Teacher–child relationships narrated by parents of children with difficulties in self-regulation

ABSTRACT

This study addresses the relationships between teachers and children (four to six years old) with difficulties in self-regulation from the parent's point of view. Narratives were constructed in 21 interviews with parents of children who have difficulties in self-regulation. The study focused on two questions: (i) What kinds of teacher–child relationships can be identified in the parents’ narratives? and (ii) How is the child positioned in this relational context? The teacher–child relationships found were labelled neutral, problematic and caring. Within these categories, the child was positioned in nine ways ranging from the child as troublesome to the child as unique. The study offers tools for analysing the teacher–child relationship. It helps to understand this relationship from the parental point of view, thereby contributing to the objective of supporting the development and well-being of children in the early childhood education context in cooperation with their parents.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher–child relationship
• self-regulation
• early childhood education and care
• narrative research
• position
• parent

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Erja Rautamies, MA (Psych.) is a Ph.D. Candidate, in early childhood education. Rautamies works as a University teacher in the Department of Education at the University of Jyväskylä. Her teaching responsibilities of bachelor level are focused on development and well-being of children. Her research interests include educational partnership and children with difficulties in self-regulation. This article is a part of her doctoral thesis.

Pirjo-Liisa Poikonen, Ph.D., is a University Researcher (emerita) in the Department of Education at the University of Jyväskylä. Her research interests include curriculum development. In addition her current studies focus on issues of parents and teachers collaboration, social interaction and partnership in pre-primary and school contexts and factors contributing children's transition from pre-primary context to school context. She has been researcher in the First Steps study and Children's socio-emotional well-being and daily family life in a 24-hour economy, both of the studies include cultural comparison.

Katja Vähäsantanen, Ph.D., is a Post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Education at the University of Jyväskylä. Her current research interests include professional identity, agency, leadership, learning and emotions in work organizations.

Marja-Leena Laakso, Ph.D., is a Professor of Early Childhood Education, and a Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Jyväskylä. Her research interests include risk and protective factors in child development, children's and families well-being in 24-hour economy, children's over activity and challenging behaviour, adults supporting children's emotion regulation, children's prelinguistic and early language development.