Talking About Photographs: Cultural Capital and Parent-Teacher Interactions in Early Childhood Settings

• In Event: Roundtable Session 52
  In Roundtable Session: Parent Involvement in the Early Years

Abstract

This study examined the interactions between parents and teachers as families shared photographs of home-based learning. Families were provided with a digital camera for one week to document activities they used to support children’s early learning and development. Families then participated in an interview with their child’s teacher to share and discuss the meaning behind the images. Upon completion, teachers participated in a follow-up interview with the researchers to reflect on the process and relationships with families. Data were thematically analyzed through the theoretical lens of Cultural Capital, and findings suggested that previously established power dynamics and assumptions about families interfered with the photo-sharing process. Implications for early childhood professionals are discussed, specifically related to addressing biases in home-school relationships.

Authors

• Kyle Elizabeth Miller, Illinois State University

• Miranda Lin, Illinois State University