(PS5-A23) A Community-based Participatory Research Approach: Partnering with Racially and Ethnically Minoritized Parents to Better Understand the Parent-teacher Relationship

Building strong relationships between parents and teachers is critical to supporting young children in developing key social, emotional, and pre-academic skills. Especially in preschool, parent-teacher relationships can support a young child’s development across home and school. However, parents from racially and ethnically minoritized (REM) backgrounds report having less close relationships with teachers compared to White parents. This study aims to elevate the voices of REM parents of a preschool child to better understand how to support them in establishing quality relationships with their child’s teacher.

Using a qualitative approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 9 REM parents of a preschool child at two local early childhood centers who serve low-income families.We have developed a codebook, coded all transcripts, and are currently analyzing the following research questions: 1) How do parents define quality relationships? 2) What barriers do parents face when forming and maintaining relationships with teachers? and 3) What are parent identified strategies for improving parent-teacher relationships? Preliminary results indicate that parents define quality relationships as having open communication, understanding and partnership with their child’s teacher.

Parents expressed difficulty in forming quality relationships, identifying barriers such as time, lack of communication, misunderstanding ,and feeling negative emotions that interferes with comfort and communication. Parents identified strategies such as providing teachers with time and skills to understand each child’s family background, increasing face-to-face communication and interaction with teachers, and supporting teachers’ so that they can be open to engaging with parents.

Through listening to REM parents about their current experiences, we hope to elevate their voices in order to improve the parent-teacher relationship in preschool, ultimately improving young children’s outcomes.