Bryndis Garðarsdottir (bryngar@khi.is)Johanna Einarsdottir (joein@khi.is)

Iceland University of Education

European Early Childhood Education Research Association,

Prague August 29 – September 1, 2007

Parent Cooperation in Icelandic Playschools

Playschool For children up to 6 years old, prior to the age of compulsory

education. First level of schooling. Today approximately 30% of one year olds attend playschools,

90% of two year olds, 94% of children ages three to five. Local authorities supervise the building and operation of most

playschools and bear the expenses involved. Parents’ contributions cover roughly 30% of the costs of operation.

The Ministry of Education formulates the educational policy for playschools and publishes the Playschool National Curriculum Guidelines.

National Curriculum - objectives

provide parents with information on the playschool’s activities provide parents with information on their child’s development and

the child’s situation at the playschool gather information on the circumstances and educational views

of parents encourage parental participation in playschool activities foster cooperation and exchange between the playschool and the

home create a forum for exchanging views on children’s education

Cooperation and participation with parents are regarded as important components of the playschool’s responsibility today. However this has not always been so. Icelandic schools have a scarce tradition of parental participation.

Knowledge is limited about parental cooperation in Icelandic playschools today. This study examined playschool teachers’ views and methods of cooperation with parents in times when most Icelandic parents of playschool children work outside the home, and most children attend full-day playschool from the age of two.

Research Questions

What methods do the playschool teachers use in interacting with parents?

What are the difficulties, concerns, and barriers that playschool teachers see in cooperation with parents?

Method

Questionnaire was sent to all playschools in Iceland

Playschool teachers in approximately 72% of Icelandic playschools answered

The questions were mostly open-ended questions, but there were also questions where the participants could choose one of five options on a spectrum ranging from “strongly agree” to

“strongly disagree.”

5,1%

7,3%

16,6%

16,8%

17,4%

29,5%

31,1%

49,3%

0,0% 100,0%

Emphasize the importance of parent cooperation

Introductory meeting in the beginning

Be positive and respect the parent´s views

Tell them about their child

Parent group meetings

General information/introduction to the playschool

Individual parent conferences

Daily chat

* Multiple response question. Sum greater than 100%.

Figure 1. Methods of parent involvement*

4,6%

11,3%

12,7%

14,8%

36,0%

64,3%

0,0% 100,0%

Participate in fieldtrips

Participate in theschool day

Attend meetings

Express their viewson the curriculum

Active parentorganisation

Attend events in theplayschool

* Multiple response question. Sum greater than 100%.

Figure 2. How do parents participate?*

2,5%

4,1%

5,7%

23,9%

28,4%

41,1%

41,7%

48,9%

0,0% 100,0%

Child rearing

Daily hours and rates

Amusing events

The child´s behavior

The child´s conditions

Learning and developement

The playschool day

How the child is doing

* Multiple response question. Sum greater than 100%.

Figure 3. The most common topics discussed with parents*

27,4% 58,1% 14,5%

0% 100%

More about care Equally often More about learning

Figure 4. Discussions concerning learning and care

12,7%

12,9%

15,8%

24,7%

28,5%

37,4%

0,0% 100,0%

Neglect/abuse

Parents unhappy withplayschool curriculum

Parents deny thechild´s problem

Discussing deviations

Discussing difficaultmatters

Closed, uninterestedparents

* Multiple response question. Sum greater than 100%.

Figure 5. Difficulties in cooperation with parents*

2,3%

7,0%

50,9%

59,3%

0,0% 100,0%

Parents ́socialproblems

Parents ́languagedifficulties

Parents ́lack ofinterest

Parents ́lack of time

* Multiple response question. Sum greater than 100%.

Figure 6. Barriers to parental involvement and participation*

Discussion

Teachers’ beliefs about their work are influenced by current and past contextual cultural elements (Bruner, 1996; Kagitchibasi, 1996; Kitayama & Markus, 1999b; Barbara Rogoff, 1993; Shweder et al., 1998)

Parent participation does not have a long tradition in the Icelandic school system and has not been a prominent part of early childhood teacher education. These are influential contexts currently shaping how the participating playschool teachers think

about and construct family involvement and cooperation.

Discussion

The methods the teachers use in communicating with parents

are congruent with the recommendations of the National

Curriculum Guidelines, although the emphasis seems to be

more on providing the parents with information rather than

getting information from the parents and exchanging views on

children’s education.

Discussion Parent-teacher communication occurred most frequently through

daily chat

The results indicate that Icelandic early childhood educators find most parents interested in their children and easy to communicate with, but have problems reaching out to others.

It is important that playschool teachers continue to reflect and evaluate this important part of their work and try to find methods to communicate with all parents and be ready for them during times of their preference