Parents’ perceptions of parent–teacher relationship practices in Dutch primary schools – an exploratory pilot study

ABSTRACT

This paper shows how parents’ perceptions of parent–teacher relationship practices differ between different types of schools with respect to children’s special needs and the socio-economic status of these children. Using a questionnaire, we compare parents’ views from two special education schools, two at-risk schools serving low SES-children, and two mainstream primary education schools in the southern part of the Netherlands. The theoretical framework is based on Epstein’s Model of Parental Involvement. The results illustrate that parents and teachers in special education and at-risk schools are very much accustomed to ‘two-way communication’, in contrast to mainstream schools, and that this is valued highly by these parents. Furthermore, teachers in special and at-risk schools are more familiar with interacting with parents, involve them more in decision-making and more often co-ordinate homework practice with parents.

KEYWORDS:

• Primary school teachers
• educational practices
• social class
• Netherlands

Notes

1. The low-SES children in this region are mostly ethnic Dutch children, not ethnic minority children. Here, language issues are often related to speaking a local dialect, not a foreign language.

2. In the Dutch school system, children with minor learning or behavioural difficulties are included in mainstream primary schools, whereas children with learning disabilities (IQ rate 50–90) or behavioural disorders attend special education schools.

3. Note that we also performed factor analysis, but that this gave us 13 factors that were in no way justifiable from the Epstein framework point of view. We therefore opt to group the questions based on content and check this with Cronbach’s alpha. Low alphas also indicate we should be careful in interpreting the results of that specific theme.

4. Semi-structured in depth interviews were carried out with a total of 22 mothers and 5 fathers, 8 with parents from at-risk schools (3 low and 5 with a medium education level), 11 with parents from mainstream schools (6 medium and 5 with a high education level) and 8 with parents from special education schools (3 low, 3 medium and 3 with a high education level). In this study, we consider parents with a low education level when they the highest educated parent has a maximum of pre-vocational secondary education. Parents are considered medium educated when the highest educated parent has a least secondary vocational, senior general secondary or pre-university education. Finally, parents are considered high educated when at least one parent has a minimum of higher professional or university education.

5. Note that we do not perform T-tests per question in the questionnaire, but one simultaneous analysis per theme, of which we present the significance levels. Using this method implies that the problem of multiple comparisons to is reduced to a large extent.