Partnerships with parents in Western Australian lower primary school classes: An interpretivist study

This thesis examines teachers' perspectives of parental partnerships in lower primary school classes. This study is underpinned by Epstein's parent involvement framework (1995) and Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory (1979). Individual, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers teaching lower primary at an independent private school in Perth, Western Australia. The findings identify the significance of mutual trust and respect, aligning with the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) standards and the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) policy documents that mandate parent-teacher partnerships. The study identified four themes that variously impact the parent-teacher relationship: Positive Strategies, Parental Anxiety (with subthemes: Technology and Social Media, and COVID-19), Inappropriate Parental Conduct, and Teacher Mental Health. These findings illuminate the intricate dynamics inherent in the parent-teacher relationship and offer valuable insights into fostering a collaborative partnership between home and school. Significant changes are called for to strengthen parent-teacher relationships in Australia.