Research Digest
Accomplished Teachers and Their Interactions With Parents: A Comparative Analysis
of Strategies and Techniques
Rick Ginsberg and Lauri Hermann-Ginsberg, Colorado State University
March 2005
Research Background
All elements of school improvement are more likely to succeed if parents help
students focus on learning and teachers create effective partnerships with parents
to ensure good schools and successful students (Epstein, 2001). Although some
research is beginning to uncover key programs and practices that impact on parent
involvement in schools, identifying the family involvement practices of the
most effective teachers remains largely ignored.
Teachers today encounter a myriad of parental circumstances (e.g., single parents,
high poverty), challenging parent behaviors (e.g., demands, abuse, lack of interest),
and parental and school obstacles to involvement (e.g., lack of time, feelings
of inadequacy, an unwelcoming school structure). Better understanding how teachers
interact effectively with all parents is crucial for improving educational outcomes.
This is especially significant for the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS) as one of their core propositions focuses on working collaboratively
with parents. The board claims that strong interactions with parents are a key
dimension of a well-qualified teacher. So examining how NBPTS teachers interact
with parents can serve as the basis for expanding the knowledge base about parent–teacher
interactions.
Research Methods
The study surveyed two groups of teachers from one western state—those
holding NBPTS certification and a matched sample that did not hold NBPTS certification.
The survey had 9 demographic questions and 28 common questions related to teacher
interactions with parents using a 4-point scale (the NBPTS certified teachers
were asked 1 additional question). There also were 11 open-ended questions asking
for specific information regarding parent–teacher interactions (the NBPTS
survey had 1 additional open-ended question). For example, the forced-choice
questions examined issues related to how teachers interact with parents; how
they deal with divorced, abusive, demanding, and minority parents; how they
work with parents of students of differing academic ability; and the focus of
their parental interactions and attitudes about working with parents. The open-ended
questions allowed the teachers to provide more details on many of the issues
providing specific information on strategies they employ and feelings about
their interactions. The NBPTS certified teachers also could comment on the impact
of going through the certification process. (See Related Resource below for
the instrument that was used.)
The two groups of teachers were independently selected. The NBPTS certified
sample of teachers was matched to the other sample based on level of teaching
(e.g., elementary, middle, or high school). Two mailings were sent to the entire
population of teachers. The response rate was 36% for the NBPTS teachers (n
= 44) and 35.6% for the non-NBPTS certified teachers (n = 46). The two samples
were similar across most demographic variables. In terms of the achievement
levels of students, the NBPTS certified teachers more often taught high achievers,
the noncertified teachers more often taught average achievers. The percentage
of teachers with low achieving students was the same for both groups (35%).
Research Findings
How do NBPTS-certified teachers compare with non-NBPTS-certified teachers
in their strategies and techniques for interacting with parents?
The two groups of teachers were similar on key demographic features. The study
compared the two groups of teachers on five factors: (a) positive attitudes
and practices for working with parents, (b) strategies for working with “high
maintenance” parents, (c) targeted contact with parents, (d) working with
minority parents, and (e) appreciation of the importance of ongoing contact.¹
For the first factor (positive attitudes) there was a statistically significant
difference between the NBPTS certified and non-NBPTS certified teachers, with
the NBPTS teachers having a higher mean score.²
The effect size was moderately strong at .50.³
For the fifth factor (openness) the NBPTS teachers had higher mean scores though
there was no statistically significant difference in the means; however the
effect size was somewhat strong at .33. For the other three factors while the
NBPTS teachers had higher mean scores there was no statistically significance
difference in means between the two groups and effect sizes were small. Thus,
there was a distinct difference on one key factor, the attitudes about teacher–parent
interactions, with the accomplished NBPTS certified teachers expressing a more
positive attitude and practices for dealing with parents.
The responses to the open-ended questions underscored that the NBPTS certified
teachers were much more positive about working with parents and expressed far
fewer concerns. This attitudinal difference came out in terms of the tenacity
the NBPTS certified teachers expressed about working with parents, and in the
enjoyment they had in this part of their job. They considered parent interactions
as valuable, rewarding, and essential and described many more detailed strategies
and techniques for working parents in a variety of situations. This sense was
far less obvious for the non-NBPTS certified teachers.
What is the impact of going through the NBPTS certification process on the
techniques and strategies for interactions with parents?
The mean score on the question asked of the NBPTS certified teachers regarding
the impact of going through the certification process on interactions with parents
revealed only moderate support (a mean of 3.00 on scale of 1 = strongly disagree
to 4 = strongly agree). Yet, the open-ended responses revealed that while
these teachers already had strategies for working with parents prior to the
certification process, they almost unanimously felt that the process forced
them to focus even more attention on this. They explained that largely through
reflection on and documentation of their activities that they considered new
ways to bolster their parental interactions.
Implications for Teacher Preparation and Professional Development
With home–school interactions considered a significant component of successful
teaching, understanding how accomplished teachers work with parents is vital.
This research shows that accomplished teachers (NBPTS certified) had more positive
attitudes about working with parents, were more tenacious in their approaches,
and had more strategies and techniques that they could describe in detail regarding
interacting positively with families. We believe that teacher preparation programs
and professional development plans need to
- Focus more attention on effective strategies and techniques for working
with parents, especially given the varying home circumstances and attitudes
that parents bring to the school.
- Emphasize the importance of parent–teacher interactions and the tenacity
and work required to effectively develop strong relationships with the parents
of students.
- Foster positive attitudes among teacher candidates and practicing teachers
about working with parents. Teachers need to appreciate that this is an important
part of the success of their work and that a poor attitude can negatively
impact on teacher success with parents.
- Emphasize the value of the NBPTS certification process for enhancing interactions
with parents, especially due to the intensified self-reflection it forces
about working with families as a means for improving teaching and learning.
References
Epstein, J. L. (2001). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing
educators and improving schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
¹ The study employed several statistical
techniques as part of the analysis. A factor analysis of the survey questions,
which groups like questions together into a single larger variable or factor,
revealed five factors listed above, which explained 62% of the variance. Reliability
measures for these factors (Cronbach Alpha), which judge the internal consistency
of the survey, were adequate, ranging from .75 to .80.
² The study used a t-test, which allows
for determinations regarding whether or not two conditions differ or not.
³ An effect size measurement calculates
the difference between two or more groups.
Related Resource
Ginsberg, R., & Hermann-Ginsberg, L. (2005). Parent-Teacher Interaction
Survey. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University. Available at www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/content/
projects/fine/resources/digest/parent-teacher_interaction_survey.pdf (Acrobat
file).
Rick Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Director
School of Education
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
Email: ginsberg@cahs.colostate.edu
Lauri Hermann-Ginsberg, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor, College of Applied Human Sciences
Gibbons Hall
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523
Email: lhginsberg@cahs.colostate.edu
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