Accountability and discussions between teachers and parents about children's progress and programme in child care centres

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the government requirement that teachers in early childhood centres 'make provision at all times for parents and families to discuss their child's progress and be informed about their child's daily programme'. This requirement, included in the Early Childhood Charter Guidelines: A Statement of Desirable Objectives and Practices, 1990, is part of each centre's contractual obligations to the Crown and partnership agreement with parents. The requirement has generated new monitoring and communication practices and a re-evaluation of early childhood pedagogy. The study investigates the background of the requirement including the educational theories that underpin it. A literature review explores the history of parent involvement in early childhood and the growing awareness of the importance of communication between teachers and parents. The benefits of establishing a forum for teacher-parent discussions on progress are explored. The concepts of partnership and accountability are discussed in relation to the 1989 New Zealand reforms in education and the subsequent government legislation. The study was carried out in 11 childcare centres in the Wellington district. At least one member of the teaching staff and three parents from each childcare centre were interviewed to explore which methods centres used to record children's progress and the form and content of the teacher-parent discussions. The study included a focus on each centre's individual child record-keeping practices and how these are used as a discussion tool with parents. In all the eleven centres participating in this study, there is a move towards formalised observation, record keeping and discussion practices. The study found that the practice of communicating with parents is not a new one to childcare teachers, indeed childcare centres have a long history of relationship building and communication with parents. The traditional concepts of parent involvement and the importance of developing a working relationship with parents are understood and in some centres well-established. However, the 1990 charter contract introduced accountability and formalised the concept of parent- teacher partnership within an accountability framework. While there is general understanding about the need to observe, record and discuss the information with parents there is no universally accepted formula for doing so nor is there a clear understanding of what is meant by progress in early childhood education. Athey (1990) says that early childhood has traditionally had difficulty articulating the benefits to children from participation in programmes. Before measuring progress, Athey (ibid) says there needs to be a clearer vision of the goals and purposes of the programmes and what the intended achievements in terms of learning and development are. The difficulty of implementing a new requirement without the concomitant backing by government (Athey ibid) to enable teachers to increase their understanding of the requirement is reflected in centre practices. Many teachers are confused about the expectations and are struggling to develop effective methods and come to terms with the theories of the concept. This is often done with little or no guidance or indeed conflicting guidance. There is evidence that the educational agencies are themselves unclear about the requirements and have given different messages. Interpretation of the requirement by relevant government agencies proved to be broad. Responses from Education Review Office reviewers, the Ministry of Education Chief Adviser Early Childhood, Early Childhood Development Unit coordinators and College of Education Advisory support staff indicate there is belief in an ideal which is based on the principles of partnership wherein the parent is recognised as the child's most important teacher. However interviews with staff from these agencies revealed differences in understanding and interpretation of the requirement. It was found that a range of practices contribute to compliance and are accepted by the Education Review Office. The range includes a variety or combination of practices from informal communication at transition time to organised parent interviews where recorded monitoring is discussed. Parent noticeboard publications, newsletters, introductory material and parent evenings to discuss the centre programme are considered valid ways of informing parents about the child's daily programme. All parents interviewed wanted to be assured that their child was happy and fitting into the centre. A number of parents felt happy that staff would communicate if there was a need and trusted staff professionalism as 'they are trained and know'. However there is an increasing demand for information about children's learning, development and progress which parents can respond to. Where discussion, based on structured data, is working well, parents report new insights and learning which enables them to operate more effectively as parents. In two centres the practice had increased the potential for facilitating higher level thinking in children's play. This tentative outcome points to a potential advance in professionalism and quality in early childhood centres.