1/2Results 1/2 Parents’ experiences about cooperationParents’ experiences about cooperation

The three-factor solution (using principal The three-factor solution (using principal Axis factoring) defined following Axis factoring) defined following constructs:constructs:– Experience of partnershipExperience of partnership– Child centered cooperationChild centered cooperation– Parents’ competence (perceptions of Parents’ competence (perceptions of

cooperation skills and attitudes)cooperation skills and attitudes)

Item content by factorItem content by factor (parents’ data)(parents’ data)

Experience of partnershipExperience of partnership (Cronbach (Cronbach alfa: Mothers .63, Fathers .77)alfa: Mothers .63, Fathers .77)– ’’I feel that I can influence the goals and I feel that I can influence the goals and

objectives of my child’s classroom’objectives of my child’s classroom’– ’ ’I participate in decision-making of the I participate in decision-making of the

whole preschool’whole preschool’– ’’I feel that my child’s teacher supports I feel that my child’s teacher supports

my parenthood’my parenthood’– ’ ’I feel that parents in my child’s I feel that parents in my child’s

classroom support me in childrearing’classroom support me in childrearing’

Child centeredChild centered cooperation (Cronbach cooperation (Cronbach alfa: Mothers .81, Fathers .75)alfa: Mothers .81, Fathers .75)

– ’ ’I draw up the individual preschool I draw up the individual preschool education plan for my child in education plan for my child in collaboration with my child’s teacher’collaboration with my child’s teacher’

– ’ ’I talk with my child’s teacher about my I talk with my child’s teacher about my child’s accomplishments’child’s accomplishments’

– ’’I regularly participate in acitivities of I regularly participate in acitivities of my child’s classroom’ my child’s classroom’

Parents’ competenceParents’ competence (Cronbach alfa: (Cronbach alfa: Mothers .62, Fathers .72)Mothers .62, Fathers .72)– ’ ’I feel childrearing very stressful’I feel childrearing very stressful’– ’’I feel incompetent when I talk with my I feel incompetent when I talk with my

child’s teacher ’child’s teacher ’– ’ ’I hesitate to be in contact with my I hesitate to be in contact with my

child’s teacher’child’s teacher’– ’ ’I am not interested in cooperation with I am not interested in cooperation with

my child’s teacher’my child’s teacher’

Differences in perceptions and experiences Differences in perceptions and experiences between mothers and fathersbetween mothers and fathers

A statistically significant difference was A statistically significant difference was found between mothers and fathers on all found between mothers and fathers on all the items of child centered cooperation the items of child centered cooperation (p<.001). Mothers cooperated with (p<.001). Mothers cooperated with teachers in most cases. teachers in most cases.

A statistically significant difference was A statistically significant difference was found between mothers and fathers on found between mothers and fathers on one of the items of experience of one of the items of experience of partnership ’I feel that my child’s teacher partnership ’I feel that my child’s teacher supports my parenthood’ (p<.001).supports my parenthood’ (p<.001).

Both mothers and fathers had positive Both mothers and fathers had positive views about their competence in views about their competence in parenthood and cooperation. A statistically parenthood and cooperation. A statistically significant difference between mothers significant difference between mothers and fathers was found: mothers were and fathers was found: mothers were more interested in cooperation than more interested in cooperation than fathers (p<.001).fathers (p<.001).

Results 2/2Results 2/2 Cooperation in transitionprocessCooperation in transitionprocess

The two-factor solution (using principal The two-factor solution (using principal Axis factoring) defined following Axis factoring) defined following constructs:constructs:– preschool-school cooperation (between preschool-school cooperation (between

teachers)teachers)– child-parent-school cooperationchild-parent-school cooperation

’’School teacher visits the preschool to talk School teacher visits the preschool to talk to the preschool children about school’to the preschool children about school’

’ ’Written records (portfolio) about Written records (portfolio) about individual child’s experiences follow to the individual child’s experiences follow to the school’school’

’ ’Before school starts preschool and school Before school starts preschool and school teachers held shared meetings with teachers held shared meetings with parents’ parents’

The most important issues wereThe most important issues were (parents and teachers):(parents and teachers):

Implications and challengesImplications and challenges

How to use the diversity of attitudes and How to use the diversity of attitudes and views between parents and professionals views between parents and professionals as resource?as resource?

How to identify the partnership readiness How to identify the partnership readiness of the parents?of the parents?

How to confirm parent’s empowerment?How to confirm parent’s empowerment? How to support collaboration between How to support collaboration between

parents? parents?

How to take care of practical organization How to take care of practical organization and arrangements in ways that meet the and arrangements in ways that meet the wishes of both partieswishes of both parties

Equal partnership demands teachers to Equal partnership demands teachers to change from professional focused culture change from professional focused culture to family-focused culture?to family-focused culture?

The joint aggreement about cooperation The joint aggreement about cooperation and activities between parents and and activities between parents and teachers is needed in the transition to teachers is needed in the transition to schoolschool

THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR

ATTENTION!!ATTENTION!!