Educational partnership in primary schools in light of the experiences of parents of students in grades 1–4
Abstract
Research objective: The pilot study aimed to gather parents’ opinions on the implementation of the educational partnership concept in selected schools.
The research problem and methods: The research problem was formulated as follows: How do parents of students in grades 1–4 perceive the implementation of the educational partnership concept in primary schools? A diagnostic survey was conducted using an original questionnaire with a 5-point response scale. The research material was analyzed using statistical methods.
Structure of the article: The introduction refers to the humanistic principles underlying contemporary educational concepts. The essence of educational partnership is discussed, with an emphasis on the relationship between the school and parents. The subjects of cooperation, determinants of partnership relationships, and factors that may pose a threat to them are identified. The discussion is situated in the context of partnership models developed by Joyce L. Epstein and Urie Bronfenbrenner. The following section presents the methodological assumptions, statistical analysis results, and a discussion of the findings and conclusions.
Research results and their impact on the development of pedagogical sciences: Parents positively evaluate educational partnership across all key components (communication, cooperation, trust, and the nature of the relationship). They trust the school, feel like co-decision-makers in matters concerning their child, and receive the necessary support from teachers. Communication with teachers takes the form of dialogue. The findings expand knowledge in the field of educational partnership and serve as a reference point for further comparative studies.
Conclusions, innovations, and recommendations: Although the results confirm the implementation of educational partnerships, it should be noted that some parents expressed less positive assessments. This indicates the need to continue efforts to optimize school–parent relationships and to identify parents’ needs regarding communication with the school.
References
Christenson, S., Palan, R., & Scullin, S. (2009). Student services: Family- school partnerships: An essential component of student achievement, Principal Leadership, 9, 10-16.
Epstein, J. L. (199Christenson, S., Palan, R., & Scullin, S. (2009). Student services: Family–school partnerships: An essential component of student achievement. Principal Leadership, 9, 10–16.
Epstein, J. L. (1992). School and family partnerships (Report No. 6). Center on Families, Communities, Schools & Children’s Learning, Johns Hopkins University. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED343715 [accessed 05.11.2024]
Epstein, J. L. (1995). School, family, and community partnerships: Caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701–712. https://jreadingclass.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/school-family-community-partnerships.pdf [accessed 30.11.2024]
Epstein, J. L., & Sheldon, S. B. (2019). The importance of evaluating programs of school, family and community partnerships. Aula Abierta, 48(1), 31–42. https://doi.org/10.17811/rifie.48.1.2019.31-42 [accessed 30.11.2024]
Janke, A. (2002). Perspektywa analizy wychowania w kategorii procesu [The perspective of analyzing education as a process]. In A. M. Tchorzewski (Ed.), Współczesne konteksty wychowania [Contemporary contexts of education] (pp. 64–92). Wers Publishing House.
Jeziorański, M. (2022). Relacja wychowawcza. Rozumienie, modele, propozycje [Educational relationship. Understanding, models, suggestions]. KUL Publishing House.
Karbowniczek, J. (2016). Zasada partnerstwa edukacyjnego w edukacji wczesnoszkolnej [The principle of educational partnership in early childhood education]. Edukacja Elementarna w Teorii i Praktyce, 11(2(40)), 71–84. https://doi.org/10.35765/eetp.2016.1140.05
Kunowski, S. (2004). Podstawy współczesnej pedagogiki [Fundamentals of contemporary pedagogy]. Wydawnictwo Salezjańskie.
Mendel, M. (2009). Nauczyciel z uczniem, rodzicami i lokalną społecznością. Koncepcje partnerstwa edukacyjnego [Teachers with pupils, parents and the local community. Concepts of educational partnership]. In D. Klus-Stańska & M. Szczepska-Pustkowska (Eds.), Pedagogika wczesnoszkolna – dyskursy, problemy, rozwiązania [Early school education – discourses, problems, solutions] (pp. 185–223). Academic and Professional Publishers.
Milerski, B., & Śliwerski, B. (Eds.). (2000). Pedagogika. Lexicon [Pedagogy. Lexicon]. PWN.
Rouse, E., & O’Brien, D. (2017). Mutuality and reciprocity in parent–teacher relationships: Understanding the nature of partnerships in early childhood education and care provision. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 42(2), 45–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.23965/AJEC.42.2.06
Szempruch, J. (2009). W poszukiwaniu idei podmiotowości relacji edukacyjnych rodziny i szkoły [In search of the idea of subjectivity in educational relations between family and school]. Chowanna. Tom Jubileuszowy, 79–88.
. School and family partnerships. Report No 6, Center on Families, Communities, Schools & Children’s Learning. Johns Hopkins University. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED343715 [access: 05.11.2024]
Epstein, J. L. (1995). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share, Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701-712. https://jreadingclass.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/school-family-community-partnerships.pdf [access: 30.11.2024]
Epstein, J. L. & Sheldon, S.B. (2019). The importance of evaluating programs of school, family and community partnerships, Aula Abierta, 48 (1), 31-42. https://doi.org/10.17811/rifie.48.1.2019.31-42 [access: 30.11.2024]
Janke, A. (2002). Perspektywa analizy wychowania w kategorii procesu. W: A.M. Tchorzewski (red.), Współczesne konteksty wychowania,(s. 64‒92). Wers Publishing House.
Jeziorański, M. (2022). Relacja wychowawcza. Rozumienie, modele, propozycje. KUL Publishing House.
Karbowniczek, J. (2016). Zasada partnerstwa edukacyjnego w edukacji wczesnoszkolnej, Edukacja Elementarna w Teorii i Praktyce, 11(2(40), 71-84. https://doi.org/10.35765/eetp.2016.1140.05
Kunowski, S. (2004). Podstawy współczesnej pedagogiki. Wydawnictwo Salezjańskie.
Mendel, M. (2009). Nauczyciel z uczniem, rodzicami i lokalną społecznością. Koncepcje partnerstwa edukacyjnego. W: D. Klus-Stańska, M. Szczepska-Pustkowska (red.), Pedagogika wczesnoszkolna – dyskursy, problemy, rozwiązania, (page: 185-223). Academic and Professional Publishers.
Milerski, B., Śliwerski, B., (red.). (2000). Pedagogika. Lexicon, PWN.
Rouse, E. & O’Brien, D. (2017). Mutuality and reciprocity in parent–teacher relationships: Understanding the nature of partnerships in early childhood education and care provision, Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 42(2), 45-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.23965/AJEC.42.2.06
Szempruch, J. (2009). W poszukiwaniu idei podmiotowości relacji edukacyjnych rodziny i szkoły, Chowanna Tom Jubileuszowy, 79-88.
Copyright (c) 2025 Janina Florczykiewicz, Marek Jeziorański
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
-
The Author/Authors declares/declare that their publication is original has not been published before and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere and does not include borrowings from other works which might cause Publisher's responsibility, does not infringe the rights of the third party and that their copyright on this publication is not limited. The Author/Authors will incur all the costs and will pay compensations which might result from the mendacity of the following statement.
-
The Author/Authors declares/declare that issues about publication ethics, have been appropriately considered.
-
The Author/Authors agrees/agree to publish the article free of charge in Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education in English or Spanish. The Editorial Board reserves the right to shorten the texts and change the titles.
-
As part of free publication mentioned in § 1, the Author/Authors agrees/agree to make the full electronic version of their article available in the Internet.
- The Author/Authors agrees/agree to index their article in databases at home and abroad, including abstracts and keywords as well as Authors’ affiliation in English and in other languages. The Author/Authors agrees/agree to pass on the information mentioned above to the owners of these databases.
-
The Author/Authors declares/declare that the article is free of plagiarism.
-
The Author/Authors declares/declare that funding and conflict of interest information has been included in the article.
-
The Author/Authors accepts/accept that the author is aware of the consequences of scientific dishonesty, which, once detected, will be documented and disclosed to the public, and information about it will be communicated to the relevant institutions (universities employing the authors, scientific societies, publishing houses, etc.).
-
The Author/Authors declares/declare to publish the text in the Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-ND 4.0).
- For one Author. Please complete the Author Statement and send it to the editorial office. Please download, complete, scan and attach the file in the system during the submission process.
Download: Author Statement -
For more than one Author. The Authors declare to bear complete responsibility for the scientific reliability of the article submitted. The detailed contribution of all co-authors is defined. Please complete the Authors Statement-Authorship Contributions and send it to the editorial office. Please indicate the specific contributions made by each author (list the authors’ initials, e.g., JKH). Please download, complete, scan and attach the file in the system during the submission process.
Download: Authors Statement - Authorship Contributions
