The Conditions Which Influence a Teacher in Initiating Contacts with Parents

Abstract

Despite the ethic that encourages teachers to work cooperatively with parents there is great variation among teachers in their practices. Seemingly there are "conditions" that promote or discourage teachers in initiating contact with parents. This study identified twenty-one such conditions, and, using questionnaires and interview data, differentiated teachers who reported significantly different practices in initiating contact with parents. On six of the comparisons important differences were marked: teacher’s socioeconomic status, alternative sources of contact, reasons for contact, role responsibility for parent contact, sense of parental support, and comfort in meeting parental expectations.