Teacher Perspectives on Family Engagement in Elementary Schools Serving Culturally Diverse and Low-Income Students

• In Event: Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers' and Students' Perspectives and Beliefs About Each Other

Abstract

This study examined elementary teachers’ perspectives of family engagement (FE). Educational research has long recognized the importance of FE in cultivating students’ academic success. However, strategies about how to effectively engage diverse families from low-income backgrounds remain elusive, and little is known about how elementary educators perceive, prepare for, and engage in FE practices. Individual interviews and surveys were conducted with 11 teachers, who taught at public elementary schools serving low-income communities in Hawai‘i, who were nominated for being successful in family engagement. Grounded theory analysis resulted in six themes: definition and importance of FE; teacher roles and beliefs; teacher preparation; considerations for low-income and immigrant families; school culture; and school resources and funding.

Authors

• Kanayo Sakai, University of Hawaii - Manoa

• Lois A. Yamauchi, University of Hawaii - Manoa