Family involvement in preschool education: Rationale, problems and solutions for the participants

Abstract

This aim of this study is to examine the views of teachers, administrators and parents about the problems that emerge during family involvement in preschool activities and solutions for these problems. The participants were 10 teachers, 10 parents and 10 administrators from 4 preschools and 6 kindergartens in the Palandöken and Yakutiye districts of Erzurum. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using descriptive and content analysis. The results show that teachers and administrators organize various family involvement activities, and parents participate in one or more of them. Family-involvement activities were found to be affected by factors such as time, cost, interaction, order, sharing, getting familiar with each other, ease of transportation, updated notice boards, technology, school facilities, security, control, requirement, and participation size. The participants mentioned the following among the problems they faced in family-involvement activities: unwillingness; lack of time; fatigue; negative attitudes; the behavior of teachers’ spouses, parents, and teachers; irrelevance; low participation; families unable to express themselves; program changes; disinterest; illiteracy among families; ineffective presentations; constant complaints; favoritism; attention deficit in children; difficulty in leaving; conflicts; financial difficulties; unannounced home visits by teachers; gender; and transportation. They were observed to battle these problems by setting aside time, getting help, using effective communication, ensuring high participation, exercising control, updating notice boards, showing guidance and trying to adapt.