Human Development and Child Studies

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Communication as a Conduit for Successful Parent Engagement: Early Childhood Teachers Speak Up
(2024-01-01) Brazell, Stacy Ann; Wakabayashi, Tomoko; Carver, Cynthia; Oden, Sherri; Ricks-Doneen, Julie
This dissertation delves into the crucial realm of teacher-parent communication, recognizing its pivotal role in establishing a foundation of trust with families. This study employs a qualitative approach to emphasize the bidirectional and continuous nature of effective communication. It adopts a case study methodology, focusing on ten early childhood teachers within a Michigan school district. Through in-depth interviews guided by a common question - “How do you perceive and describe communication with parents?” - the research unveils two central themes: 1) the identification of effective communication strategies for building trust and 2) the exploration of collaborative learning, professional development, and new teacher experiences. The findings shed light on teachers perspectives regarding communication with families, revealing insights into professional development, new teacher learning, mentorship, empathy, administrative support, and collaborative learning. These discoveries contribute to a nuanced understanding of teacher-parent communication and hold promise for shaping future practices and policies in education and family involvement