Effect of Parent-Teacher Partnership on Early Childhood Teachers’ Autonomy in Curriculum Implementation: Mediating Role of Teachers’ Awareness of Their Rights

Objective: Young children’s play is diverse and unpredictable, requiring teachers to exercise autonomy in implementing curricula flexibly within play-based approaches. Amid the increasing public awareness of early childhood education and the expansion of parental participation, collaborative parent-teacher partnerships are emphasized. However, expanding parental involvement has also raised concerns about the protection of teachers’ professional rights and autonomy, highlighting the need for balanced and rights-based partnerships. This study examined the effects of parent-teacher partnerships and teachers’ awareness of their professional rights on autonomy in curriculum implementation, investigating the mediating role of teachers’ awareness of their rights.Methods: Participants were 288 early childhood educators serving as homeroom teachers for children aged 3-5 years. Autonomy in curriculum implementation, parent-teacher partnership, and awareness of teachers’ rights were measured using self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and PROCESS macro 4.2 model 4, and mediation effects were tested using bootstrapping procedures.Results: Parent-teacher partnership and teachers’ awareness of their rights had a significant positive effect on teachers’ autonomy in curriculum implementation. Teachers’ awareness of their rights partially mediated the relationship between parent-teacher partnership and autonomy, indicating that partnership enhanced autonomy both directly and indirectly through teachers’ increased awareness of their professional rights.Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of promoting voluntary and active parental participation while ensuring institutional conditions that support teachers’ autonomy and professional rights. The results further suggest that collaborative parent-teacher partnerships grounded in mutual respect and shared responsibility are essential for fostering sustainable professional practices in early childhood education.