Parents’ perspectives on the (non)presence of educational partnership in parent–teacher relationships: Research report

Research objectives and problems: Guided by the belief that recognizing parental subjectivity is essential for students’ effective functioning in school, this qualitative study sought to examine how parents of early school-aged children conceptualize educational partnership with teachers and how they experience it in practice. The research focused on identifying factors such as the types of communication between teachers and parents, teachers’ perceptions of parents’ competencies, areas of shared parent–teacher interaction, and both parties’ attitudes toward educational support. In parents’ view, these factors shape—and often determine—the quality of their educational partnership with teachers. The main research questions guiding the study were: What meanings do parents attribute to the concept of educational partnership in early school education? How do parents experience educational partnership in the school setting? Research methods: The study is situated within an interpretive qualitative paradigm and employs individual, open-ended interviews with parents of early school-aged children. Analysis of the research material involved identifying and describing thematic categories emerging from the statements of the respondents to illustrate how parents understand the essence of parent–teacher educational partnership and how it is enacted in practice. Process of argumentation: The article begins with an analysis of theoretical concepts and empirical studies concerning the participation of educational stakeholders, demonstrating the importance of educational partnership in the parent–teacher relationship for enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and upbringing. The need for pedagogical support and parent education is emphasized. The issue of educational partnership is examined from a subjective and constructivist perspective, according to which partnership interactions should involve knowledge exchange, negotiation, collaborative problem-solving, and the joint optimization of educational and developmental processes in both school and family environments. Research results and their impact on the development of pedagogical sciences:The findings indicate that parents are well aware of the importance of their participation in their children’s school education. In their view, the presence and quality of an educational partnership depend primarily on how teachers build and shape relationships with parents. The response categories identified during the analysis reveal varying conceptualizations of educational partnership, as well as diverse ways in which parents experience such partnerships in practice. This article contributes to a line of research aimed at transforming early childhood education practices to create space for parents’ full participation in their children’s learning—supported by both teachers and the school. Conclusions and/or recommendations: The analysis allowed for formulating several actions that schools and teachers must undertake to create conditions for an effective educational partnership with parents. The study underscores the importance of teachers adopting a dialogical, open, and creative stance when shaping communication with parents. The conclusions presented here may support efforts to develop new solutions to implementing the idea of teacher and parent subjectivity in the education of young children.