Gladys Maza focused her inquiry on the dynamics of parent/family involvement in early childhood educational settings. An overview of the study along with a visual representation can be found below:
The focus of my research was on family involvement in an early childhood setting. My primary research question was, how can family involvement be enhanced in a pre-K classroom? Three sub-questions were:
What are parents' perceptions about family involvement?
What are the challenges parents encounter with family involvement?
How do teachers create a welcoming environment for parents to be involved in the classroom?
The purpose of this study was to determine how to enhance family involvement in a Pre-K classroom. Based on my findings from interviews with three parents, it is clear that they want the best for their children and understand their roles as parents. The teachers also strive to make parents feel welcome in the classroom and do their best to encourage their involvement. My observations indicated that parents actively engage with them and tend to perform better in school. Two of the parents in the study were able to participate and be involved in school activities. However, the third parent, a single parent, found it challenging to be involved. The question remains: what will I do moving forward? I will continue to encourage family involvement and ensure that parents who are unable to come to school receive all the necessary information about what they missed. I will continue to send out information to keep parents well-informed about school via email, text, and Class Dojo. Additionally, I provide a calendar with all the key dates in advance, allowing parents to plan for important meetings, events, and shows that they are invited to attend.
This study has provided me with valuable insights into the perspectives of parents. It has encouraged me to reflect on my own practices. In the future, when I host an event, meeting, or celebration, I will reach out to parents who may have missed important information and ensure they receive it. As teachers, we must recognize that there are various reasons why parents may be unable to participate in their child's education. It is our responsibility to find effective ways to communicate and collaborate with them, acknowledging that both teachers and parents play a crucial role in ensuring a child's success in school.