How Teacher Leaders Think About Parents: A Mixed Methods Approach

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 92 - 109, 23.06.2023

Özgür Bolat

https://doi.org/10.35207/later.1300281

Abstract

The present study firstly explores teacher mental images and understandings of the concepts of ‘parent’ through metaphor analysis and secondly examines how teacher leaders differ in terms of perceptions about parents. The primary objective of this study is to uncover teacher leaders' implicit attitudes about ‘parents’ in order to contribute to parental involvement initiatives undertaken by teacher. The study adopts a mixed-design methodology. Teacher leaders were identified through Teacher Leadership Behavior Scale and the metaphors were evaluated using a content analysis method. The research was conducted with 89 teachers. The study presents several significant findings. Metaphor analysis revealed teachers perceive parents in different seven distinction roles, which imply positive, neutral and negative attitude: partner / nurturer (positive), supporter (positive), observer (neutral), student (neutral), mirror (neutral), inspector (negative), Machiavellist (negative) and antagonist (negative). These roles indicate three types of parental involvement, ranging from ‘active participation’ (positive) to ‘passive participation’ (neutral), and to ‘adversarial participation’ (negative). Statistical analysis revealed that teacher leaders, high scorers as identified by teacher leadership behavior scale, have a more positive attitude towards parents than low scorers. Overall, these findings can be utilized by teacher leaders, educational leaders and researchers working in similar domains, providing valuable insights into teachers’ view of parents and contributing to the enhancement of parental involvement practices.

Keywords

teacher leadership, parental involvement, metaphor analysis, Parents

References

• Altun, S. A., Apaydın, Ç. (2013). Kız ve erkek öğretmen adaylarının “eğitim” kavramına ı̇lişkin metaforik algıları. [Metaphorical perceptions of female and male teacher candidates on the concept of "education]. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Yönetimi Dergisi, 19(3), 329-354.
• Aslan, S. (2013). Birleştirilmiş sınıflarda görev yapan öğretmenlerin “öğretmen” kavramı ı̇le ı̇lgili algılarının metaforik ı̇ncelenmesi [Metaphorical analysis of the perceptions of teachers working in inclusive classrooms regarding the concept of "teacher"]. Turkish Studies-International Periodical for The Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic, 8(6), 43-59. ISSN:1308-2140.
• Auerbach, S. (2012). “Conceptualizing leadership for authentic partnerships.” In School Leadership for Authentic Family and Community Partnership: Research Perspectives for Transforming Practice, edited by S. Auerbach, 29–51. New York, NY: Routledge.
• Barger, M. M., Kim, E. M., Kuncel, N. R., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2019). The relation between parents’ involvement in children’s schooling and children’s adjustment: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 145(9), 855.
• Barr, S., and S. Saltmarsh, (2014). “It All Comes down to the Leadership”: The Role of the School Principal in Fostering Parent-school Engagement.” Educational Management Administration & Leadership 42(4): 491–505.
• Basaraba, A. (2013). Beyond the classroom walls. Portals of Promise: Transforming Beliefs and Practices Through a Curriculum of Parents, 93-101.
• Becker, H. J., & Epstein, J. L. (1982). Parent involvement: A survey of teacher practices. The Elementary School Journal, 83(2), 85-102.
• Beycioglu, K., & Aslan, B. (2010). Teacher leadership scale: A validity and reliability study. Elementary Education Online, 9(2). Bolat, O. (2023). Öğretmen liderliği davranış ölçeği: Güvenilirlik ve geçerlilik çalışması [Teacher Leadership Behaviour Scale: Validity and Reliability]. Dokuz Eylül Buca Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi.
• (Yayın aşamasında) Bolat, O. (2013). A non-positional teacher leadership approach to school improvement: an action research study in Turkey. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Cambridge
• Bryan, J., & Henry, L. (2012). A model for building school–family–community partnerships: Principles and process. Journal of Counseling & development, 90(4), 408-420.
• Çakmak, Ö. Ç., Neslitürk, S., & Hayriye, A. S. A. R. (2014). Okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin “Veli” kavramına ilişkin metaforik algıları [Metaphorical perceptions of preschool teachers regarding the concept of "parent"]. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, (18), 679-712.
• Can, N. (2009). Öğretmenlerin sınıfta ve okulda liderlik davranışları [Teachers' leadership behaviors in the classroom and school]. Gaziantep University Journal of Social Sciences, 8(2).
• Castro, M., Expósito-Casas, E., López-Martín, E., Lizasoain, L., Navarro-Asencio, E., & Gaviria, J. L. (2015). Parental involvement on student academic achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 14, 33-46.
• Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing grounded theory. Sage.
• Cornelissen, J. P. (2005). Beyond compare: Metaphor in organization theory. Academy of Management Review, 30(4), 751-764.
• Cotter, D. A., Hermsen, J. M., Ovadia, S., & Vanneman, R. (2001). The glass ceiling effect. Social Forces, 80(2), 655-681.
• Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage Publications.
• Demir, K. (2014). Öğretmen liderliği kültürü ölçeği: Geçerlik ve güvenilirlik çalışması [Scale of Teacher Leadership Culture: Validity and reliability study]. İlkogretim Online, 13(2).
• DeVellis, R. F., & Thorpe, C. T. (2021). Scale development: Theory and applications. Sage Publications.
• Dor, A., & Rucker-Naidu, T. B. (2012). Teachers' attitudes toward parents' involvement in school: comparing teachers in the USA and Israel. Issues in Educational Research, 22(3), 246-262.
• El Nokali, N. E., Bachman, H. J., & Votruba-Drzal, E. (2010). Parent involvement and children’s academic and social development in elementary school. Child Development, 81, 988-1005.
• Epstein, J. L. (1987). Parent involvement: What research says to administrators. Education and Urban Society, 19(2), 119-136.
• Epstein, J. L., & Becker, H. J. (1982). Teachers' reported practices of parent involvement: Problems and possibilities. The Elementary School Journal, 83(2), 103-113.
• Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1-4.
• Fiskerstrand, A. (2022). Literature review–Parent involvement and mathematic outcome. Educational Research Review, 100458.
• Flowers, T. M. (2015). Examining the relationship between parental involvement and mobile technology use (Doctoral dissertation, Walden University).
• Fraenkel, J., Hyun, H., & Wallen, N. (2011). How To Design and Evaluate Research in Education. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Fullan, M. (1985). Change processes and strategies at the local level. The Elementary School Journal, 85(3), 391-421.
• Giles, C. (2006). Transformational leadership in challenging urban elementary schools: A role for parental involvement? Leadership and Policy in Schools, 5(3), 257–282.
• Grolnick, W. S., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2022). Should parents be involved in their children’s schooling?. Theory Into Practice, 61(3), 325-335.
• Grolnick, W. S., & Slowiaczek, M. L. (1994). Parents' involvement in children's schooling: A multidimensional conceptualization and motivational model. Child Development, 65(1), 237-252.
• Hacıfazlıoglu, Ö., Karadeniz, Ş., & Dalgıç, G. (2011). Okul yöneticilerinin teknoloji liderliğine ilişkin algıları: metafor analizi örneği [Perceptions of School Administrators on Technology Leadership: An Example of Metaphor Analysis]. Eğitim Bilimleri Araştırmaları Dergisi, 1(1), 97-121.
• Heinrichs, J. (2018). “School leadership based in a philosophy and pedagogy of parent engagement.” School Leadership and Management 38(2): 187–201.
• Henderson, A., Mapp, K., Johnson, V., & Davies, D. (2007). Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships. The New Press.
• Hill, N. E., Castellino, D. R., Lansford, J. E., Nowlin, P., Dodge, K. A., Bates, J. E., & Pettit, G. S. (2004). Parent academic involvement as related to school behavior, achievement, and aspirations: Demographic variations across adolescence. Child Development, 75(5), 1491-1509.
• Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (1997). Why do parents become involved in their children’s education?. Review of educational research, 67(1), 3-42.
• Huebner, D. (1984). The search for religious metaphors in the language of education. Phenomenology and Pedagogy, 2(2), 112.
• Jeynes, W. (2010). Parental involvement and academic success. Routledge. Jeynes, W. H. (2005). A meta-analysis of the relation of parental involvement to urban elementary school student academic achievement. Urban Education, 40(3), 237-269.
• Jung, S. B., & Sheldon, S. (2020). Connecting dimensions of school leadership for partnerships with school and teacher practices of family engagement. School Community Journal, 30(1), 9-32.
• Katzenmeyer, M. & Moller, G. (2009). Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Helping Teachers Develop as Leaders. Corwin Press.
• Küpers, W. (2005). Phenomenology of embodied implicit and narrative knowing. Journal of Knowledge Management, 9(6), 114-133.
• Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. University of Chicago Press.
• Landau, M. J., Meier, B. P., & Keefer, L. A. (2018). A metaphor-enriched social cognition. Psychological Bulletin, 144(6), 561.
• Levine, P. M. (2005). Metaphors and images of classrooms. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 41(4), 172-175.
• Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Newberry Park.
• Martínez, M. Á. Á., & Tadeu, P. M. (2018). Teacher leadership: A bibliometric study. Journal of Educational Change, 19(4), 425-449.
• Morton, N. (2017). "Harvard Professor’s Quest: Persuade Every Teacher to Build Stronger Ties with Families." The Seattle Times. Education Lab, May 12. https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/harvard-professors-quest-persuade-every-teacher-to-build-stronger-ties-with-families/
• Murray, E., McFarland-Piazza, L., & Harrison, L. J. (2015). Changing patterns of parent–teacher communication and parent involvement from preschool to school. Early Child Development and Care, 185(7), 1031-1052.
• Nguyen, D., Harris, A., & Ng, D. (2020). A review of the empirical research on teacher leadership (2003–2017) Evidence, patterns and implications. Journal of Educational Administration, 58(1), 60-80.
• Ortony, A., & Fainsilber, L. (1987). The role of metaphors in descriptions of emotions. Metaphor and Symbol, 2(2), 97-115.
• Pektaş, M., & Kildan, A. O. (2009). Farklı branşlardaki öğretmen adaylarının “Öğretmen” kavramı ile ilgili geliştirdikleri metaforların karşılaştırılması [Comparison of Metaphors Developed by Teacher Candidates from Different Disciplines Regarding the Concept of "Teacher"]. Erzincan Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 11(2), 270-288.
• Pushor, D., & Amendt, T. (2018). Leading an examination of beliefs and assumptions about parents. School Leadership & Management, 38(2), 202-221.
• Ritchey, T. (2018). General morphological analysis as a basic scientific modelling method. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 126, 81-91.
• Saban, A. (2008a). Okula ilişkin metaforlar [Metaphors regarding school]. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Yönetimi, 55, 459-496.
• Saban, A. (2008b). İlköğretim I. kademe öğretmen ve öğrencilerinin bilgi kavramına ilişkin sahip oldukları zihinsel imgeler [Mental Images of Primary School Teachers and Students Regarding the Concept of "Knowledge"]. İlköğretim Online 7(2), ss. 421–455.
• Saban, A. (2009). Öğretmen adaylarının öğrenci kavramına ilişkin sahip oldukları zihinsel imgeler. [Mental Images of Teacher Candidates Regarding the Concept of "Student"]. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi, Bahar 2009, 7(2), 281-326.
• Saban, A. (2010). Computer teacher candidates' metaphors about the internet. Education, 131(1).
• Şahin, D., Tüzel, E. (2014). İlköğretim birinci kademe öğrencilerinin okul yöneticilerine ı̇lişkin metaforları[ Metaphors of Primary School Students Regarding School Administrators]. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 2014(17).
• Saltmarsh, S., Barr, J., & Chapman, A. (2015). Preparing for parents: How Australian teacher education is addressing the question of parent-school engagement. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 35(1), 69-84.
• Schoemaker, P. J. (2020). How historical analysis can enrich scenario planning. Futures & Foresight Science, 2(3-4), e35.
• Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research Techniques. Sage Publications.
• Streiner, D. L., Norman, G. R., & Cairney, J. (2015). Health measurement scales: a practical guide to their development and use. Oxford University Press, USA.
• TDK. (2015). Retrieved from: http://www.tdk.gov.tr
• Thibodeau, P. H., Matlock, T., & Flusberg, S. J. (2019). The role of metaphor in communication and thought. Language and Linguistic Compass, 13(5), e12327.
• Tsoukas, H. (1991). The missing link: A transformational view of metaphors in organizational science. Academy of Management Review, 16(3), 566-585.
• Vaismoradi, M., Jones, J., Turunen, H., & Snelgrove, S. (2016). Theme development in qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 6(5).
• Veas, A., Castejón, J. L., Miñano, P., & Gilar‐Corbí, R. (2019). Relationship between parent involvement and academic achievement through metacognitive strategies: A multiple multilevel mediation analysis. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(2), 393-411.
• Wang, M., & Xia, J. (2022). A scale for measuring teacher leadership in early childhood education in China: Development and validation. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 50(4), 649-671.
• Warren, M. R., Hong, S., Rubin, C. L., & Sychitkokhong, P. U. (2009). Beyond the bake sale: A community-based relational approach to parent engagement in schools. Teachers College Record, 111(9), 2209-2254.
• Wenner, J. A., & Campbell, T. (2017). The theoretical and empirical basis of teacher leadership: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 87(1), 134-171.
• Wilder, S. (2014). Effects of parental involvement on academic achievement: a meta-synthesis. Educational Review, 66(3), 377-397.
• York-Barr, J., & Duke, K. (2004). What do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 255-316.
• Yu, X., Chen, Y., Yang, C., Yang, X., Chen, X., & Dang, X. (2022). How does parental involvement matter for children's academic achievement during school closure in primary school?. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(4), 1621-1637.
• Yulianti, K., Denessen, E., Droop, M., & Veerman, G. J. (2022). School efforts to promote parental involvement: the contributions of school leaders and teachers. Educational Studies, 48(1), 98-113.
• Yulianti, K., E. Denessen, M. Droop, and G. Veerman, (2019). “Transformational leadership for parental involvement: how teachers perceive school leadership practices to promote parental involvement in children’s education.” Leadership and Policy in Schools, 20(2), 277-292.
• Zembat, R., Tunçeli, H. İ., Akşin, E. (2015). Okul öncesi öğretmen adaylarının" okul yöneticisi” kavramına ı̇lişkin algılarına yönelik metafor çalışması [Metaphorical Study on the Perceptions of Pre-school Teacher Candidates Regarding the Concept of "School Administrator"]. Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Journal, Volume 1.