The Parent-Teacher Association was practiced in an elementary school : A Case Study

• Main Authors: Chen, Ching-In, 陳靜音
• Other Authors: Lin, Ming-Dih
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/91942583215972187563

碩士 === 國立中正大學 === 教育研究所 === 90 === Abstract This study was based on the methodology of “case study” by involving all the teaching staff, students, and parent in an elementary school. The research was conducted through qualitative research such as participatory observation, questionnaire, interviews, and documentary analysis. The results of this study are as follows. Ⅰ. How the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) was practiced The PTA was practiced through the administrative efforts and teachers’ cooperation and some results could be observed. 1. Parents’ presence was not very perfect, and much encouragement was desired. 2. While the types of the PTA were full of variety, the type of the social party was much more welcomed. 3. While the issues discussed in the PTA were various, much more focus was on children’s education. 4. Parents were quite satisfied with the effects of the PTA 5. The frequency of the PTA was high in some classes but was low in other classes. However, the PTA provided teachers with another option of communication and cooperation between teachers and parents. Ⅱ. How the PTA functioned in this elementary school For teachers, the PTA let them receive “functional pressure” from parents to push them 1) to undertake good classroom management, 2) to understand their students better and have better teaching, 3) to understand parents’ expectation and strike a balance between teachers and parents, 4) to resolve the misunderstanding between teachers and parents and improve their relationship, 5) to make parents work together to help school affairs, and 6) to have more confidence in their teaching. Last but not least, teachers who promoted the PTA obtained more trust from parents. For parent, the PTA enabled parents 1) to understand more how their children were learning at school, 2) to be more concerned about their children and to get involved in their children’s learning actively, 3) to have better communication with their children and discipline their children more properly, 4) to understand the schooling better and cooperate with teachers better, and 5) to enhance the opportunities to communicate with teachers and improve their relationship. What’s more, parents could be the access to help the communication between teachers and parents. For students, their parents’ participation in the PTA made them feel cared for, therefore, it helped children have a finer performance not only in their behavior but also in their learning. For the school as a whole, the PTA was the branch of the Parental Association. By means of the PTA, the school could convey the school policy and was able to make it go smoothly. If the PTA was well developed, it could lessen parents’ complaints and avoid any conflict between teachers and parents. If the PTA made a good impression on parents, the school would accordingly give parents a good impression. Besides, the PTA would be the backup for its class. The resources from parents were introduced to its class; meanwhile, they also enriched the resources of the school and the community. Ⅲ. The factors which influenced the practice of the PTA The factors which influenced the practice of the PTA, on the aspect of teachers, were teachers’ concepts and attitudes, the strategy which teachers used, and the needs of teachers’ class management, and so on. On the aspect of parents, the factors would be their educational background, working hours, personality, their concepts about the PTA, how much they were concerned about children, and their sense of approval to their teachers. On the aspect of students, the factors would be students’ school grades, performance, and attitudes. Ⅳ. The approaches to practice and improve the PTA This study revealed that there was a strong likelihood of practicing the PTA. And the approaches to improve the PTA are as follows. 1. It is proper to held the PTA twice a year. It should be held by teachers within the school. The date of the PTA can be either during the day on holidays or at night during the week. The type of the PTA should be a relaxing social party. 2. The issues for the discussion of the PTA should be concerned with parents’ expectation and the help which they would like to receive. They are “Children’s behavior,” “Children’s lessons,” “Teachers’ regulative and disciplinary principles,” “The ways of the communication between parents and children,” “Teachers’ teaching,” “Parents’ disciplinary attitudes toward children,” “The methods of parents’ helping their children with school lessons,” and “The way of he communication between parents and children,” ‘The methods of parents’ helping their children with school lessons,” “The approaches of disciplining children,” and “The ways of communicating with teachers.” etc. 3. As for the school administrative support, not only should the principal and deans take part in the PTA, but also they should offer material surroundings help, train the unfamiliar teachers, publicize the relative information, develop the school’s characteristics, and work hard for the school’s new direction.