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.