Fostering Trust Remotely in Early Childhood Education: A Portrait Study of Parent-Teacher Relationships in Lebanon

• In Event: Intersectoral Approaches to Education in Humanitarian Crises and Emergencies (I)

Proposal

Parent-teacher relationships play a crucial role in early childhood education (ECE), as they contribute to the overall success and development of children (Hughes & Kwok, 2007). While existing research primarily focuses on parent-teacher relationships in the context of in-person schooling (Adams & Christenson, 2000; Santiago et al., 2016; Wolf, 2020), it is imperative to recognize their heightened significance in the realm of remote education and caregiver-mediated learning. In this context, trust becomes a pivotal aspect, referring to the confidence that both parties have in each other's ability to act in a way that benefits or sustains the relationship and achieves positive outcomes for students (Adams & Christenson, 2000; Goddard, 2003). Moreover, research has indicated that compromised trust in the parent-teacher relationship can lead to adverse effects on student outcomes, including decreased academic achievement, reduced motivation to learn, and increased behavioral issues (Hughes & Kwok, 2007; Santiago et al., 2016).

This empirical research study aims to shed light on unexplored dimensions of trust and its impact on the efficacy of collective actions in the context of education for refugees. The relevance of this study to CIES 2024 lies in understanding the role of trust in fostering productive relationships between various stakeholders involved in education, especially in contexts of displacement and vulnerability. Within this study, we explore the territory of parent-teacher relationships during a remote Early Childhood Education (ECE) when the caregiver is entrusted with facilitating learning activities with the child, in contrast to the conventional practice where teachers take on this role. The scarcity of research on parent-teacher relationships in emergency education settings adds to the novelty of this study.

The remote Early Childhood Education (ECE) program highlighted in this work is specifically tailored for children aged 5-6 years (KG3) with no prior ECE experience. It spans over 11 weeks and employs a play-based approach to learning. Participating families receive a kit of learning materials at the program's onset, and the learning experience takes place in virtual classrooms of 5-6 families (including caregivers and their children) through WhatsApp group audio calls. Each week, caregivers and children engage in three sessions, each lasting 35-40 minutes, during which they are introduced to 4 to 5 activities. Notably, caregivers are requested to capture photographs and/or videos of the children completing the activities each week. Moreover, the program features Lebanese women as teachers, all of whom possess at least one year of prior ECE experience. Meanwhile, the participating caregivers primarily consist of Syrian refugee mothers residing in hard-to-access settings within Lebanon.

Utilizing portraiture qualitative research methods pioneered by Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997), this study involves a deep exploration of the parent-teacher relationship between one teacher and one caregiver who participated in the same remote ECE program. Through portraiture, the researcher captures the essence of their experiences, emotions, and perceptions, thereby enriching our understanding of the trust dynamics in the relationship. Data is collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and artifacts from the participants' lives, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of trust at various levels. The decision to employ portraiture stemmed from a larger mixed-method research study that revealed promising results (moderate to large effect sizes on child development, child play, and caregiver report of learning interactions with the child as well as positive accounts of the program’s impact by teachers and caregivers) about the effectiveness of remote ECE. Qualitative work from this study also highlighted the crucial role of the parent-teacher relationship in the implementation process. The portraiture method was chosen to provide an intimate and nuanced understanding of the relationship's intricacies and further complement and expand upon this qualitative data.

By uncovering the nuances of trust in the parent-teacher relationship during remote ECE, the findings of this study will enhance the existing knowledge on parent-teacher relationships in emergency settings, offering invaluable insights that can significantly influence education in crisis situations. The adoption of the portraiture qualitative research method further enriches the contributions, offering a deep understanding of the relationship dynamics that traditional approaches may not capture. Moreover, as one of the rare portrait studies conducted in the context of remote education in emergencies, this research provides unique perspectives and fresh knowledge that can inform policy and practice, particularly for this novel program. The comprehensive exploration of this specific program in Lebanon and with the Syrian refugees will serve as a crucial resource for educators and policymakers seeking to replicate or adapt similar approaches in their own settings. Ultimately, the impact of this research extends to the CIES community, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions that foster effective parent-teacher collaborations, enhance remote ECE practices, and nurture the development and academic success of young learners worldwide.


References:

Adams, K. S., & Christenson, S. L. (2000). Trust and the Family-School Relationship: Examination of Parent-Teacher Differences in Elementary and Secondary Grades. Journal of School Psychology, 38(5), 477–497. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-4405(00)00048-0
Goddard, R. D. (2003). Relational Networks, Social Trust, and Norms: A Social Capital Perspective on Students’ Chances of Academic Success. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 25(1), 59–74. https://doi.org/10.3102/01623737025001059
Hughes, J., & Kwok, O. (2007). Influence of student-teacher and parent-teacher relationships on lower achieving readers’ engagement and achievement in the primary grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(1), 39–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.99.1.39
Lawrence-Lightfoot, S., & Davis, J. H. (1997). The Art and Science of Portraiture. Jossey-Bass.
Santiago, R. T., Garbacz, S. A., Beattie, T., & Moore, C. L. (2016). Parent-Teacher Relationships in Elementary School: An Examination of Parent-Teacher Trust. Psychology in the Schools, 53(10), 1003–1017. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.21971
Wolf, S. (2020). “Me I don’t really discuss anything with them”: Parent and teacher perceptions of early childhood education and parent-teacher relationships in Ghana. International Journal of Educational Research, 99, 101525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2019.101525

Authors

• Somaia Abdulrazzak, Global TIES for Children, New York University

• Lina Torossian, International Rescue Organization