Thesis: Teachers can collaborate more closely with parents on children’s upbringing in primary education

23 May 2023

Primary schools play an important role in children's education: both through learning content, and through interaction with the child, teachers contribute to education. Yet in education policy and research on parent-school contact, the emphasis is on promoting the child's cognitive learning outcomes. How can primary schools collaborate with parents on upbringing? And what is needed to train prospective teachers to do so? On 23 May, Mirjam Stroetinga defended her doctoral thesis Teachers' Collaboration with Parents on Upbringing in Primary Education at the University of Humanistic Studies.

Mirjam Stroetinga investigated teachers' collaboration with parents on upbringing in primary education. By upbringing, she means the support adults offer children in their personal, interpersonal and social development, on their way to adulthood. In educating children, adults' values and beliefs come into play. Therefore, 'contact' between teachers and parents - in the sense of merely exchanging practical information - is insufficient for connecting the parenting worlds of home and school. The quality of the contact matters. Briefly, Stroetinga indicates by 'working together' contact characterised by equality and exploring the other's value position.

Although societal issues around diversity and social cohesion reinforce interest in the formative side of education, not much focused research has yet been done on teachers' collaboration with parents on upbringing, Stroetinga's international literature review revealed. On this, she began an exploratory and descriptive study of existing practices and perspectives in primary schools. In doing so, she chose three perspectives, elaborated in three empirical sub-studies: the perspective of the teacher, of the school leader and of the trainee teacher.

Awareness

The practical examples collected show that contributing to upbringing in schools is particularly concerned with children's interpersonal development and is mainly focused on creating the right conditions for learning at school. Intertwining care, learning and parenting in primary education is also visible. In the collected examples of actual collaboration on parenting, teachers emerge who - even when value positions differ - take parents seriously, really want to understand parents, empathise with parents, value parents' perspectives and are willing to adjust their own outlook and actions based on those perspectives. The study shows that a teacher's attitude of empathy, equivalence and reflection can be supportive in working with parents on upbringing.

At the same time, the study makes it clear that these teacher characteristics are not standard practice and vision in primary education. Work needs to be done on this, especially as the importance of the educative role of teaching and working with parents on it is felt. For teacher training, it is necessary to raise awareness about the educational role of education and the importance of an empathetic, equal and reflective attitude towards parents. Stroetinga: "The teacher's warm, sensitive heart matters in building relationships with children as well as parents."

About the PhD candicate

Mirjam Stroetinga is education advisor, lecturer and researcher at Marnix Academy University of Applied Sciences in Utrecht. The Marnix Academy is a specialised university of applied sciences in the field of education, a training and knowledge institute for education professionals. These professionals work in childcare, primary education, secondary education or MBO.

PhD Defense Mirjam Stroetinga – 23 May 2023 

Teachers’ Collaboration with Parents on Upbringing in Primary Education 

Promotor prof. dr. Wiel Veugelers

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How can primary schools collaborate with parents on upbringing? And what is needed to train prospective teachers to do so? On 23 May, Mirjam Stroetinga defended her thesis on this subject.