• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.73-89
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of communication and cooperation between teachers and parents on infant care. Specifically, this study explored the direct effect of teacher-parent partnership on teacher-infant interactions and the indirect effect through teacher sensitivity. Methods: The participants of this study were 216 teachers in charge of infant classes at child care centers located in Gyeonggi-do. They responded to questionnaires on teacher-parent partnership, their sensitivity, and teacher-infant interactions. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: First, teacher-parent partnership did not have a direct impact on teacher-infant interactions. Second, teacher-parent partnership indirectly influenced teacher-infant interactions through teacher sensitivity. In other words, a high level of teacher-parent partnership was associated with a high level of sensitivity, subsequently resulting in the provision of high-quality interactions for infants. Conclusion/Implications: This study confirmed the role of teacher sensitivity as a mechanism to explain how teacher-parent partnership is linked to teacher-child interactions. The results emphasize the importance of communication and cooperation between teachers and parents in enhancing teachers' sensitivity and, ultimately, providing high-quality child care to infants.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.1-17
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• 2018

Objective: This study examined the relationship between child care teachers'job satisfaction, teacher-parent partnership, and teacher- child interaction in order to improve the quality of child care. Methods: Self-report questionnaires were used on 321 child care teachers and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and Structural Equation Modeling Analysis. Results: First, significant correlations existed among variables except the relationship between payment/promotion and other variables. The results showed that child care teachers'job satisfaction had a significant and direct influence on teacher-child interaction, and teachers' job satisfaction was partially mediated by teacher-parent partnership on teacher-child interaction. Conclusion/Implications: The findings confirm that teachers' job satisfaction and teacher-parent partnership are preceding factors for positive teacher-child interaction. Significant attention should be paid to child care teachers'psychological satisfaction and teacher-parent relationships to promote the quality of child care and the positive interaction between teachers and children.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.71-89
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• 2012

This study examined the characteristics of early child care teachers and the ways this influences their abilities to promote the parent-teacher partnerships. 266 early child care teachers participated in this study. Parent-teacher partnerships, communication competence, interpersonal competence, and teacher efficacy in enlisting parental involvement were measured by means of The Caregiver-Parent Partnership Scale, Global Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire and selected elements of the Teacher Self-efficacy Scale. The results indicated that parent-teacher partnerships were significantly different in terms of the characteristics of teachers. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the communication competence, interpersonal competence, and teacher self-efficacy significantly predicted the type and quality of parent-teacher partnerships. In conclusion, improving the effectiveness of parent-teacher partnerships seems heavily dependent upon the quality and personal abilities an beliefs of early child care teachers.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.41-54
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of husband's emotional support and mother-teacher partnership on maternal parenting stress. The participants in this study consisted of 216 mothers with children(aged 4-5years). Husband's emotional support was measured by the Parenting Alliance Inventory(PAI, R. R. Abidin, 1988) revised by R. R. Abidin and J. F. Brunner(1995). Mother-teacher partnership was measured using the Caregiver-Parent Partnership Scale(A. M. Ware, B. Barfoot, A. S. Rusher & M. T. Owen, 1995) revised by M. T. Owen, A. M. Ware and B. Barfoot(2000). Parental Stress was measured by the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form(PSI-SF, R. R. Abidin, 1995) revised by M. E. Haskett, L. S. Ahern, C. S. Ward and J. C. Allaire(2006). The data were analyzed through mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression. The results of this study were as follows: First, the mean score of husband's emotional support was higher than average and the mean score of mother-teacher partnership was an average level. Parenting stress was lower than average. Second, there were statistically differences in maternal parental stress according to number of children and mother's educational level. Third, husband's emotional support and mother-teacher partnership were influenced by maternal parental stress. The results of this study are important because they show mothers, fathers, and teachers ways to reduce maternal parental stress.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.35-47
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• 2011

The purpose of the current study is to investigate parents' understanding and needs for character education in early childhood and during elementary education and to suggest policy implications effective character education for young children. Using focus group interviews, we collected qualitative data from 14 mothers in Seoul, Korea. The mothers were unclear about the definition of character education for their children and about their role in teaching proper values during the early years of their children's development. Most mothers with preschoolers were satisfied with the character education their children were receiving, whereas mothers with children in elementary school were not satisfied with the character education provided by school. The mothers expressed their concerns about the reliability of the teachers and schools of their children. As policy implications, providing regular parent education, activating parent-teacher associations, and strengthening the partnership through support from the community are suggested.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.103-127
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• 2015

This study is based on the criticism against life contempt tendency in the educational environment of our society. The purpose of this study is to find out the perception and expectation about the realities and formations of partnership between the home and early childhood educational setting of parents and teachers. The ultimate aim is to build a foundation which transforms educational settings into warm educational communities. The research participants were 4 mothers whose children attended the setting and 4 teachers of the early childhood educational setting (8 participants in total). The research results were as follows. The perception of the realities about partnership of parents and teachers was sub-categorized into four categories: 1)"partnership": essential aspect in children's positive development, 2) practicing with vague concepts, 3) lacking the awareness of companion or partnership, 4) disturbing cooperation between parents and teachers from external issues and problems. The expectation of parents and teachers about formation of partnership between home and early childhood educational setting was sub-categorized into five categories: 1) building of community consciousness for better partnership, 2) developing empathy and communication skills between parents and teachers for mutual understanding, 3) considering various strategies to promote partnership with different styles of parents, 4) activating teacher training and parent education in link with local universities and on-line, 5) providing support from the national level to establish new relationships between home and educational settings. Consequently, it will lead early childhood education settings to be transformed into warm educational communities which orientate respect for life.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.119-130
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• 2012

This study attempted to investigate school participation experiences and the need for a school-participation leave for employed parents. A school participation leave is a paid or unpaid leave that guarantees workers to take time-off for school participation regarding children's educational purposes. We reviewed cases of school participation in other countries. There are similar types of educational leave in Russia, Greece, Italia, Sweden, Swaziland, and South Africa. We collected survey data from 1,194 employed parents (794 fathers and 400 mothers) whose children attend kindergarten, elementary, middle, or high-school. This study compares school participation experiences and needs by parent gender. The results showed that 62 % of the fathers and 80 % of the mothers participated in any type of school meetings and events at least once in the previous year. Fathers attended school events such as art festivals and mothers attended PTA meetings, school events, and parent-teacher conferences. The most frequently mentioned reason for non-participation among parents was related to work. A total of 87.7% of the parents agreed that a school-participation leave should be introduced. The results of the logistic regression showed that mothers compared to fathers, college graduates compared to post-secondary graduates, those whose children attended preschool or elementary school compared to high school, and those who had longer working hours were more likely to agree on the introduction of school participation leave. In conclusion, a policy intervention such as school-participation leave should be considered to provide employed parents time to be involved in their children's education and participate in school activities.